Earlier today at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Lameek Everette, also known as “La,” a member of the Bloods Street gang, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown, to 40 years’ imprisonment.  On November 27, 2017, Everette was convicted of racketeering, including predicate acts of murder, robbery and attempted robbery.  

“Today’s sentencing of Genaro Garcia Luna is a critical step in upholding justice and the rule of law.  His betrayal of the public trust and the people he was sworn to protect resulted in more than one million kilograms of lethal narcotics imported into our communities and unleashed untold violence here and in Mexico. This sentence sends a strong message that no one, regardless of their position or influence, is above the law.” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “After years of destructive narcotrafficking and deceit, Garcia Luna will spend nearly 40 years where he belongs: federal prison.” 

BROOKLYN, NY – Raytheon Company, a subsidiary of Virginia-based defense contractor RTX (formerly known as Raytheon Technologies Corporation), entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice in connection with a criminal information unsealed today in the Eastern District of New York charging Raytheon with conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for engaging in a scheme to bribe a government official in Qatar and conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act by willfully failing to disclose the bribes in export licensing applications with the Department of State.  

Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted John Ragano, also known as “Bazoo,” a member of the Bonanno organized crime family, for the extortionate collection of credit from a victim.  

“Social adult day care and home health services are meant to help seniors, but as alleged, the defendants allegedly turned their businesses into a brazen cash grab of millions of dollars from the Medicaid program,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who plunder taxpayer-funded, federal health care programs dollars while purporting to offer health care services.” 

Earlier today, a 17-count superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in Central Islip charging seven members of the violent transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, with multiple racketeering offenses including two murders, one attempted murder, murder conspiracies, a narcotics trafficking conspiracy and related firearms offenses. 

“Rather than take lawful steps to wind down his failing businesses, John Mensch resorted to criminality, operating a scheme to defraud two banks into advancing him millions of dollars that neither Mensch nor his company ever had, or had any realistic expectation of obtaining,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “Mensch’s fraud resulted in the banks unwittingly subsidizing several months of his financial mismanagement.  This Office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute criminals like Mensch who, through fraud and deception, seek to use financial institutions as a personal piggy bank.”

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Erlene King was charged with wire fraud in connection with her attempt to steal funds from New York City’s Campaign Finance Board (CFB). 

“These defendants prioritized their own financial interests above the safety and security of residents and co-workers at the Crossroads Juvenile Center, giving dangerous contraband to juveniles in their care in exchange for bribes,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This Office and our law enforcement partners will not stop rooting out and prosecuting corruption in our City’s jails and juvenile detention facilities.”

“The defendant demonstrated her allegiance to the MS-13 gang by luring four young men to their slaughter,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “Today’s significant sentence reflects not only the seriousness of her conduct but also the consequences of her actions including the terror and suffering experienced by the victims, and the life-altering grief that their families continue to suffer.  It is my hope that the justice meted out today will provide some comfort to those who lost loved ones to this senseless gang violence.” 

Today in Brooklyn, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced charges in five cases addressing violence at New York City’s federal pretrial detention facility, the Metropolitan Detention Center, located in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.  These include charges against inmates for the murder of Uriel Whyte on June 7, 2024, the murder of Edwin Cordero on July 17, 2024, an attempted murder on April 27, 2024 and two violent assaults on August 24 and 27, 2024. 

“Home health aides work long hours at difficult, often thankless tasks to ensure that the vulnerable individuals who they provide services to are properly cared for,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “These aides deserve the hard-earned benefits guaranteed them under the law and my Office will ensure that they are accurately compensated.”

“Correctional officers are sworn to uphold the law but, as alleged, this defendant violated his oath and position by starting a dangerous car chase through the streets of Brooklyn ending with him shooting wildly at the passengers in the other car without justification, and wounding one,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office is committed to protecting the civil rights of everyone in this district and will hold accountable those who violate them.”

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Carmine G. Agnello pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with his receipt of approximately $1.1 million in small business loans under the United States Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program .  

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Christian Brazoban, also known as “Bison,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 151 months in prison for distributing child pornography to three minor victims.  

“My Office will continue to use every tool and resource available to address domestic violence in our communities and hold violent actors accountable,” stated United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace.  “Strong community partnerships are key to our ability to meaningfully engage in this endeavor, and we thank all of our partners for their untiring efforts.” 

Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict against John Pena, leader of the Gorilla Stone Mafia, a subgroup of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation, which is a faction of the nationwide Bloods street gang.  The jury convicted Pena, also known as “Tragedy,” on all six counts of a second superseding indictment charging him with racketeering; murder in-aid-of racketeering; causing death through use of a firearm; unlawful possession, brandishing and discharge of a firearm; being a felon in possession of ammunition; and conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and crack cocaine.  

“This prosecution demonstrates my Office’s commitment to confronting the deadly fentanyl epidemic in this district,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today, the defendant, a drug dealer who carried out his illicit business using illegal guns, was held accountable for distributing fentanyl that caused the tragic poisoning death of a young man on Long Island. The large quantities of fentanyl the defendant distributed all over Suffolk County had a devastating impact on the community, including by taking this young man away from his family.  We will continue to work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute those who contribute to this epidemic.”