BROOKLYN MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER IN DEATH OF WILLIAMBURG LANDLORD DURING BOTCHED ROBBERY AND KIDNAPPING

Additionally, a Second Defendant Is Charged with Hindering Prosecution

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, today announced that a 38-year-old Brooklyn man has been charged for his participation in the kidnapping and murder of Williamsburg landlord Menachem Stark in January 2014.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant is alleged to be the mastermind whose plot to kidnap Menachem Stark and extort money from him ended with his death. This long-term, complex investigation leading to the arrest of this defendant and his co-defendant is testament to the commitment of this office and the New York City Police Department to get justice for the Stark family.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Erskin Felix, 38, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He is presently awaiting arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court on a criminal complaint in which he is charged with first-degree kidnapping and second-degree murder. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted. Also charged in connection with the case is the defendant’s brother, Kendall Felix, 28, of Crown Heights. He is awaiting arraignment on a complaint in which he is charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, Stark was approached and accosted on the street by Erskin Felix and his cousin, Kendel Felix, as he left his office located at 331 Rutledge Street, in Williamsburg, on January 2, 2014 at approximately 11:30 p.m. After an extended physical struggle with those individuals, Stark was forced into a waiting vehicle and abducted from the location.

On January 3, 2014 at approximately 4 p.m., approximately 17 hours after the kidnapping, Stark’s body, which had been partially burned, was discovered by a Nassau County police officer in a garbage dumpster at a gas station located in Great Neck, Long Island.

According to the investigation, Erskin Felix knew Stark and did construction work for him. He allegedly enlisted his cousin, Kendel Felix, to help kidnap Stark in an effort to extort money from him. During the course of the kidnapping, however, Stark resisted and was asphyxiated when one of the kidnappers sat on his chest.

It is further alleged that Kendel and Erskin then picked up his brother, Kendall, to enlist his aid in getting rid of the body. They drove to Rutledge Street, but when Erskin got out of the vehicle, he saw the area was flooded with police. He then directed Kendel and Kendall to go elsewhere to dispose of the body. They then drove out to Nassau County, threw the body in a dumpster and set it on fire.

The Nassau County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on Stark and determined the cause of death to be asphyxia by compression of the neck and chest.

Kendel Felix was convicted of first-degree kidnapping and second-degree murder last month following a jury trial. He was arrested in May 2014. He is expected to be sentenced on November 2, 2016. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Detective Christopher Scarry of the 90th Precinct Detective Squad, under the supervision of Lieutenant Seamus Doherty, and Detective Matthew Collins (retired) and Detective Albert Brust of the Brooklyn North Homicide Squad, under the supervision of Lieutenant John Tennant.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Howard Jackson and Senior Assistant District Attorney Emily Dean, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Kenneth Taub, Chief of the Homicide Bureau, and by Assistant District Attorney Christopher Blank, a Bureau Chief, in the District Attorney’s Investigations Division,

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

A WOMAN INDICTED IN HATE CRIMES AND STEALING

valuable assets in two different incidents

Made the victims fool in the guise of clairvoyant

 

A 44 year old woman, is being charged with a big larceny as hate crime incident. The details of the matter are being today announced by acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. The District Attorney also told that women along with hate crime, is also charged with stealing money and jewelry from two women in two separate incidents.

In the first case that occurred on April 27, 2016, in the vicinity of Bay 22^nd street and 86^th street in Bensonhurst, few of the accused along with the defendant approached a Chinese woman, 61 and took her into confidence. After gaining her thrust, they apply the technique of mind washing and asked the victim that her family has a curse upon itself which needs to be removed otherwise one of her family members will die. Allegedly, culprits asked her to gather some money and jewelry to be blessed and remove the evil spirit. The victim, unknowingly, did the same. She got money and jewelry to get blessed. The defendant asked her to put into a bag and not to open that bag for few days. But the victim opened the bag same day in the evening and did not found money and jewelry in the bag. The money amounted to $1, 40,000 in cash.

In the second incident also, the alleged culprits used the same tactics and make another Chinese woman their target. The victim is a 54 year old immigrant. This time also the money and jewelry were taken away by the woman involved. This incident took place on June 22, 2016 in the vicinity of 48^th street in Sunset Park. The victim lost the 19000$ in cash and other 24 karat jewelry pieces.

District Attorney said the woman`s name is xuekun and is of 44 years, belongs to china. She was brought today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny chun. 8 charges have been against her which include second- degree larceny as a hate crime, second degree grand larceny third and fourth degree larceny as a hate crime and third and fourth degree larceny crime. She is allowed to be released on bail after paying $150,000 cash or $250,000 in bond and is asked to return to the court on December 21, 2016. If found guilty, she may end up in jail for 25 years.

District Attorney advised the vulnerable Chinese community to be alert and conscious as this is the 2rd such scam, caught by the police in few months. He asked the community to be aware of these kind of scams and do not let your valuables go in someone else` hands.

The persons involved in the investigation are New York City Police Department Detective Dimitriji Prokopez and Sergeant Sean O`Hara, of the NYPD`s Grand larceny Division, under the supervision of Sergeant Gregory Marotta and others.

Acting District Attorney said this is the blessing scam in which accused took away life savings of the victim that is why he opined the vulnerable Chinese community  to be aware of such kinds of incidences so as to prevent themselves from being target of such people who come in the guise of clairvoyant and take the whole money and assets with them. The case has also been seen as an incidence of hate crime in which two Chinese women were targeted upon.

The persons involved in the prosecution of the case are Senior Assistant District Attorney Jose Interiano of the District Attorney`s Immigrant Fraud Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney kin Ng, unit chief and overall supervision of executive Assistant District Attorney William E. Schaeffer, Chief of the District Attorney`s Investigation Division and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, deputy chief.

A BROOKLYN MAN CHARGED WITH THE KIDNAPPING AND MURDER OF A LANDLORD

A BROOKLYN MAN CHARGED WITH THE KIDNAPPING AND MURDER OF A LANDLORD

Two other persons involved in the case related crime

Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, accompanied with Police Commissioner James P.O` Neil announced to charged a man with allegedly planning and executing kidnapping and murder of a Williamsburg landlord in order to get money extorted from the victim.

Police completed this investigation by giving the case its due time and thoroughly investigating the matter which shows its commitment and seriousness towards ensuring justice for the victim`s family, Acting District Attorney said.

The accused was the mastermind behind the plan but not the only one in executing the kidnapping and murder. Two more persons somehow, worked for him and aided him kidnapping, murder and dispoding off the body.

The District Attorney told that the victim, named as Stark, had just left his office in 331 Rutledge Street, Williamsburg, when the one of the accused named as Erskin Felix and his cousin, reportedly, Kendel Flix ,  approached him in the street at  around 11;30 in the evening. They forced the stark to put him in the vehicle carried over by the accused, stark resisted physically but ultimately the two forced him into the vehicle and kidnapped. Their basic aim was to extort the money.

Reportedly Erskin Felix knew Stark and had performed the labour work for him. He made the entire plan and persuaded his cousin Kendel to help him in executing this task. After forcing stark into the vehicle he tried to resist. Then one of the accused sat over his chest and Stark got asphyxiated. Autopsy was conducted on the dead body. Medical reports also claim asphyxiation, to be the cause of death, by compression on the neck and chest.

Now both planned to dispose the body somewhere. They took the help of third person to dispose off the body who is identified as kendall. They first took kendall along with them. Then they went to Routledge Street. First of all Erskin moved out of the vehicle but got scared by founding police there and asked other two to move at any other place. They next drove out to Nassau County, threw the dead body in dumpster and set the body on fire. Then they ran away from this place.

17 hours after the kidnapping, stark`s body was found by Nassau police. It was half burned and was inside a garbage dumpster at a gas station located at great neck, long island.

Erskin Felix. The main planner, 38, is yet to be brought before the jury. He is indicted with kidnapping and murder. If charges proved he may get 25 years of jail. Defendant`s brother is indicted with hindering the prosecution and tampering with the evidences, he is also yet to be brought before jury. He may get 7 years of jail.

The third perpetrator kendall was arrested first in may, 2014 and brought before the judiciary. He has already been convicted of the charges made against him. But he is yet to be given his due punishment. He along with Erskin may go in jail for 25 years.

New York City Police Detective Christopher Scarry of the 90^th precinct detective Squad, under the supervision of Lieutenant Seamus Doherty and Detective Mathew Collins (retired) and Detective Albrust Brust under the supervision of Lieutenant John Tennant  investigated the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Howard Jackson and others.

District Attorney said that the persons associated with the crime are being caught upon after complex and long investigation. He also praised the police department.