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Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Brooklyn Woman Arraigned on Indictment Charging Her

With Stealing Sheepshead Bay Home

Defendant Allegedly Used Forged Deed and Utility Records To

Illegally Take Over Property of Deceased Homeowner

 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn woman has been arraigned on an indictment in which she is charged with filing a forged deed and other fraudulent documents to steal a home in Sheepshead Bay, where she then allegedly squatted for months without any legal right to the property. The defendant also allegedly attempted to take over a second nearby home, but the filing was rejected due to a payment issue.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly took advantage of a deceased homeowner’s absence to steal a house and live there unlawfully. Deed fraud and squatting schemes like this rob families of their rightful properties and destabilize neighborhoods. We are committed to holding individuals accountable who use deception and forgery to take what is not theirs.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Shelle Revivo, 35, of Brooklyn. She was arraigned today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dena Douglas on an indictment in which she is charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and first-degree falsifying business records. She was ordered held on bail of $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond and to return to court on August 5, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, the defendant allegedly filed a forged deed on August 1, 2024, transferring ownership of the single-family Sheepshead Bay house to herself for $10. The deed and related documents allegedly included forged signatures and backdated notary stamps. The defendant had no connection to the deceased owner.

The defendant allegedly moved into the house and opened a utility account, receiving gas service while unlawfully occupying the property. The investigation further revealed that the defendant allegedly attempted to file another fraudulent deed for a second nearby property in Manhattan Beach, also using forged paperwork tied to a deceased homeowner. That filing was ultimately rejected.

The alleged scheme came to light after a neighbor contacted the District Attorney’s Action Center to report suspicious activity.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kirsten Tamayo of the District Attorney’s Fraud Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Richard Farrell, Chief of the Real Estate Fraud Unit, Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Chief of the Frauds Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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

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Friday, June 13, 2025

Former Chairman of Emergency Medicine at SUNY Downstate

Medical Center Admits to Stealing Nearly $1.5 Million

Used Business Credit Card for Purchases Ranging from a High-End Pet Resort to

Personal Travel, Catering Expenses, College Tuition and Cash Advances

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang and New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller, today announced that a now retired emergency medicine doctor has pleaded guilty to grand larceny for stealing approximately $1.44 million by using a business credit card for personal purchases and cash advances. The plea was in exchange for a promised sentence of one to three years in prison.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The defendant used his employment with a vital healthcare institution to gain access to more than $1 million to fund a lavish lifestyle. Today’s guilty plea is an admission of his violation of the public trust by using his position to steal from taxpayers and SUNY Downstate. I thank my prosecutors, the Inspector General’s Office, and the Tax Department for their work on this case.”

Inspector General Lang said, “New Yorkers expect public servants, especially those entrusted with critical healthcare responsibilities, to act with honesty and integrity. Dr. Lucchesi’s admitted theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the State represents a serious breach of public trust. This guilty plea is a clear message that abuse of public funds will not be tolerated and those responsible will be held accountable.”

Acting Commissioner Hiller said, “Let this serve as a warning to any taxpayers considering lining their pockets for personal gain. The defendant repeatedly took advantage of his position and is being held accountable. I commend the dedicated work of our NYS Tax Investigators, and thank Brooklyn DA Gonzalez and New York State IG Lang for their diligent efforts in this case.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Dr. Michael Lucchesi, 67, of Staten Island. He pleaded guilty today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Danny Chun to one count of first-degree grand larceny in exchange for a promised sentence of one to three years in prison. The defendant had been indicted on charges including grand larceny, falsifying business records and criminal tax fraud. In addition, the defendant agreed to make restitution in the amount of $720,000, which included restitution of $63,926 made today to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and restitution of $656,074 to Downstate Hospital’s clinical practice on August 6, 2025, when he is sentenced.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between December 1, 2016 and January 31, 2023, the defendant, a medical doctor, who was the Chairman of Emergency Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and at various points was the acting head of Downstate Hospital and the medical school, and was the Chief Medical Officer, made personal purchases using a credit card meant to be used for business purposes only by members of the clinical practice, University Physicians of Brooklyn, of SUNY Downstate.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant’s spending totaled approximately $1.44 million and included cash advances of approximately $115,000; pet care totaling $176,000 (including $120,000 paid to The Greenleaf Pet Resort & Hotel in New Jersey); $348,000 spent on personal travel; $109,000 in payments to the New York Sports Club for membership and personal training; $92,000 for premium seating for sporting events, concerts and Broadway shows; $52,000 in catering expenses; $46,000 in tuition payments for his children; and assorted payments for online shopping, flowers, liquor, electronics and other items.

The thefts were discovered by SUNY during an audit.

The District Attorney thanked Investigative Counsel Thomas Collery, Senior Investigative Auditor Angelus Okeke, Investigative Auditor Victoria Oliva, and Senior Investigator Jimmy Gibson, under the supervision of Chief of Investigations for the Downstate Regional Offices Ben Defibaugh, Deputy Inspector General for the New York City Regional Office Ken Michaels, and Chief Deputy Inspector General Michele Bayer of the Offices of the New York State Inspector General for their work on the case.

The District Attorney also thanked the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Criminal Investigations Division.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Chief Financial Investigator Ludwig Sanchez, Financial Investigator Jose Carlos Covas, Assistant District Attorney Dewey Golkin, Director of the Crimes Against Revenue Bureau, as well as KCDA Detective Investigators and Paralegal Jezebel Negrete-Ugaz, for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael Choi and Assistant District Attorney Andrew Kohler, both Special Counsel to the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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Thursday, June 5, 2025

Disbarred Attorney Convicted of Stealing Deeds of 11
Brooklyn Properties in Decade-Long Fraudulent Scheme

Defendant Targeted Minority Homeowners Facing Foreclosure;
Now Facing Mandatory Prison Time

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced the conviction of a disbarred Brooklyn attorney who stole the deeds to 11 residential properties across Brooklyn, primarily from minority homeowners in financial distress. The defendant falsely promised to help facilitate short sales, but instead transferred ownership of the homes to himself or companies he controlled.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant didn’t just steal homes — he stole stability, equity and the future that these families worked hard to build. He preyed on Brooklyn homeowners already in crisis, including a nurse, cab driver and home health aide, by posing as a trusted advisor. This sentence makes clear that we will not allow fraudsters to exploit vulnerable New Yorkers or profit from a housing crisis and highlights my office’s success in prosecuting deed theft.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Sanford Solny, 68, of Midwood, Brooklyn. He was convicted today of 13 counts of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, three counts of first-degree scheme to defraud and one count of third-degree grand larceny in connection with 11 properties following a bench trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. Eleven corporations owned by the defendant, one for each property, were also convicted of 13 counts of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property and one count of third-degree grand larceny (the judge acquitted the defendant of charges pertaining to one property as well as of additional charges pertaining to the 11 properties). As a predicate felon, the defendant is facing mandatory prison time when he’s sentenced on September 17, 2025, with the maximum sentence for the top count he was convicted of being three and a half to seven years in prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, between 2012 and 2022, the defendant, whose law license was suspended in 2012 before he was disbarred in 2023, carried out a fraudulent real estate scheme targeting homeowners in foreclosure. He presented himself as a financial expert who could negotiate with lenders to sell the homes for less than what was owed on the mortgage — a process known as a short sale — to help clients avoid foreclosure. Instead, using an array of false statements, he tricked his victims into unwittingly signing over their deeds to corporations he controlled.

The defendant defrauded 15 victims, many of whom had limited legal or financial literacy by convincing them they were getting help. Instead, the defendant transferred ownership of their homes to his companies and in some cases collected rent from tenants already living there. The 11 properties included homes in Bedford-Stuyvent, East Flatbush, Canarsie, East New York and Ocean Hill, among other neighborhoods. Victims lost their homes, their equity and, in many cases, suffered damage to their credit as the foreclosure proceedings remained unresolved.

Since 2017, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has obtained 30 indictments against 42 defendants in numerous deed theft cases, pertaining to over 70 properties. All of these cases resulted in convictions – leading to many carceral sentences – except for five that are still pending. Most of the defendants were skilled scammers, including disbarred attorneys and repeat offenders, who targeted and harmed multiple victims. These many successful prosecutions have significantly contributed to the overall precipitous drop since 2017 in the number of deed fraud complaints made by Brooklyn residents to the city’s Department of Finance. The DA’s Office remains committed to safeguarding homeownership and ensuring justice for communities harmed by these predatory schemes.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph DiBenedetto, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Gregory C. Pavlides, Chief of the Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Owner and Managers of Tobacco Processing Company Indicted for
Wage Theft for Allegedly Stealing Approximately $310,000 From
More Than Two Dozen Employees

 Defendants Allegedly Routinely Underpaid Workers, Failed to Pay Wages and Subjected Employees to Unsafe Working Conditions in Brooklyn Sweatshop

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, New York State Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Clarissa M. Rodriguez, and New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, today announced that the owner of Hothead Grabba, LLC, two managers and the company itself have been arraigned on a 74-count indictment in which they are variously charged with grand larceny, conspiracy, and related charges for allegedly withholding wages and violating New York State labor laws. More than two dozen employees who processed tobacco at the Cypress Hills plant were allegedly cheated out of more than $310,000 in wages.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We allege that these defendants operated a business that profited by systematically underpaying their employees, denying them basic protections, and exposing them to hazardous and degrading conditions. These serious charges send a strong message that this kind of exploitation will not be tolerated in Brooklyn, and we will continue to use every available tool to hold unscrupulous employers accountable and seek restitution for workers. I thank our prosecutors and our enforcement partners for their work on this case.”

NYS DOL Commissioner Reardon said, “New York State has zero tolerance for anyone who cheats their workers out of hard-earned pay or forces them to work in dangerous and illegal conditions. I am proud of the New York State Department of Labor’s continued partnership with the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. Armed with expanded enforcement powers provided by Gov. Hochul’s 2026 budget, we will continue to fight worker exploitation in all its forms and put money back in the pockets of workers.”

NYS Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Rodriguez said, “The Board applauds the work of its task force members and all of the agencies that played a role in this investigation. Holding bad actors accountable underscores New York’s dedication to keeping workers safe and promoting compliance with the law.”

NYS Inspector General Lang said, “The exploitation of vulnerable workers through wage theft and unsafe labor conditions is both unconscionable and illegal. Every worker in New York deserves fair pay and a safe workplace, and in collaboration with our partners across federal, state, and local agencies, my office will continue working to ensure those rights are protected.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Hunter Segree, 28, of New Jersey; Isayed Rojas, 30, of Staten Island; Joshua Howard, 30, of Queens, and Hothead Grabba, LLC. They were arraigned today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a 74-count indictment in which they are variously charged with second-, third- and fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree conspiracy, petit larceny, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, first-degree scheme to defraud, first-degree falsifying business records, violation of Section 52 of the NYS Workers’ Compensation Law, second-degree reckless endangerment, Labor Law section 198-A (1) and Labor Law section 662 (1). They were released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 13, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, Hothead Grabba, LLC, is a company that produces and sells “grabba,” which is ground up tobacco that may be added to marijuana. Hothead Grabba processed tobacco leaves for that purpose at a factory located at 234 Chestnut Street in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn until March 26, 2024. On that date, a task force which included members from the New York State Department of Labor, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, and the New York State Inspector General’s Office, conducted a civil enforcement sweep at that location and the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board issued a stop work order for failure to maintain workers’ compensation insurance.

The closure of the Brooklyn location caused Hothead Grabba to move to a worksite in Queens where it continued to pay its employees by the pound, in violation of the minimum wage law. It sold the product to convenience stores and other retailers.

Many Hothead Grabba employees allegedly worked approximately 12 hours a day, six or seven days a week, cleaning and separating tobacco leaves from their stems, according to the investigation, and were paid according to the quantity of pounds they processed, and not on an hourly basis. It is alleged that the workers, mostly women, were paid approximately $7 a pound for processing approximately 15 pounds of the leaves per day. Because the work was so time consuming, their payment for the pounds of tobacco they processed equated to a rate which was far lower than that provided by the applicable minimum wage and overtime laws and regulations.

Furthermore, it is alleged, the defendants failed to pay the employees on a timely basis, sometimes failing to pay them at all for weeks at a time.

Additionally, it is alleged, the workers were made to work with no official lunch or other breaks, in a room with no windows or ventilation, and generally with no protective equipment, despite the negative health effects tobacco processing can have. Furthermore, there was only one exit at the factory, which was allegedly frequently obstructed by tobacco and other materials, and no signs marking that exit, if an emergency required the workers to evacuate the location.

The indictment alleges the defendants withheld approximately $310,000 from a total of 25 employees between October 31, 2022 and July 15, 2024.

NYSDOL Chief Labor Standards Investigator Frank King and Senior Labor Standards Investigator Jorge Gordillo Alvarado and NYS Workers’ Compensation Board Senior Investigator Aleksandra Boyko assisted in the investigation.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Intelligence Analyst Yacelys Corona, Financial Analyst Veronica Beltran, and KCDA Detective Investigators for their work on the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Frank Longobardi, Chief of the District Attorney’s Construction Crimes and Labor Fraud Unit, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Sergey Marts of the Investigations Division, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Chief of the Frauds Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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

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Thursday, May 29, 2025

Gravesend Bookkeeper, Two Accomplices, Indicted for Stealing More than $1.1 Million Through Fake Payroll and Check-Cashing Scheme

Defendants Allegedly Created Fake Jobs and Inflated

Salaries to Cash Fraudulent Paychecks

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a bookkeeper and two accomplices have been arraigned on an indictment charging them with stealing more than $1.1 Million through a long-running fraud involving fake jobs, inflated salaries and business checks. The defendants allegedly used a former Brooklyn realty company to generate fraudulent payroll checks, which they deposited into accounts they controlled. They then used the stolen funds to pay personal expenses and debts.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant, along with two accomplices, allegedly carried out and coordinated an extended scheme to steal over a million dollars through lies and manipulation. By exploiting trust and fabricating work arrangements, they were able to siphon off money to cover personal expenses and business debts. We will now seek to hold them accountable for their alleged actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Maya Roytlender, 44, Ihor Dubno, 61, and Michael James, 33. The defendants were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Chu on an indictment in which Roytlender is charged with one count of first-degree grand larceny. Dubno and James are each charged with one count of second-degree grand larceny. The defendants were released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 13, 2025.

According to the investigation, between 2015 and 2020, Maya Roytlender, while working as an office manager for D. Malek Realty, LLC, allegedly orchestrated a scheme in which fraudulent payroll checks were issued to her co-defendants Michael James and Ihor Dubno, among others. James was placed on the company’s payroll despite never having worked there, and received salary payments to which he was not entitled. Dubno, who did work for the company, allegedly received inflated paychecks in excess of his actual compensation.

The checks were drawn from the company’s business accounts and deposited into accounts controlled by the defendants or their associates. The stolen funds were allegedly used to pay credit cards, auto lenders and other creditors — including Roytlender’s Capital One and Chase accounts, and toward Michael James’ personal debts.

The District Attorney thanked Supervising Financial Investigator Vincent Jones, Chief Financial Investigator Ludwig Sanchez and Intelligence Analyst Veranika Basak for their assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph DiBenedetto, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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

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Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Two Gang Members Sentenced to Up to Life in Prison

For Execution-Style Shooting of Three Individuals That Killed One

Defendants Were “Spinning” Through Rival Gang Territory When They Spotted their Victims, Then Ambushed Them in Canarsie Intersection 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that two Choo gang members, including rapper Culture Bermudez, a.k.a., CoachDaGhost, were sentenced to 60 years to life and 25 years to life in prison for the broad daylight ambush shooting of three young men – killing one, a 17-year-old boy, and injuring two others, ages 19 and 20. The defendants were convicted at trial earlier this month.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Bryan Sanon was just 17 years old, with his whole life ahead of him, when he was ambushed and killed in a calculated act of gang violence that also left two other young men seriously wounded. These lengthy sentences reflect the severity of this horrific crime and make clear that we will not allow violent gang rivalries to endanger lives and destabilize our communities. My office remains firmly committed to protecting the people of Brooklyn by holding those who carry out this kind of senseless violence fully accountable.”

he District Attorney identified the defendants as Culture Bermudez, 31, a.k.a., CoachDaGhost, of Brooklyn, and Naquan Pruitt, 30, of Pennsylvania. Bermudez was sentenced today to 60 years to life in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht, and Pruitt was sentenced by Justice Hecht to 25 years to life in prison. The defendants were convicted of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder, on May 7, 2025, and May 5, 2025, respectively, following a two-jury trial.

he District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on the morning of March 13, 2021, the defendants, members of the Choo gang, were “spinning” in Woo gang territory in Brownsville and Canarsie, “hunting” for rivals, when they spotted Bryan Sanon, 17, and two other young men, ages 19 and 20. Pruitt, who was driving a rented Toyota Camry, “spun” around the block twice and then stopped the car at the intersection of East 82^nd Street and Farragut Road, waiting for Sanon and the others to walk into the ambush.

When the victims reached the intersection, Bermudez, who was seated in the backseat and armed with a handgun, and another man, who was seated in the front passenger seat and armed with a handgun, jumped out of the car, and opened fire, shooting all three victims multiple times. The 19-year-old was shot in both legs, the 20-year-old was shot in the face, and Sanon was shot multiple times, including a gunshot to his chest that caused his death.

Following an investigation, Pruitt was arrested in Pennsylvania on May 25, 2021, and returned to New York in June 2021, and Bermudez was arrested in Georgia on July 6, 2021, and returned to New York in December 2021.

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 Amanda Schaefer, of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for
Fatal Stabbing Woman Who Tried to End Relationship

Defendant Stabbed Victim 35 Times; Fled the State After the Killing

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced today that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for fatally stabbing a Brooklyn woman outside his Sunset Park home in 2019. The defendant, who had been having an extramarital affair with the victim, launched a campaign of harassment after she attempted to end the relationship. He fled the state following the killing but was later apprehended and extradited back to New York.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a deeply disturbing case of domestic violence that ended in a brutal killing. After months of harassment, the defendant ambushed the victim and attacked her in front of his teenage son. I hope today’s sentence brings a measure of justice and closure to the victim’s loved ones.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Sheng Mao Chen, 48, of Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He was convicted of first-degree manslaughter on May 1, 2025, following a bench trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. The defendant was sentenced today to 25 years in prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the victim, Xiu Rong Zheng, 46, and the defendant were involved in an extramarital affair, which she ended. The defendant responded by harassing her and her husband over the course of several months.

On the evening of July 22, 2019, at approximately 10 p.m., the victim confronted the defendant outside his Sunset Park home. As she stood at his front steps, the defendant stabbed her 35 times, including five wounds directly to the heart. The attack was witnessed by the defendant’s 17-year-old son. The victim suffered numerous defensive wounds to her hands and arms, indicating she was attempting to protect herself and escape the attack. She also suffered numerous stab wounds to her back as she tried to flee. She died at the scene.

The defendant fled New York immediately after the attack but was later apprehended in Indiana during a traffic stop and returned to face justice.

The District Attorney thanked Homicide Paralegal Meghan Brancato for her work on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Ernest Chin of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau and Senior Assistant District Attorney Tara Kelly of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, May 23, 2025

Eight Individuals Indicted for Conspiracy and Sex Trafficking

Defendants Variously Charged in Superseding Indictment in Connection with Trafficking of

 Four Minors and One Adult in Brooklyn and North Carolina 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that six men and two women are variously charged in a 19-count superseding indictment and a separate five-count indictment with conspiracy, sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a child, promoting prostitution and related charges.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s indictments are the result of a continuing investigation into an allegedly widespread, multi-state sex trafficking ring. Five defendants were initially charged earlier this year, yet further investigation revealed the alleged involvement of three additional defendants and two additional minor victims. My office is committed to protecting   all young women from this type of exploitation and to holding traffickers accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Mylord Williams, 26, of the Bronx, Terrel Chery, 27, of Nassau County, and Kinard Oliver, 27, of Brooklyn. Chery and Williams are charged in a five-count indictment for the alleged sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in 2022.

Defendants Williams and Chery, as well as Oliver are named in a 19-count superseding indictment along with defendants Layquan Highsmith, 30, of Brooklyn; Ronasia Robinson, 31, of Troy, New York; Tyshawn Crawford, 29, of Brooklyn; Richard Baker, 45, of Brooklyn; and Eyecess Chapman, 24, of Brooklyn that variously charges them with promoting prostitution, sex trafficking of a child, conspiracy, and related charges.

Chery was arraigned yesterday, and Williams and Oliver were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. Chery and Williams were remanded without bail and Oliver was ordered held in lieu of $100,000 bail or $1 million bond. All were ordered to return to court on August 13, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, in July 2022 Williams allegedly rented two rooms in East New York, Brooklyn, and along with Chery, allegedly sex trafficked a 17-year-old girl, posting commercial sexual advertisements of her and collecting all the money she made by engaging in prostitution through October 2022.

A separate investigation began in November 2024, when a 19-year-old woman called 911 in Wilmington, North Carolina, and reported being forced to engage in prostitution in Brooklyn and North Carolina. She allegedly identified Highsmith, Robinson, Crawford, Baker, and Chapman in the illegal scheme.

Furthermore, it is alleged, a 15-year-old victim who had also been sex trafficked was identified, and further investigation revealed that Williams, Chery, Oliver, Highsmith, Crawford and Robinson, engaged in a conspiracy to engage in the sex trafficking of additional minors in Brooklyn and North Carolina. The conspiracy charges them with trafficking three minors from 2024 to 2025.

The defendants are variously charged in connection with the following additional incidents:

• Williams and Oliver allegedly sex trafficked a 17-year-old victim in Brooklyn in August 2024. That victim texted a friend asking for help and NYPD officers responded to the location. The investigation revealed that her trafficking had allegedly been going on since the beginning of February 2024.
• In October 2024, Chery, Oliver and Robinson allegedly transported a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old female to North Carolina where they engaged in prostitution in various cities and were required to give a portion of their earnings to Chery and Oliver.
• In mid-October 2024, after they came back from North Carolina the first time, Chery was complaining that the 15-year-old victim was not earning enough money for him so he then allegedly gave her to Highsmith, who then, along with Robinson and Crawford allegedly brought her, the two additional minors, the 19-year-old victim and other young adult women back to North Carolina to engage in prostitution.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Kevin Deleon, along with now retired Detective James Rufle of the joint FBI-NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and citywide Human Trafficking Squad, under the supervision of Lieutenant Amy Capogna, Lieutenant Joseph Picarello, Sergeant Kevin Kavanagh, and Captain Maripily Clase, commanding officer of the Human Trafficking Squad, and the overall supervision of Chief Carlos Ortiz. Detective Investigators from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office contributed to the investigation.

The District Attorney thanked Police Officer Tim Dewyngaert of the Wilmington, N.C., Police Department, Detective Joseph Wechsler of the Henrico, Virginia Police Division, Police Officer Sean Kehoe, Counselor Jacquelyn Wells and Sergeant Charles DePrima, of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department Youth Services Unit, Investigator Sean Tashjian of the New York State Police, Detective Jonathan Castro, of the Newark Police Department, and Undersheriff Tracey Quinn of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.

Additionally, the District Attorney thanked Deputy Chief Janette Lukowsky of the District Attorney’s Law Enforcement Assistance Unit, Human Trafficking Unit Deputy Chief Mary E. Monahan, Paralegal Specialist Aurora Martinez, Paralegal Aaliyah Antrobus, Social Worker Raquel Alger and Digital Evidence Lab Digital Forensic Analyst Taylor Mumley for their work on the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Audrey Chao, of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, and Assistant District Attorney David Weiss, Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 22, 2025

Two Men Indicted for Sophisticated Financial Scam That Allegedly Used 17
Stolen Social Security Numbers to Open Accounts and Get Fake Loans

Took in About $416,000 From Lenders; One Defendant Additionally Charged
With Allegedly Stealing $52,000 by Fraudulently Applying for COVID Relief

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that two men have been indicted for allegedly stealing 17 social security numbers and using them to create a full identity profile for each of them – including driver’s licenses, bank statements, email addresses and more – then using the fake documents to apply for loans in the victims’ names, which they quickly withdrew and never repaid.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These defendants allegedly perpetrated a sophisticated scam that used stolen identities to defraud financial institutions. The health of our banking system depends on honest dealings and my office will continue working with other partners to ensure that fraudsters are stopped and held responsible. I commend all the investigators who built this case for their meticulous and persistent efforts and am committed to using the evidence they gathered to obtain accountability.”

New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said, “This was a calculated and shameless scheme. These individuals allegedly stole identities, forged documents, and scammed lenders out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent loans and COVID relief funds. New Yorkers rely on the integrity of their financial institutions, and the NYPD remains committed to identifying and arresting those who seek to exploit them. I commend our investigators, the Secret Service, and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for shutting this scheme down and holding these fraudsters accountable.”

Patrick J. Freaney, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge at the New York Field Office, said, “The volitional criminality allegedly carried out by these defendants yielded massive fraudulent gains at the expense of unwitting victims. Such lucrative schemes require disruption — and that is exactly what this investigation brings. My thanks to our partners at the NYPD and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for building a compelling case and bringing accountability to this syndicate.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Dacson Sears, 42, of Coney Island, Brooklyn, and Raymond Lyles (aka L.A. Ray), 41, of Mount Vernon, NY. Sears was arraigned yesterday, and Lyles was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. Both are variously charged in an indictment with fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree money laundering, first-degree scheme to defraud, third- and second-degree grand larceny, 17 counts of first-degree identity theft, 62 counts of first-degree falsifying business records, and other related charges. The defendants were released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 6, 2025.

The District Attorney said that between January 1, 2022 through January 1, 2024, the defendants allegedly obtained the names and social security numbers of at least 17 individuals. They formed an identity profile for each individual by creating fraudulent documents in that person’s name such as a driver’s license, bank account statements, payroll stubs, utility bills, real estate deeds, and tax return forms. They also often opened or used email addresses in those persons’ names that were under the defendants’ control.

It is alleged that after creating these identity profiles, the defendants opened new online financial accounts with various creditors and applied for personal loans through the new accounts without the consent or knowledge of the true persons. The creditors approved the loans, and the loan proceeds were thereafter disbursed. The defendants also allegedly applied for and received debit cards that were mailed to addresses under their control. The funds from the loans were either quickly withdrawn using the debit cards or transferred to various other bank accounts the defendants controlled. They never paid back the loans, causing financial loss to the creditors.

The loan amounts ranged from $15,000 to $36,000, the evidence shows, with the total sum allegedly stolen from financial institutions adding up to approximately $416,000.

In addition, the indictment alleges that in July 2022, Sears, using the stolen identity of a person whose name he was using to lease his Ocean Drive apartment, stole about $52,000 by applying for COVID relief for rental arrears with the NYS Office of Disability and Temporary Assistance. The fraudulent application was approved, and the funds were disbursed to his landlord, causing a loss to the state.

The case was investigated by Detective Marcelo Razzo, of the NYPD’s Financial Crimes Taskforce, Special Agent Haley Hoffman, of the Cyber Crimes Taskforce at the United States Secret Service, USSS Intelligence Analyst Jessica Ryan, together with Detective Investigators from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, Financial Investigator Vincent Jones and Intelligence Analyst Alexia Dolphy of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, with assistance from Senior Digital Forensic Analyst Mauricio Suarez-Marquez and other members of the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Digital Evidence Lab.

The District Attorney thanked Yann Du, Senior Investigator, Financial Crimes and Intelligence, at Municipal Credit Union of New York, Detective Donald Wilhelm, of the Sheriff’s Office of Loudoun County, VA, and the Washington Field Office of the USSS, specifically Special Agent Lance Tate, Special Agent Willis Cheng, and Investigative Analyst Mary Epstein

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Deidre Moskowitz, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 19, 2025

Woman Sentenced to 23 Years to Life in Prison for Execution-Style Murder

Of Another Woman on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights

Defendant Approached Victim from Behind and Shot Her in the Head,

Then Shot Her Several More Times as She Lay Dying on the Sidewalk

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a woman has been sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for fatally shooting Delia Johnson in the head at point blank range during a candle-lighting ceremony for mourners in the hours after a funeral for a mutual friend of the victim and the defendant.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This shooting was a cold-blooded execution of a woman who was attending a ceremony to honor a late friend. It is especially shocking that the defendant was so brazen as to carry out this murder among a crowd of mourners, causing chaos and fear as they ran from the gunfire. My thoughts are with Delia Johnson’s friends and family who are heartbroken by this senseless loss of life.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Claudia Banton, 46, of Allenwood, Georgia. She was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Margaret Martin to 23 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on April 3, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on August 4, 2021, at approximately 9:40 p.m., the defendant approached Delia Johnson, 42, a former friend, from behind as she chatted with a group of people in the vicinity of Franklin Avenue and Prospect Place in Crown Heights. The group was attending a candle-lighting ceremony in the hours after a funeral for a mutual friend.

The defendant shot Johnson in the head, and then shot her again after she fell to the ground. The defendant fired at least five shots at the victim. She then fled in a vehicle that was double parked nearby.

The defendant was apprehended in Jacksonville, Florida, on November 8, 2021, by United States Marshals.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Diamond, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Zachary Safrin, of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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