Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging LUIS SEMIDAY, a/k/a “PopOff,” RICHARD JIMENEZ, a/k/a “Showtime,” KEVIN CRUZ, a/k/a “Juice,” IRA LAWSON, a/k/a “Malachi,” and CURTIS HINES, a/k/a “Curt,” a/k/a “Gz,” with robbery conspiracy, robbery, and murder through the use of a firearm. The charges arise out of a robbery of a marijuana dealer in the Bronx on February 4, 2018, during which Jonathan Tuck was unintentionally shot and killed. JIMENEZ, CRUZ, LAWSON, and HINES were arrested yesterday and this morning, and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. SEMIDAY is still at large. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged in the Indictment, the defendants planned and carried out the violent armed robbery of a marijuana dealer in the Bronx. In the course of that robbery, 25-year-old Jonathan Tuck was killed. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the NYPD and the Special Agents of our Office, five defendants now face charges for their role in these terrible crimes.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “I applaud the tireless work of our NYPD detectives and our partners at the Southern District, whose close collaboration led to today’s charges. We have zero tolerance for crime and violence of any kind in our city, and New Yorkers in every neighborhood deserve to feel safe on our streets. Today, these five men are correctly being held accountable for their actions – which include, tragically, ending another man’s life.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
On February 4, 2018, SEMIDAY, JIMENEZ, CRUZ, LAWSON, and HINES planned and carried out a gunpoint robbery of a drug dealer at 2334 Washington Avenue in the Bronx. During the course of the robbery, Jonathan Tuck was unintentionally shot and killed.
SEMIDAY, 22, of the Bronx, New York, JIMENEZ, 21, of New York, New York, CRUZ, 23, of the Bronx, New York, LAWSON, 24 of the Bronx, New York, and HINES, 20, of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of robbery conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of murder through the use of a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and the Special Agents of the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. He added that the investigation is continuing.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
