Members Of Brooklyn Crew Charged With Murder, Drug Trafficking, And Firearms Offenses

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) announced the unsealing today of a Superseding Indictment charging DANZEL MACKINS, a/k/a “Putt,” DARRIN SAMUELS, a/k/a “Klepto,” JAMEL WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Big T,” and BRANDON WILKINS, a/k/a “Banger,” a/k/a “Fishy,” with participating in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.  MACKINS and SAMUELS are also charged with carrying and using firearms in connection with that drug trafficking crime, and with participating in the murder of Felton Durant, who was shot to death on April 25, 2021.

MACKINS and SAMUELS were previously charged with conspiring to distribute crack cocaine, though the charge of murder against each of them was only made public today.  WILLIAMS and WILKINS were both arrested yesterday and are expected to be presented later today before the Honorable Katharine H. Parker, United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of New York.  The case is assigned to United States District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “On April 25, 2021, Felton Durant was shot to death in broad daylight on a weekend afternoon over a drug trafficking dispute.  As alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today, Danzel Mackins and Darrin Samuels participated in that brutal killing, which took place in the middle of a busy public housing development in South Brooklyn.  Thanks to the hard work of the NYPD, the defendants have been charged with this heinous crime.  I am committed to devoting every resource in my Office to target gun violence in this City.  To be clear, we are not going to give up any neighborhood, anywhere in this City to drug violence, and the charges unsealed today should make that clear to all violent actors who endanger our neighborhoods and our communities.”

NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said:  “The wanton depravity outlined in the charges leveled against these individuals today will never be acceptable in any neighborhood of New York City. By dismantling their drug trafficking organization, and by putting a stop to the violence so often associated with this illegal activity, the NYPD and our law enforcement partners have affirmed our promise to the people we serve: Anyone who deals in this type of violent, destructive behavior will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

As alleged in the Superseding Indictment,[1] DANZEL MACKINS, DARRIN SAMUELS, JAMEL WILLIAMS, and BRANDON WILKINS, all of New York City, are charged with being members of a drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) that distributed crack cocaine from December 2019 through July 2022.  In addition to the murder of Durant Felton on April 25, 2021, MACKINS and SAMUELS are charged with using and carrying multiple firearms in connection with the charged drug trafficking conspiracy and aiding and abetting the same.

A set of charts containing the names, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants is set forth below. 

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and thanked the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this case.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Thomas John Wright is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

COUNT	CHARGE	DEFENDANTS	MAXIMUM PENALTIES
1	Narcotics conspiracy     21 U.S.C. § 846	DANZEL MACKINS, a/k/a “Putt,” DARRIN SAMUELS, a/k/a “Klepto,” JAMEL WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Big T,” and BRANDON WILKINS, a/k/a “Banger,” a/k/a “Fishy"	40 years’ Imprisonment     Mandatory Minimum Sentence of 5 years
2	Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime, which firearm was brandished and discharged     18 U.S.C. § 924(c)	DANZEL MACKINS, a/k/a “Putt,” and DARRIN SAMUELS, a/k/a “Klepto”	Life Imprisonment     Mandatory Minimum Sentence of 10 years
3	Murder through use of a firearm     18 U.S.C. § 924(j)	DANZEL MACKINS, a/k/a “Putt,” and DARRIN SAMUELS, a/k/a “Klepto”	Death or Life Imprisonment     Mandatory Minimum Sentence of 5 years

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the descriptions of the Superseding Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Attorney General James Stops New York City Landlords That Harassed Rent-Stabilized Tenants and Lied to Banks

 

Ink Property Group Illegally Bought Out Tenants, Deregulated Rent-Stabilized Units, and Forced Residents to Live in Hazardous Conditions

AG James Secures Over $400,000 for Impacted Tenants and Up to $1.75 Million to Preserve Affordable Housing

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a settlement with Ink Property Group LLC (Ink) for violating rent stabilization laws and illegally harassing tenants. Ink — managed by Eden Ashourzadeh, Alex Kahen, and then-Public Advocate James’ 2016 Worst Landlords List offender Robert Kaydanian — bought dozens of rent-stabilized buildings in low-income communities of color with the intention of illegally deregulating affordable housing for profit. Through a variety of illegal activities, Ink forced out rent-stabilized tenants so their units could be offered at market rate. Ink also intentionally submitted false documents to financial institutions, lying about rents and occupancy to obtain loans. As part of the settlement, Ink will pay up to $1.75 million to preserve affordable housing, and over $400,000 in restitution to tenants. Ink will also bring at least 28 apartments that were illegally deregulated back into rent stabilization, making them permanently affordable. Ink is also required to install a monitor and external property management company to ensure compliance with rent stabilization laws and manage their buildings, which will be overseen by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).

“As New Yorkers faced soaring rents and struggled to find affordable housing, Ink tried to get rich quick by preying on vulnerable tenants and their families,” said Attorney General James. “Lying and cutting corners to evade rent stabilization is one of the oldest tricks of the trade, but Ink’s years of exploiting our hardworking neighbors without consequences end here. These tenants organized and fought back, and because of their efforts, they will be compensated for the suffering they’ve survived. My office will continue to fight for tenants and to preserve affordable housing by ensuring bad actors like Ink are held accountable.”

Between 2014 and early 2019, Ink bought 32 multifamily buildings in New York City, primarily in north Brooklyn and other predominantly low-income communities of color. Ink also served as property managers for 12 additional buildings. The company implemented a strategy of purchasing small- to medium-sized apartment buildings with units that were primarily rent-stabilized. Ink would then engage in a campaign to force out all the rent-stabilized tenants — first illegally approaching tenants with buyouts, then repeatedly and persistently subjecting tenants to harassment, and in some cases, creating hazardous conditions so tenants were forced to leave because their apartments were no longer habitable. Ink even provided monetary commissions to employees who successfully convinced tenants to move out, offering up to $5,000 for each buyout. 

Once the rent-stabilized tenants were pushed out, Ink would renovate the units with cosmetic updates and rent the apartments at the highest rate the market would allow. Ink ignored the Individual Apartment Improvement (IAI) system set forth in the Rent Stabilization laws, instead treating every new vacancy as an unregulated unit, regardless of whether the renovations made met the criteria to achieve deregulation. Ink also failed to appropriately document any IAI calculations and repeatedly failed to file annual rent registration statements with the New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) for the majority of buildings in their portfolio. The registration statements that were filed often contained misrepresentations and false information about many of the apartments’ occupancy and regulated status. 

Despite the renovations, buildings averaged more than 1,000 open housing violations, including 115 of the most hazardous violations for conditions such as lead-based paint and broken window guards. Some of the violations that remain open today were issued as early as 2017.

One tenant, Maria de la Rosa, lived in her rent-stabilized apartment in Brooklyn for more than 30 years before Ink bought the building. Not long after, Ink employees approached her, repeatedly and aggressively offering buyouts, even after she explicitly refused. Ink succeeded in displacing nearly half of Ms. de la Rosa’s neighbors, but then left the vacant units to fall into disrepair to such an extent that conditions impacted Ms. de la Rosa’s health and safety. Since Ink acquired the building, she has dealt with cracks on the walls, leaks, and rats.

As Ink continued to grow their portfolio, they submitted false rent rolls to financial institutions to successfully obtain more favorable loans or refinance their mortgages. The false documents reported inflated rents and fake leases — often with family, friends, and associates listed as “renters” — to feign high profitability. A four-year investigation conducted by OAG with assistance from HCR found Ink repeatedly and consistently committed various fraudulent acts for their own gain, and violated the New York State Rent Stabilization Code, the New York City Rent Stabilization Law, and the New York City Housing Maintenance Code.

As part of the settlement announced today, Ink will pay up to $1.75 million to Attorney General James’ Affordable Housing Fund with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), which finances the preservation and creation of affordable housing in New York City. Ink will also pay $400,000 in restitution to tenants who were harassed by Ink to vacate their apartments and $2,500 each to tenants who were forced to live in hazardous conditions intentionally created by construction. At least 28 apartments will be reregulated as determined by independent counsel engaged by the monitor, and tenants who were previously overcharged for these units will also receive overcharge awards at amounts yet to be determined. These funds are to be disbursed by the monitor and the new independent property manager will take over management of 15 buildings that Ink currently owns and manages.

The OAG would like to thank HCR, HPD, and the Ink Tenant Coalition for their support and partnership. The Ink Tenant Coalition is led by St. Nicks Alliance, and includes the Fifth Avenue Committee and the Flatbush Tenant Coalition. Additional thanks to Communities Resist (CoRe), TakeRoot Justice, and Stabilizing NYC for providing representation and support to the Ink Tenant Coalition and local community groups organizing tenants against predatory landlords.

Air Quality Health Advisory Issued for Long Island and New York City Metro

 

In Effect for Friday, August 5, 2022

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for the Long Island and New York City Metro regions for Friday, August 5, 2022.  

The pollutant of concern is: Ozone 

The advisory will be in effect 11 a.m. through 11 p.m. 

DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern. 

OZONE 

Summer heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of photochemical smog. Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary sources of ground-level ozone and are the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast. This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere. 

People, especially young children, those who exercise outdoors, those involved in vigorous outdoor work and those who have respiratory disease (such as asthma) should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest (generally afternoon to early evening). When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce your exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing should consider consulting their doctor. 

Ozone levels generally decrease at night and can be minimized during daylight hours by curtailment of automobile travel and the use of public transportation where available. 

New Yorkers also are urged to take the following energy-saving and pollution-reducing steps: 

• use mass transit or carpool instead of driving, as automobile emissions account for about 60 percent of pollution in our cities; 
• conserve fuel and reduce exhaust emissions by combining necessary motor vehicle trips; 
• turn off all lights and electrical appliances in unoccupied areas; 
• use fans to circulate air. If air conditioning is necessary, set thermostats at 78 degrees; 
• close the blinds and shades to limit heat build-up and to preserve cooled air; 
• limit use of household appliances. If necessary, run the appliances at off-peak (after 7 p.m.) hours. These would include dishwashers, dryers, pool pumps and water heaters; 
• set refrigerators and freezers at more efficient temperatures; 
• purchase and install energy efficient lighting and appliances with the Energy Star label; and 
• reduce or eliminate outdoor burning and attempt to minimize indoor sources of PM 2.5 such as smoking. A toll-free Air Quality Hotline (1-800-535-1345) has been established by DEC to keep New Yorkers informed of the latest Air Quality situation.

Additional information on ozone and PM 2.5 is available on DEC's website and on DOH's website. To stay up-to-date with announcements from DEC, sign up for DEC Delivers: DEC's Premier Email Service.

The Friday, August 5, Air Quality Health Advisory regions consist of the following: Long Island region, which includes Nassau and Suffolk counties and New York City Metro region, which includes New York City, Rockland, and Westchester counties.

Governor Hochul Announces State Police Continue to Increase Gun Seizures Statewide

 

State Police Report 104 Percent Increase in Gun Seizures in 2022 Compared with Same Period in 2021

Includes Major Gun Bust by New State Police Unit, 30 Illegal Guns Seized Including Assault Rifles and Ghost Guns; Multiple Suspects Arrested

Governor Hochul Secured $2.5 Million in State Budget for 14 Positions for New State Police Gun Trafficking Interdiction Unit

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that State Police are reporting a 104 percent increase in gun seizures this year, statistics boosted by a months-long investigation that resulted in the recovery of a large cache of firearms and the arrest of multiple suspects who were involved in a gun trafficking ring. The successful investigation was conducted by the State Police Gun Trafficking Interdiction Unit. Governor Hochul secured $2.5 million to fund 14 GTIU positions in the FY 2023 Budget following the creation of the unit last summer. This substantial uptick in gun seizures is a direct result of these types of strategic investments to support law enforcement initiatives that crack down on illegal firearms.

"We continue to make real progress in our aggressive fight against the gun violence that has plagued New York," Governor Hochul said. "Through our support for the new State Police Gun Trafficking Interdiction Unit, we are focused on investigating and bringing to justice those who are trafficking guns into the state and selling them illegally to other criminals who are intent on circumventing the state's gun regulations. I was proud to help secure $2.5 million in State Budget funding for this specialized unit to support their critical work, and today we send a strong message to gun traffickers everywhere: we will hold them accountable for their role in bringing violence to our streets and will continue to seize illegal guns."

State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, "I want to thank the Governor for her continued support. We are fully committed to slowing the flow of illegal guns into our state, through the commitment of our own resources and collaboration with law enforcement partners at all levels."

Late last year, the State Police GTIU started its very first investigation into a gun trafficking ring operating in multiple jurisdictions. The months-long investigation resulted in the execution of search warrants at multiple locations in various counties. Overall, the case resulted in the seizure of 30 guns, including six assault rifles, seven high-capacity magazines, twelve ghost gun pistols and assorted ghost guns parts. Multiple individuals have been arrested. Additional information is being withheld at this time because of pending prosecution.

The State Police GTIU was created last summer to target the trafficking of illegal guns in New York, and conducts complex, long-term investigations that focus on mitigating the source of supply. The goal of the GTIU, along with other law enforcement agencies who are partnering on investigations, is to reduce illegal gun possession and the violent crime that often follows.

So far this year, State Police have seized 795 guns, a 104 percent increase compared with the 389 guns seized over the same period last year. Overall, 3,166 gun seizures have been reported by all law enforcement agencies in the state compared to 2,181 during the same period last year, an increase of 45 percent.

The State Police GTIU is one of several initiatives supported by Governor Hochul to aggressively attack the gun violence epidemic in New York State. This includes the Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns, a first in the nation initiative bringing together law enforcement representatives from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Quebec, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New York City Police Department, to share intelligence, strategies and tactics related to gun trafficking investigations.

The FY 2023 State Budget included $227 million to fund bold initiatives that will strengthen the gun violence prevention efforts of law enforcement and community-based organizations. It includes $13.1 million to expand the use of Community Stabilization Units, $18 million in direct support to local law enforcement for gun violence prevention, $20 million for regional needs in the aftermath of gun violence, and $3 million for the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.