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Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Hate Crime Assault and Robbery
Targeting Jewish Victim on Subway

Victim Repeatedly Punched on Subway in Unprovoked Attack

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with robbery and assault as hate crimes and related offenses in connection with an unprovoked attack against a Jewish man in the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center subway station in Brooklyn. The victim was targeted while wearing religious attire when the incident occurred.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant is accused of brutally assaulting a man in an unprovoked and senseless act of anti-Semitic hate. The impact of crimes like this radiates through entire communities and we will seek strong accountability because we have no tolerance for hate fueled violence in Brooklyn.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Neil Hurlock, 20, of Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree robbery as a hate crime, second-degree robbery, third-degree robbery as a hate crime, third-degree robbery, third-degree assault as a hate crime, , third-degree assault, petit larceny as a hate crime, petit larceny, third-degree menacing as a hate crime, third-degree menacing, and second-degree aggravated harassment. The defendant is on supervised release and was ordered to return to court on June 3, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on March 2, 2026, at approximately 10:45 a.m., in the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center subway station, the defendant, wearing a full-face black mask, allegedly followed the victim aboard a Coney Island-bound N train. The defendant allegedly stood by the train door and punched the victim in the face. He then allegedly entered the train car and punched the victim in the face again, before picking the victim up and continuing to punch the victim multiple times. The defendant allegedly threw the victim on the seats before once again punching the victim in the face multiple times. The defendant was captured on surveillance video from the moment he departed his residence to the moment he got off the Astoria-bound N train at Canal.

According to the investigation, the defendant allegedly called the victim a “F—ing Jew” during the attack. The victim was reading a religious text and wearing full religious clothing including a kippah and a gartel at the time of the alleged offense. The defendant allegedly removed this kippah from the victim’s head before fleeing the scene on an Astoria-bound N train while still in possession of the kippah. The defendant’s cell phone fell out of his pocket as he fled the scene and was recovered by the victim.

The victim remained on the Coney Island-bound N train until the 56th Street station, at which point he called 911 and was transported to SUNY Downstate Hospital, where he received medical attention for pain, bruising and swelling about the face and head, and cuts about the hands.

An NYPD detective interviewed the victim at the hospital and collected the defendant’s phone as evidence. A search warrant executed on the phone revealed the phone number. The defendant was arrested following an investigation.

The District Attorney thanked Hate Crimes Paralegal Qetsiyah Hillaire for her assistance on the case.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Detective Steven Acevedo of the Hate Crimes Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Samantha Perlstein, of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kelli M. Muse, Chief of the Hate Crimes Bureau.

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

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Monday, March 30, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
For Gunpoint Robbery of Crown Heights Bodega

Bought Black Ski Mask and Used it to Rob Same Bodega Minutes Later

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to five years in prison for a gunpoint robbery in which he threatened to kill a bodega worker. The defendant stopped by the same bodega 20 minutes before the robbery and purchased a black ski mask he wore during the robbery.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This brazen defendant not only robbed a business that had just provided him a service, but he also put a hard-working employee in grave danger. We have zero tolerance for gun crimes in Brooklyn, where shootings and homicides continue to reach record lows, and will continue to vigorously prosecute those who use firearms and threaten our communities.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Michael Bellevue, 26, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Adam Perlmutter to five years in prison followed by five years’ post-release supervision (prosecutors recommended a 12-year sentence). The defendant was convicted of one count of first-degree robbery on December 2, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on January 15, 2024, the defendant purchased multiple items, including a black ski mask, from a bodega at 401 Schenectady Avenue in Crown Heights, where he was recognized by the victim as a regular, everyday customer. Roughly twenty minutes later, the defendant re-entered the bodega armed with a loaded black firearm and wearing the black ski mask. He pointed the firearm at the victim — the same bodega employee from whom he had purchased the ski mask — and demanded cash from the register, saying “give me the money or I’m going to kill you.”

The defendant then pointed the firearm at the victim’s head, according to the evidence, but the victim was able to grab the firearm, which then discharged. The victim dove out of the way, narrowly escaping being struck by a bullet. As the victim dove, the defendant reached over the counter, grabbed cash out of the open register, and fled.

The defendant was apprehended on January 19, 2024, following an investigation.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Detective Investigators, as well as Supervising Paralegal James Morales and Paralegal Yazmin Pinkston-Hippolyte, of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Carly Muth, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau (formerly of the Red Zone Trial Bureau) and Senior Assistant District Attorney Amelia Digirolamo, of the Red Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Andrea Orlando and Assistant District Attorney Rene Plattner, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and Assistant District Attorney Karla Watson, Red Zone Bureau Chief.

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Thursday, March 26, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for Breaking into Elderly Neighbor’s Apartment and Sexually Assaulting Her

Defendant Strangled Victim Twice, Causing Her to Lose Consciousness

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Crown Heights man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for breaking into the home of his 81-year-old neighbor while she slept, strangling her twice until she lost consciousness and sexually assaulting her inside her residence, causing severe injuries and brain damage.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant broke into the home of an 81-year-old woman in the middle of the night and subjected her to a brutal, terrifying assault that left lasting injuries and stole from her the safety she deserved in her own home. Today’s sentence ensures he will spend many years behind bars for the devastating harm he caused. My heart is with this survivor, whose courage throughout this case has been extraordinary, and we will continue to pursue justice for anyone who targets the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Thomas Johnson, 54, of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo to 25 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of first-degree burglary, first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree assault as a sexually motivated felony and second-degree strangulation as a sexually motivated felony on January 20, 2026, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on September 27, 2022, at approximately 3 a.m., the 81-year-old victim was asleep in her bedroom inside her Crown Heights residence when she was awakened by a loud noise. When she got out of bed, the victim observed the defendant inside her second bedroom and asked the defendant what he was doing there. The defendant grabbed her and began strangling and physically assaulting her, causing her to lose consciousness. When she regained consciousness, she realized that she no longer had underwear on.

As she attempted to crawl for help, the defendant came up behind her and put his hands around her neck and applied pressure, strangling her until she lost consciousness a second time. When the victim again regained consciousness, she was able to crawl to the front door of her apartment and call out for help. The woman’s upstairs neighbors, who are related to the defendant, came down to help and called 911. The defendant was arrested in a hallway outside the victim’s residence.

As a result of the attack, the victim suffered pain in her neck, difficulty breathing, swelling to her face, extensive hemorrhaging in her eyes, bleeding from her mouth and nose, a dislocated jaw and injuries to her genitals. The strangulations deprived her brain of oxygen for a significant period, causing brain damage that reduced the level of self-sufficiency she had prior to the attack.

The District Attorney thanked Talia Orband of the Victim Services Unit for her assistance in this case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Daniel Brian Newcombe and Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Gomez, with the assistance of Supervising Paralegal Jennifer Hernandez, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Perry Cerrato, Deputy Bureau Chief, Assistant District Attorney Olatokunbo Olaniyan, 1st Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Staten Island Woman Indicted for String of Hate Crime Assaults
Targeting Muslim Victims in Bay Ridge

Three People Attacked, Including 12-Year-Old Girl, in Series of Unprovoked Attacks

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Staten Island woman has been arraigned on an indictment in which she is charged with assault as a hate crime and related offenses in connection with a series of unprovoked attacks against three Muslim people in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The victims were targeted while wearing religious attire when the incidents occurred.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant is accused of targeting three people, including a child, in a string of unprovoked assaults allegedly fueled by anti-Muslim bias. No one should be attacked, threatened, or made to fear for their safety because of their faith. We will seek to hold this defendant accountable and will continue working to protect all Brooklyn residents from hate and violence.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Megan Horne, 34, of Staten Island. She was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which she is charged with third-degree assault as a hate crime, third-degree assault, third-degree attempted assault as a hate crime, third-degree attempted assault, third-degree menacing as a hate crime, third-degree menacing, second-degree aggravated harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. The defendant remains on supervised release and was ordered to return to court on May 27, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on January 30, 2026, at approximately 2:25 p.m., near Fifth Avenue and 89th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, the defendant allegedly approached a 33-year-old woman wearing a hijab and punched and kicked her while making anti-Muslim statements.

Minutes later, near 92nd Street and Gelston Avenue in Bay Ridge, the defendant allegedly approached a 12-year-old girl who was also wearing a hijab and punched her in the face.

Shortly thereafter, near Fort Hamilton Parkway and 92nd Street, the defendant allegedly approached a 39-year-old woman wearing a hijab and pushed her as she was boarding a bus, again making a statement directed at the victim’s perceived religion.

According to the investigation, the defendant fled each scene. The victims suffered pain, redness and fear for their safety, but declined medical attention at the time.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sharmalee Brooks-Gordon, of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kelli M. Muse, Chief of the Hate Crimes Bureau.

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

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Friday, March 20, 2026

Brooklyn Parents Indicted for Manslaughter in Connection with
Fatal Drug Exposure of Four-Year-Old Boy

Child Was Allegedly Exposed to Fentanyl Inside East Flatbush Family Shelter

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a man and woman have been arraigned on an indictment charging them with reckless manslaughter and other crimes in connection with the death of their four-year-old son Aron Sklar, who was exposed to fentanyl in the East Flatbush family shelter where he lived with the defendants.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This indictment alleges a heartbreaking level of neglect that resulted in a fatal overdose of a four-year-old boy. Parents have a fundamental responsibility to keep their children safe, and by allegedly allowing fentanyl and other narcotics into their residence, these defendants failed in that duty. This prosecution seeks to ensure that there is accountability for Aron Sklar’s senseless death.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Yitzchok Sklar, 33, and Miriam Elkayam, 27, both of whom were living in the East Flatbush shelter at the time of their son’s death. They were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo on an indictment charging them with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree assault, endangering the welfare of a child and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Sklar was remanded without bail and Elkayam was held on a $500,000 cash bail or $1 million bond. They were ordered to return to court on May 1, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on March 4, 2025, police and emergency medical personnel responded to a 911 call at a family shelter located on Glenwood Road in East Flatbush after a four-year-old boy was found unresponsive. Emergency medical workers administered Narcan, an overdose-reversal medication, and transported him to a hospital. The victim, Aron Sklar, was later pronounced dead and subsequent toxicology reports confirmed that the cause of death was fentanyl exposure.

According to the investigation, suspected fentanyl and other narcotics were allegedly recovered from the defendants’ residence, along with drug paraphernalia. The indictment supersedes the earlier misdemeanor charges against the defendants of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child and adds additional charges connected to the child’s death.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Stephen Van Doran and Deputy Bureau Chief Perry Cerrato, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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

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Friday, March 20, 2026

Gunman Who Fired 10 Shots into Brooklyn Park, Killing Two Teens and Injuring a Third, Sentenced to 32 Years to Life in Prison

Accomplice Who Drove to Scene Sentenced to 20 Years to Life in Prison

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that two men have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the murders of two teenagers and the attempted murder of a third teenager who were among a group of people hanging out in a Cypress Hills park on a summer evening.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s lengthy prison terms hold these defendants accountable for the brazen murders of Antonio Villa and Kleimer Piron and the attempted murder of a third teenager. While gun violence in Brooklyn has reached record lows, we remain focused on the small number of individuals who put our communities at risk. We will continue to focus on these important cases to ensure that our parks and streets remain safe for every Brooklyn resident.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Joshua Bonilla, 29, of Cypress Hills, Brooklyn and Bryant Perez, 20, of East New York, Brooklyn. Bonilla was convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on December 16, 2025, following a jury trial. Perez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder on November 5, 2025. Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deepa Ambekar today sentenced Bonilla to 32 years to life in prison and Perez to 20 years to life in prison.

According to the evidence, on July 26, 2020, at approximately 6:30 p.m., the defendants, who were affiliated with the Warblock Street gang, drove in a stolen car to Vermont Street in Cypress Hills in search of rival gang members. The defendants circled the block before they approached George Walker Jr. Park at Vermont Street and Jamaica Avenue, where several teenagers were gathered.

As Perez drove the vehicle, Bonilla fired approximately 10 shots from a .357 caliber handgun into the park. Antonio Villa, 18, and Kleimer Piron, 16, were both shot in the head and killed. A third victim, a 17-year-old boy, was also struck by gunfire, and survived the shooting.

The District Attorney thanked Homicide Paralegal Meghan Brancato and Intelligence Analyst Victoria Genna-Schmidt for their assistance in the investigation.

The cases were prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney James Hamilton, 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

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 23 Years to Life in Prison for
Prospect Lefferts Gardens Murder

Defendant Shook Victim’s Hand Moments Before Firing Multiple Shots

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Crown Heights man has been sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old up-and-coming rapper.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a calculated killing carried out on a Brooklyn street. The defendant approached the victim, shook his hand and then fired numerous shots at point-blank range. As we continue to drive down crime in Brooklyn, acts of gun violence such as these will not be tolerated, and we will aggressively prosecute anyone who leaves families in mourning and communities fearing for their safety.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Caliph Glean, 33, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jay Weiner to 23 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on December 10, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on May 10, 2020, at approximately 9:25 p.m., the defendant approached the victim, Nickalus “Blixky” Thompson, on the sidewalk on Winthrop Street in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. After shaking the victim’s hand, the defendant drew a handgun, aimed at the victim and waited for a witness to be out of view before firing five times. Two of the shots struck the victim in the lungs and heart. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

The defendant took steps before and after the shooting to conceal his identity and avoid arrest, according to the evidence, but was apprehended in June 2020 in Philadelphia.

The District Attorney thanked Intelligence Analyst Victoria Genna-Schmidt of the KCDA Digital Evidence Lab, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jingu Chong, Chief of the Digital Evidence Lab, as well as Paralegal John Homnick and KCDA Detective Investigators for their assistance in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Robert Schwartz, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Douglas Steinberg, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for Fatal Daylight Shooting Following Conviction by State’s First Anonymous Jury

Unprovoked Killing Claimed Life of Unarmed Man Riding Moped

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bedford-Stuyvesant man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the unprovoked murder of a 42-year-old man. The verdict came from an anonymous jury after another panel was deadlocked during a first trial earlier this year, and the Court found “compelling proof” that the defendant attempted to interfere with jurors during his first trial.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Brandon Washington was unarmed and simply going about his day when this defendant brazenly opened fire, killing him and endangering others nearby. At a time when shootings are at historic lows citywide and gun violence continues to fall, today’s sentence sends a clear message: we will pursue accountability relentlessly for those who bring gunfire to our neighborhoods. My thoughts remain with the victim’s family and loved ones.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Saalik Jackson, 47, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Warin to 25 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on November 14, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on May 14, 2021, at approximately 6 p.m., the defendant brandished a gun on a public street near Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Hancock Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant and, unprovoked, fired at least five shots toward Brandon Washington, 42, who was riding his moped around the neighborhood while searching for a barbershop to get a haircut before attending a memorial service for his grandfather. The victim was struck numerous times about the torso, hip and buttocks.

He was later pronounced dead at Interfaith Medical Center, having died from the gunshot to his torso. The defendant fled the scene following the shooting but was arrested on February 3, 2022.

The first trial was conducted this spring and, after less than two hours of deliberations, the jury indicated to the Court that they were deadlocked 11-1. After more deliberations, the jury did not reach a verdict and a mistrial was declared. Following an investigation by the DA’s Office, prosecutors moved for a protective order limiting disclosure of juror-identifying information in the new trial to the lawyers in the case, pursuant to a new law intended to protect the safety and integrity of juries. Granting the order, the Court found that, while jailed on Rikers Island, the defendant had phone conversations with his girlfriend, discussing paying someone $1,000 to “work on” the case and providing him with the jurors’ names. The second jury returned a guilty verdict in just over an hour and a half.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Jafari, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 16, 2026

Brooklyn Man Arrested for Pandemic-Related Loan Fraud

Defendant Allegedly Stole Approximately $386,000 in COVID Relief Funds,
Allegedly Spent Money for Personal Use, Including Significant Sums at Casinos

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, today announced that a Brooklyn man has been arraigned on a criminal complaint for allegedly stealing approximately $386,187 in COVID-19 relief funds.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly defrauded a critical pandemic relief program and used the funds to cover his gambling expenses at casinos. Stealing public funds intended to help small businesses recover is a serious allegation and we intend to hold him accountable for his actions.”

NYS Inspector General Lang said, “Exploitation of relief programs strains critical resources and undermines public trust at a time when New Yorkers need both the most. As alleged, the defendant stole funds meant to help small businesses recover from the pandemic for personal gain. Thank you to District Attorney Gonzalez and his office for their collaboration. Together, our agencies will continue working to root out fraud and protect the resources New Yorkers depend on.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Jermaine Hydol, 43, of Fort Greene. He is charged in a felony complaint with three counts of second-degree grand larceny and one count of first-degree scheme to defraud. The defendant was arraigned today before Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Janice Robinson. He was released without bail and ordered to return to court on June 29, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, the defendant allegedly obtained pandemic relief funds on behalf of three businesses on seven separate occasions between April 1, 2020 and March 30, 2022, through the following state and federal programs: the Empire State Development (ESD), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), for a total theft of $386,187.

These defrauded programs were created to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and required recipients to use the funds for legitimate business expenses. Instead, the defendant allegedly diverted the money for personal use, including significant gambling at casinos such as Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Connecticut and Resorts World Casino in Queens.

The case was investigated by The New York State Inspector General’s Office, including Investigative Counsel Ray Gdula, Senior Investigator Ilene Gates, and Senior Investigative Auditor Angelus Okeke, under the supervision of Downstate Chief of Investigations Ben Defibaugh, Downstate Chief of Audit Alla Korsunskiy, and New York City Deputy Inspector General Ken Michaels

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Pamela Lowe, of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Jordan Krasner, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Adam Libove, Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Laura Neubauer, Chief of the Organized Crime and Racketeering 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.

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A criminal complaint is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

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Monday, March 16, 2026

Brooklyn District Attorney Moves to Vacate Conviction and Free Man Serving Time for Robbery
After Two Others Were Identified and Confessed

Became Suspect After Using Money Order Stolen from Elderly Victim;
Consistently Claimed and Testified That He Wasn’t Involved in Robbery

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that following a thorough reinvestigation by his Conviction Review Unit (CRU), he will move to vacate the conviction of Kenneth Windley, who served 19 years in prison after being sentenced to 20 years to life. He was convicted as one of two men who robbed an elderly man of money orders after he used one of the money orders to buy a stove and was identified by the victim. Windley contended all along that he met two men he knew from the neighborhood who sold him the money order to make that purchase and that was his entire involvement. He later tracked down the two alleged suspects, who were imprisoned for committing a pattern of similar robberies, and they attested he wasn’t involved. The CRU confirmed their identities and found their account plausible. The complete CRU report is available here.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “After a complicated and thorough reinvestigation, our CRU was able to confirm evidence that was developed after trial, which showed that Mr. Windley’s repeated claims that he did not commit this robbery were supported by the facts. It has taken many years, but today we are able to validate his account, release him from prison and exonerate his name. We have the most active conviction integrity unit in the country, and we intend to continue leading the way by overturning any miscarriage of justice we discover in Brooklyn.”

Windley will be brought from prison and appear in court today at 2:15 p.m. before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew D’Emic at 320 Jay Street, 15th Floor.

The District Attorney said that on the morning of April 1, 2005, 70-year-old Gerald Ross returned to his Crown Heights home after going to the bank and post office. Two men followed him into his building where they robbed him in the elevator of cash and two money orders (for $542.77 and $9.48) that were blank and unsigned. Shortly thereafter, Windley used the larger money order to buy a stove at Big Daddy appliance store in Brownsville. He provided his driver’s license, and had the stove delivered to his Queens address. The store manager testified that the defendant was with two men. The victim identified him as one of the robbers.

Over a month after the incident, the victim was informed that one check was cashed in an electronics store. (The money orders were virtually untraceable, but Ross used the same post office to get them every month and the teller, who knew him, agreed to search for the tracking numbers.)

Windley testified before trial and at his trial. He recounted that on the day of the robbery he left his girlfriend’s apartment and went to buy his mother a stove. At a parking lot, he met two men he’s seen in the neighborhood who told him they would cover the tax for the $379 stove if he would give them his cash and use their money order instead, which he did.

A jury convicted Windley of second-degree robbery in March 2007. Because of his prior felony convictions, he was adjudicated as a persistent felony offender, increasing the mandatory time of incarceration. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. He subsequently filed various appeals that were all denied.

The CRU was asked by Windley’s lawyer to investigate his claim of innocence. Specifically, that the two men who sold him the money order were the two individuals his client had tracked down and that they were the ones who robbed the victim. He provided statements by both men attesting to these facts.

The CRU interviewed nearly everyone involved in the case, including the two suspects. It discovered that both had extensive criminal histories, were convicted of committing seven robberies together from April 4, 2005 (three days after Ross’s robbery) through February 1, 2026, and sentenced to prison for those and other crimes. The robbery pattern took place in the same neighborhood, using the same modus operandi of following elderly men from banks to their homes, then robbing them. Both men confirmed Windley’s version of events in interviews. Their accounts were corroborated through recorded prison phone calls and in emails that the CRU reviewed.

If the jury had known about the other, similar robbery pattern for which two other men were charged, there is a reasonable probability the jury would have credited Windley’s explanation and rejected the one-witness identification case before it.

The District Attorney accordingly recommends that his conviction be vacated, and, because the victim has died and the case can’t be retried, that the indictment be dismissed.

To date, the work of the Conviction Review Unit has resulted in 42 convictions being vacated since 2014. Currently, CRU has approximately 40 open investigations.

This case was investigated by Julio Cuevas, Special Counsel to CRU, with assistance from Lori Glachman, Editor in Chief of CRU.

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