About Edwin Pineda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 25, 2026

Twenty-Two Alleged Members of Folk Nation Gang
Charged in Conspiracy Indictment That Includes 26 Shootings

One Homicide, 12 Non-Fatal Shootings in Brooklyn and Manhattan with 22 Victims, Including Three Innocent Bystanders;13 Additional Shootings Where No One Was Injured

[Note: materials displayed during the press conference are available here]

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, together with New York City Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, today announced that 22 alleged members of two subsets of the Folk Nation street gang (“Renegade Goons” and “OOs”) are variously charged in a 176-count indictment with conspiracy to commit murder, possess weapons and related charges.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These alleged gang members are responsible for dozens of separate shootings and other acts of violence all across Brooklyn and beyond, with 23 victims, including one fatality. The type of wanton shootings alleged in this indictment will not be tolerated in Brooklyn as the NYPD and my office are committed to targeting the crews and trigger pullers that cause the most harm in our communities. The consistent support we have been receiving from Governor Hochul has helped in conducting strategic takedowns such as this, which play a key role in the historic drop in gun violence across Brooklyn.”

Governor Hochul said, “Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority. That is why I have invested more than $3 billion in law enforcement and public safety – investments that empower our local police departments and District Attorneys to investigate and prosecute those who threaten our communities. This indictment is proof that when we give our law enforcement partners the tools they need, crime declines and New Yorkers are safer.”

Commissioner Tisch said, “The 22 alleged gang members indicted today are responsible for 26 shootings that left 23 people victimized, including one person killed. NYPD continues to drive down crime and shooting incidents to record lows because we continue to dismantle gangs, remove guns from our streets, and hold criminals accountable, just as we are doing in this case. I thank the men and women of the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division for doing the important and dangerous work of taking down violent crews, and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for their partnership in pursuing justice.”

The defendants were arraigned yesterday in Brooklyn Supreme Court on a 176-count indictment in which they are variously charged with second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The defendants were either remanded or are being held on high bail. All but five defendants are charged with attempted murder for allegedly pulling the trigger during a shooting.

The District Attorney said the indictment is the result of a long-term investigation by the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division into the violence allegedly committed by members and associates of two allied subsets of the violent Folk Nation street gang known as the “Renegade Goons,” hereinafter referred to as the RG, and the “OOs,” pronounced “Double Ohs.”

The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, over the course of the conspiracy, from October 2022 to the present, there was an alignment between Folk’s historic strongholds in Brooklyn: subsets operating out of the Ebbets Field apartment complex in Crown Heights, Newkirk Avenue in Flatbush, the Flatbush Gardens apartments (formerly the Vanderveers). The OOs are the latest generation of Folk operating out of Ebbets Field, while the RG is the newest iteration of the Flatbush/East Flatbush Folk.

The main rivals of the Folk alliance include various Bloods subsets, including the 59 Brims operating out of Sheepshead Bay, Coney Island, and elsewhere; various Crips subsets including the 8-Trey Crips, Grape Street Crips and Insane Crip Gangsters (ICG), all in Flatbush and East Flatbush; Canarsie WOO as well as the Brownsville WOOO.

It is alleged that the alliance between RG and OO was promoted by its members on social media and was reinforced through acts of violence and attempted acts of violence, including retaliation for the killings of fellow Folk Nation members Jamel Nicholson, a.k.a., “Melly Gzs,” and Lawrence Augustin, a.k.a., “Lo Bandz.” Nicholson was killed on October 31, 2022, in Sheepshead Bay, allegedly by 59 Brim members Tyshawn Ware and Ron Thomas. Defendant Gabriel Modeste allegedly retaliated that night by shooting an individual wearing a WOO sweatshirt in the buttocks near the Regal movie theater in Union Square in Manhattan. Augustin was killed on September 18, 2023, in Crown Heights. No arrests have been made in that shooting.

It is alleged that RG and OO members committed 26 shootings during the conspiracy, including the following:

• On September 19, 2023, a day after the murder of Folk member Lawrence Augustin, Folk members leaving a vigil for him allegedly walked into rival Grape Street Crips’ territory and shot at rivals sitting on a stoop. An innocent bystander, a 59-year-old woman, was struck in the head when a bullet ricocheted off a building. She suffered superficial laceration.

• On April 27, 2024, it is alleged, defendant Shamear Webster, and another individual traveled to Utica Avenue and Church Avenue, near a barbershop where a rival, Martense Blood associate Daequan Buckley, was inside. The two watched the barbershop for approximately 20 minutes and looked in the window several times. When Buckley walked out of the barbershop to his parked car directly outside, Webster allegedly ran up to him and shot at him five times. Buckley was taken to Brookdale Hospital and pronounced dead.

• On May 19, 2024, it is alleged, Folk members Ronaldinho Mareus, Molefi Williams, and two others, were in the vicinity of Church Avenue and Utica Avenue, in 8-Trey territory, when they were seen by an 8-Trey member who alerted other gang members, then pulled out a firearm and shot. Defendant Mareus then took out a firearm and shot back. An innocent bystander, a 39-year-old woman, was struck in her right thigh and treated at Kings County Hospital.

• On July 15, 2024, it is alleged, defendants Zakai Greene, Justice Cummins, Tukoy Gillespie, Jaron Dennis, Anthony Saunders, Elijah Franck, and Markel Henry, took a subway to Downtown Brooklyn. Gillespie was then stabbed in an elevator inside Brooklyn Supreme Court at 320 Jay Street, allegedly by a 59 Brim member. Meanwhile, it is alleged, another 59 Brim member was seen on video surveillance getting into an Uber outside Court and was followed by some of the Folk members. When the car stopped at a red light a few blocks away, it is alleged, defendant Saunders pulled out a gun and fired at the back window of the Uber. The 59 Brim member in the vehicle was not struck but suffered lacerations from the broken glass.

• It is alleged that on December 14, 2025, defendants Deremous Wilder and Gabriel Rhoden, traveled to Atlantic Avenue in East New York, where a Sweet 16 party was being held and opened fire on a group of party guests outside the venue, striking six people ranging in age from 15 to 17. They all survived their injuries.

The investigation was conducted by Detectives Christian Villacis and Daniel O’Hare, under the supervision of Sergeant David Zayas, all of the New York City Police Department Gun Violence Suppression Division.

The District Attorney thanked Digital Evidence Lab Analyst Brooke Allen, under the supervision of Unit Chief Jingu Chong; Paralegals Harline Aimable, Dian Fields Vernon, Abigail Marshall, Catherine Prigov, Vincent Ryan, and Shanoy Williams under the supervision of Supervising Paralegal Marta Kuklik; members of the District Attorney’s School Advocacy Bureau; and KCDA Detective Investigators assigned to the Special Investigations Unit.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorneys Katerina Kurteva, Douglas Steinberg, Edward Appelbaum, and Tien-Kha Tran of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gillian DiPietro, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Cilia, First Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Alfred DeIngeniis, Bureau Chief.

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An indictment is merely an accusation and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

DEFENDANT ADDENDUM:

1. Nathon Bess, 22.
2. Roberto Brown, 17.
3. Justice Cummins, 22.
4. Jaron Dennis, 18.
5. Akim Diahka, 18.
6. Armani Garraway, 20.
7. Tukoy Gillespie, 22.
8. Lashajuan Glasgow, 22.
9. Bryce Gonzales, 25.
10. Zakai Greene, 21.
11. Jacob Lubin, 26.
12. Ronaldinho Mareus, 18
13. Gabriel Modeste, 21.
14. Kareem Moore, 17.
15. Mark Ottey, 20.
16. Gabriel Rhoden, 17.
17. Anthony Saunders, 18.
18. Kemar Saunders, 20.
19. Phillip Simon, 19.
20. Winston Simon, 22.
21. Shamear Webster, 21.
22. Deremous Wilder, 17.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for
Rape of 12-Year-Old Girl in Apartment Building Stairwell

Defendant Was a Stranger to Victim; Followed Her into Building

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Greenpoint man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for raping a 12-year-old stranger after following her into the lobby of her East Williamsburg apartment building, dragging her into a stairwell, and raping her.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant followed and victimized a vulnerable child, shattering her sense of safety. Today’s sentence and the defendant’s guilty plea ensures that justice is done, protects the young victim from the trauma of testifying at trial, and ensures the defendant is kept off the streets of Brooklyn and unable to harm others.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Eric McMichael, 28, of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, who was residing at a men’s shelter near the victim’s building at the time of the attack. He was sentenced today to 18 years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Masateru Marubashi. The defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child on May 13, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on November 6, 2025, at approximately 5:42 p.m., the defendant followed a 12-year-old girl, who was a stranger, into the lobby of an apartment building in East Williamsburg and grabbed her. The defendant pushed the child into a nearby stairwell and raped her before fleeing the scene.

The child was taken to a local hospital for treatment following the attack. The defendant was identified following an investigation and apprehended by the NYPD the next day.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Taylor Tesher, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Ebonie Legrand, Deputy Bureau Chief, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, June 22, 2026

Former Brooklyn DOE Employee Indicted for Stealing Approximately $111,000 From After-School Program

Defendant Allegedly Wrote 153 Checks to Herself Over Six Years;
Spent Funds on Hotel Stays, Online Shopping

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and Special Commissioner of Investigation for the NYC School District Anastasia Coleman today announced that a former Department of Education paraprofessional and director of an after-school program at a Cobble Hill elementary school has been indicted on charges that she stole more than $111,000 intended for school programs over a six-year period.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “For more than six years, this defendant allegedly used her position of trust to systematically steal money meant to support the education and well-being of Brooklyn children. We will continue to hold accountable those who opt to line their pockets with money meant to enrich our communities.”

Special Commissioner Coleman said, “School funds are entrusted to support students, families, and educational programs —not to be misappropriated for personal benefit. As alleged, the defendant improperly diverted funds over a period of years that were intended to serve the school community. SCI remains committed to holding individuals accountable for misconduct, and we appreciate the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this matter and its efforts to protect the integrity of New York City’s public schools.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Shalisha Jackson, 37, of Short Hills, New Jersey. She was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which she is charged with second-degree grand larceny, third-degree grand larceny, petit larceny, second-degree forgery and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. The defendant was released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 12, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant allegedly began working for the New York City Department of Education in 2008 and served as the director of the after-school program at P.S. 146, also known as the Brooklyn New School, between 2016 and 2024. In that role, she was allegedly entrusted with control of the after-school program’s bank account.

According to the investigation, between June 4, 2018 and October 9, 2024, Jackson allegedly wrote 153 checks from the after-school program account payable to herself totaling approximately $77,000.

It is alleged the defendant also deposited approximately 104 checks and Zelle payments from parents and school vendors totaling approximately $33,000 that were intended for the after-school program into her personal bank account.

Jackson allegedly used the funds intended for school programs for personal expenses, including hotel stays, liquor store purchases, payments to a real estate company specializing in luxury properties, auto finance payments and online purchases.

It is further alleged the defendant also deposited two checks belonging to Madiba Prep Middle School into her personal checking account, including a $714 check dated June 9, 2022 and a $320 check dated June 11, 2022. In total, the defendant allegedly stole approximately $111,000.

The District Attorney thanked Supervising Financial Investigator Vincent Jones, of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, and Assistant Supervising Investigator Bryan Trockel, of the Special Commissioner’s Office, for their assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Pamela Lowe, of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Brooklyn Mother and Boyfriend Indicted for Murder of
Three-Year-Old Boy who was Beaten and Starved

Medical Examiner Determined Alleged Cause of Death was Child Abuse

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a man and woman have been named in an indictment charging them with murder and other crimes in connection with the death of her three-year-old son Kyng Davis, whose alleged cause of death was child abuse, including blunt force trauma and neglect, with starvation and dehydration.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This innocent child allegedly suffered day after day, denied the most basic care and compassion. Instead of safeguarding Kyng Davis, the defendants are accused of inflicting the very harm that led to his death. We will vigorously prosecute this case to secure justice for Kyng and ensure accountability for this devastating tragedy.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Robert White, 39, and Sunshyne Davis, 25, both of whom were living in White’s car at the time of her son’s death. Davis was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo on an indictment charging them with second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, and endangering the welfare of a child. Davis was ordered held without bail and to return to court on July 31, 2026. White will be arraigned at a later date. He was remanded in March 2025 following his arrest for second-degree assault for allegedly repeatedly striking the child to his face.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on March 9, 2025, at approximately 11:25 a.m., the defendants allegedly dropped Kyng Davis’ body at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in East Flatbush. After Davis spoke to the medical staff, the pair left the hospital and drove away. After an autopsy, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the child’s death to be child abuse, which included blunt force trauma and neglect with starvation and dehydration.

The indictment supersedes the earlier charge of second-degree assault against White for allegedly repeatedly striking the child in the face on February 22, 2025, after he urinated on himself.

The District Attorney thanked Digital Evidence Lab Analyst Anna Kharitonova, Homicide Paralegal Julia Holman, formerly with the Special Victims Bureau, and Victim Services Unit Social Worker Taylor Asciutto for their work on the case.

The investigation was conducted by New York City Police Department Detectives Philip Luongo of the 67th Squad and Yaqube Algabyali of the Brooklyn South Homicide Squad.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Perry Cerrato, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Pious Ahuja, also of the SVB, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Sunset Park Man Sentenced to 20 years to Life in Prison for Hammer Attack
That Killed Mother and Critically Injured Two Children

Defendant Previously Argued with Victim about Living Conditions in Shared Apartment

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Sunset Park man has sentenced to 20 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder for a 2023 attack in which he bludgeoned and strangled a 43-year-old mother to death and wounded her 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter with a hammer.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant carried out a shockingly brutal assault on an innocent mother and her two defenseless young children, leaving the family shattered and the community heartbroken. This significant sentence holds him fully accountable and protects the public. I hope it brings some measure of comfort and closure to the loved ones and neighbors of Zhao Zhao and her children.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Liyong Ye, 50, of Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 20 years to life in prison in accordance with a Court offer in which the defendant pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder in exchange for this promised sentence.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on August 23, 2023, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the defendant attacked Zhao Zhao, 43, and her two children inside an apartment at 531 52nd Street shared by the two families and two roommates. The defendant and Zhao had previously argued over living conditions inside the apartment.

According to the investigation, the defendant called one of his roommates, shortly after the attack, and told him to pick up the defendant’s 5-year-old son. When the roommate returned to the apartment, he found the floor and walls of the kitchen covered with blood. The defendant was allegedly holding a bloody hammer in his hand and standing over the bodies of Zhao and her children. The roommate went outside and called 911. The defendant was arrested outside of the building.

Zhao was taken to Lutheran Hospital where she was pronounced dead from massive blunt force trauma to the head and body. Her children were treated at the Pediatric Trauma Unit at Bellevue Hospital and subsequently transferred to a long-term rehabilitation facility where they recovered from their critical injuries.

The District Attorney thanked Office Manager Jannette Ayala and Paralegal Sarah Quashie of the Homicide Bureau for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Steven Bravo, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Chow Yun Xie, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, June 12, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 22 Years to Life in Prison for
Fatal Ambush Shooting of Innocent Teenager

Defendant Shot Victim from Behind as He Tried to Escape

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bedford-Stuyvesant man has been sentenced to 22 years to life in prison for the shooting death of an 18-year-old boy who was lured to East New York, ambushed and shot from behind by the defendant as he tried to escape.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s sentence holds Ricardo Dash accountable for the cold-blooded execution of an unarmed teenager. Shaheem Bascom was lured into a deadly trap and shot in the back while trying to escape in a cowardly act of senseless violence. This lengthy prison term ensures a dangerous individual is off our streets, and our hearts remain with Shaheem’s family and loved ones.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Ricardo Dash, 25, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to 22 years to life in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder on December 10, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on the evening of May 10, 2021, the victim, Shaheem Bascom, 18, was engaged in Facebook Messenger text conversations with a 16-year-old girl he knew, who lured him to meet her at a location in East New York, in the vicinity of 965 Hegeman Avenue. The 16-year-old and the defendant, along with some co-defendants, members of the 8 Trey Crips gang, then headed to that location, with a plan to beat up and rob the victim, who was affiliated with the rival Folk Nation gang.

Once they got to Hegeman Avenue, according to trial testimony, the group split up. The 16-year-old and a woman, Sarina Davis, now 29, walked toward the meeting place address, while the defendant and a co-defendant, Deshawn Holder, now 25, and another individual walked across the street from them in the same direction.

After the 16-year-old and Davis began walking with the victim, the defendant and the others began following as they walked on Hegeman Avenue, according to the evidence. When they crossed Essex Street, Holder punched the victim, who then ran. The defendant, according to the evidence, chased the victim, pointed his gun, and shot multiple times, striking him in his back. The victim later died of his injuries.

Following the murder, the defendant made multiple Facebook posts mocking the murder. He fled Brooklyn and was arrested by the NYPD and U.S. Marshals in Henry County, Georgia in December 2021, after seven months on the lam.

Deshawn Holder pleaded guilty to second-degree gang assault and was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison and five years of post-release supervision. Sarina Davis pleaded guilty in July 2025 to second-degree attempted gang assault and was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of post-release supervision. The 16-year-old’s case was transferred to Family Court. Another suspect remains unapprehended.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Detective Investigators, the Digital Evidence Lab, and Homicide Paralegal Sarah-Jane Quashie for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Steven Bravo, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Gabriella DiCapri, of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 11, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison
For Shooting Death of Ethan Williams

Victim was in New York City for Skateboard Tournament When he was Shot Dead in Bushwick

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for shooting an Indiana man who was sitting on a stoop in Bushwick, Brooklyn, killing him. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter earlier this year.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Ethan Williams was a bright, compassionate college student visiting our city to do what he loved when his life was stolen in an act of horrific, unprovoked gun violence. Today’s sentence holds the defendant responsible for this truly senseless killing, and my thoughts are with Ethan’s family and friends as they continue to mourn this devastating loss.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as William Freeman, 30, of Gravesend, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deepa Ambekar to 18 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on March 10, 2026

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the victim, Ethan Williams, 20, an Indiana University student on his first visit to New York City, was sitting on a stoop at 42 Eldert Street, in Bushwick, with several friends with whom he was renting an AirBnB, on October 24, 2020, at approximately 2:30 a.m., when the defendant opened fire on the group. Ethan was struck in the chest and died of his wounds.

The defendant then fled the scene, according to the evidence. The defendant was arrested on November 3, 2022, in the vicinity of 480 Knickerbocker Avenue, in Bushwick, after a car in which he was a passenger was stopped by police. The defendant made statements admitting, in essence, that he shot at the victim’s group because he mistakenly thought someone in the group was responsible for his cousin’s death a few weeks prior.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Detective Robert Romano of the 83rd Precinct and NYPD Detective Sonia Yi of Brooklyn North Homicide.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry, also of the Homicide Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Brooklyn Landlord Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for
Setting Fire to Rental Property with Eight People Inside

Defendant Admitted to Setting Blaze; Had Threatened Family of Tenants Over Unpaid Rent

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn landlord has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for setting fire to a Cypress Hills home he owned while a family of eight, including six young children, slept inside. He had previously threatened to burn the building down over an unpaid rent dispute.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant turned a rent dispute into a life-threatening act of violence, setting fire to a home where a family, including six children, slept. These children were forced to flee the blaze and be dropped into neighbors’ arms below. The victims in this case endured an unimaginable ordeal, and today’s sentence ensures the defendant is held accountable for the trauma he inflicted on this family and his community.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Rafiqul Islam, 68, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Margaret Martin to 10 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree arson on April 28, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant owned 212 Forbell Street, a two-story, two-family home in the Cypress Hills section of Brooklyn. Built in 1920, the building has a single entrance and no fire escape.

On September 26, 2023, at approximately 5:17 a.m., a tenant on the second floor noticed a burning smell from outside his family’s apartment. The tenant exited the apartment and saw smoke and flames coming up from the interior stairwell – the only point of egress within the building. As the fire spread, the entire family, including six children, ages 1 to 8, were forced to climb out of a back window. From there, two adult tenants were able to drop the children into the arms of neighbors waiting approximately 20 feet below. The two tenants then jumped to the ground. One of the tenants called 911.

Firefighters arrived to find the building fully engulfed. Approximately 55 firefighters were needed to extinguish the blaze while family members were taken to Brookdale Hospital and treated for minor injuries and smoke inhalation.

Video surveillance obtained by FDNY Fire Marshals shows the defendant walking toward the building wearing a mask and carrying a bucket and a garbage bag. Additionally, video surveillance captured immediately before the tenant’s 911 call shows the defendant leaving the building. Witnesses were subsequently able to identify the defendant from the surveillance footage.

Police arrested the defendant on October 25, 2023. The defendant was angry that the tenants had stopped paying rent and refused to move out of the building, according to the investigation. Three prior complaints were lodged between the defendant and the tenants dating back to February 2023. They include accusations from the tenants that the defendant threatened to cut off the family’s power and, later, set fire to the building.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jennifer DaRin, of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, and under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Andrea Orlando, Deputy Chief of the Red Zone, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Karla Watson, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Elder Parolee Sentenced to Life in Prison for
Murdering and Dismembering Brooklyn Woman

Torso and Leg were Discovered on Street Inside Plastic Bags,
Additional Body Parts Recovered from Defendant’s Apartment

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an 88-year-old parolee has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after getting convicted of first-degree murder and other charges for killing a Brooklyn woman whose body parts were discovered inside and in the vicinity of the defendant’s East New York apartment.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The brutality of this shocking crime is almost beyond words. This defendant committed a horrific murder that took Susan Leyden’s life and inflicted unimaginable pain on her family and loved ones. He must be locked away, and today’s sentence ensures that he will never be able to hurt anyone else again. I hope this outcome provides Susan’s family and loved ones with a measure of justice and some comfort as they continue to grieve.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Harvey Marcelin, 88, of East New York, Brooklyn. The defendant was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to life in prison without the possibility of parole following a conviction last month of first-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence and concealment of a human corpse after a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, surveillance footage taken on February 27, 2022, showed the victim, 68-year-old Susan Leyden, entering the defendant’s apartment on Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York. She was never seen leaving the apartment alive. Additional surveillance footage showed the defendant rolling a wheeled shopping bag containing a black plastic bag on March 2. The victim’s torso was discovered in that bag in the early morning hours of March 3.

In a subsequent search of the defendant’s apartment, police discovered the victim’s head and limbs, as well as blood, cleaning supplies, a hammer, and the box from an electric saw. On March 7, one of the victim’s legs was found near a garbage can about three blocks away. In addition, surveillance video showed the defendant purchasing a saw and cleaning supplies in a Manhattan Home Depot around the time of the victim’s disappearance.

The Medical Examiner determined that the victim, who resided in Clinton Hill, suffered blunt force trauma to the head and other physical injuries to her body. The investigation revealed that the defendant and the victim lived in the same shelter in the Bronx in 2019, but the nature of their relationship is unclear.

On October 16, 1963, the defendant was convicted of first-degree murder in Manhattan, forming the basis of the first-degree murder charge in this case.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detectives Thomas Pisano, of Brooklyn North Homicide Squad, and David Quattrocchi of the 75th Precinct Detective Squad. Paralegal Supervisor Jannette Ayala and Paralegal Monika Rostkowska, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, assisted in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau and Senior Assistant District Attorney Viviane Dussek, of the Homicide Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, June 8, 2026

Brooklyn Man Convicted of Manslaughter as a Hate Crime for Stabbing
Death of O’Shae Sibley in Anti-Gay Attack at Midwood Gas Station

Defendant Hurled Homophobic Slurs at Victim and His Friends,
Who were Dancing and Listening to Music following a Beach Outing

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been convicted of manslaughter as a hate crime and related charges for taunting, stabbing and killing O’Shae Sibley, 28, at a Midwood gas station after hurling homophobic and anti-Black slurs.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “O’Shae Sibley moved to New York to pursue his dream of being a dancer and choreographer, and his life was cut short when he was killed by this defendant, who couldn’t stand the sight of O’Shae and his friends just being themselves and living their lives openly as black gay men. By the jury’s verdict, this defendant will now be held accountable, and it is my hope that as the LGBTQ+ community celebrates the beginning of Pride Month, this verdict will bring O’Shae’s family, his friends, and the larger community some measure of solace. Hate has no place in Brooklyn, and my office will do everything in its power to keep our vulnerable communities safe.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Dmitriy Popov, 20, of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. He was convicted today of first-degree manslaughter as a hate crime, second-degree menacing, second-degree aggravated harassment, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dena Douglas. Sentencing was set for June 30, 2026, at which time the defendant faces up to 25 years in prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on July 29, 2023, at approximately 11:06 p.m., at a Mobil gas station located at 1935 Coney Island Avenue in Midwood, Brooklyn, O’Shae Sibley and four of his friends stopped to fill up their car with gas after returning from the beach. Still in their beachwear, they stepped out to stretch their legs while listening to music, with one member of the group dancing outside their vehicle. The defendant and two associates then exited the gas station store and hurled homophobic and racist slurs at the men, saying, in sum and substance, “Get that gay s–t out of here.”

Sibley attempted to diffuse the situation and he and his friends responded, in substance, “You don’t know us, we’re just having a good time and enjoying our lives. It’s all respect, we’re allowed to be here just like you.” The defendant’s friends left at some point, but the defendant remained outside the gas station store, recording on his cell phone and continuing to antagonize the group with hateful remarks. When Sibley and two of his friends confronted the defendant, he reached into his pocket and pointed a knife at one of Sibley’s friends, threatening to stab him. The defendant then stabbed Sibley on the side of his chest, puncturing his heart, according to the evidence.

Sibley was pronounced dead at Maimonides Hospital a short time later.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Jafari, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Prabhalya Pulim, of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief and Assistant District Attorney Kelli Muse, Hate Crimes Bureau Chief.

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