guilty plea Archives - Page 2 of 2

NYC CO’s Admit To Smuggling Contraband Into Rikers For Bloods Gang

September 20, 2022 by newhiphopnews

On Tuesday, two New York City corrections officers pled guilty to smuggling contraband into Rikers Island.

According to the Department of Justice, prosecutors say Krystle Burrell and Katrina Patterson accepted a total of $44,000 to bring narcotics and cellphones into the facility. The duo was reportedly taking bribes from bloods gang members, with Burrell helping one inmate facilitate business.

Krystle Burrell, 35, pleaded guilty to bribery, admitting that she accepted nearly $10,000 in bribe payments from her co-defendant Terrae Hinds in exchange for smuggling unauthorized cell phones into the Anna M. Kross Center at Rikers. She also facilitated Hinds’ sale of narcotics and other contraband items at the facility.

Katrina Patterson, 31, had previously admitted to accepting $34,000 in bribes when indicted on Aug. 16. Patterson was smuggling contraband into the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island for her co-defendant Michael Ross. Ross, who is a Bloods gang member, has also pleaded guilty to a bribery offense and is awaiting sentencing.

“The defendants threw in their lot with Bloods gang members and betrayed their sworn duty to maintain the safety of incarcerated individuals and other correction officers at Rikers Island by smuggling cell phones and drugs into the jail,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “This Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to rooting out corruption at Rikers Island.”

“When correction officers betray their oath to serve and protect, the public is put at risk and the entire law enforcement community is tarnished,” stated NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell. “We have zero tolerance for such misconduct. With today’s guilty plea, Ms. Burrell joins Ms. Patterson in publicly acknowledging that their actions were immoral, unethical, and without integrity – diametrically opposed to the core requirements of our profession.”

When sentenced, Burrell faces up to ten years in prison and Patterson faces up to five years. Charges against Hinds remain pending.

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Manager of R. Kelly Pleads Guilty To Stalking, Threatening Singer’s Sexual Abuse Victims

July 28, 2022 by newhiphopnews

A manager and adviser to R&B singer and convicted sex trafficker R. Kelly is pleading guilty to stalking. Federal prosecutors in New York City say Donnell Russell used threats, harassment, and intimidation to keep one of the singer’s sexual abuse victims quiet.

“Through the use of intimidation tactics, Russell repeatedly and purposefully worked to silence ‘Jane Doe’ from revealing the emotional and physical trauma inflicted on her by R. Kelly and his associates. Despite multiple threats, Russell ultimately failed in his efforts and will now face the consequences of his despicable behavior,” said HSI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Patel. “HSI will continue to work together with our partners to support and empower survivors of abuse and exploitation to come forward and speak out against their abusers.”

Via DOJ

Between November 2018 and February 2020, the 47-year-old defendant is also accused of sending threatening messages to the woman and publishing explicit photos of the victim on the internet.

R. Kelly is also facing trial in Chicago federal court for child pornography and obstruction charges in August. Russell is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17.

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WNBA Star Brittney Griner Pleads Guilty To Moscow Drug Charges

July 7, 2022 by newhiphopnews

brittney griner gettyimages 1241752906 AFP 32DY98T

WNBA star Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty during her trial in Moscow. Reuters says she entered her plea today while saying she “didn’t want to break the law.” The guilty plea aids as a pre-condition for consideration of a negotiated release and possible prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S.

The Phoenix Mercury star has remained in custody for over 120 days. Griner was accused of having under a gram of cannabis oil in her luggage when she was arrested at the airport in Moscow back in February.

The Kremlin has been blamed of using Griner as a political pawn while the State Department has said the American basketball center was “wrongfully detained.”

According to CNBC, Griner’s lawyer, Alexander Boikov, told reporters outside the courtroom that the basketball star admitted that the vape canisters were hers, but said she brought them into Russia unintentionally.

Ginger, 31, was playing for the Russian Premier League when she was arrested. The former Baylor Bear won the 2012 National Championship and she won the WNBA title in 2014 with the Phoenix Mercury.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist faces charges that could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

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Casanova Pleads Guilty To Drug And Racketeering Charges

May 12, 2022 by newhiphopnews

According to several confirmed reports, Brooklyn rapper Caswell “Casanova” Senior plead guilty to drug and racketeering charges today in a Brooklyn federal court. Senior confessed to several crimes as prosecutors claimed he was the leader of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods gang.

Senior surrendered to the FBI at t he end of 2020, with prosecutors alleging that the “Don’t Run” rapper directed a drug gang conspiracy that spanned from New York to Florida. The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan says that Senior confessed to a shooting in Florida in 2020, a 2018 robbery in NYC and trafficking more than 100 kilos of marijuana.

Back in December 2020, Casanova was the centerpiece of a federal investigation, to which he surrendered to the feds on racketeering charges and was denied bail, despite his lawyers and family situating a $2.5 million bail package, but S. District Judge Phillip Halpern denied his proposal.

Shortly after co-defendant Shantay Outlaw struck a deal with prosecutors, Senior was hit with an attempted murder charge for the 2020 shooting in Miami, to which he has now admitted guilt.

Casanova is set to be sentenced in federal court in December. He faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 60 years in prison.

His guilty plea comes within days of Young Thug, Gunna and 26 other YSL members indicted on RICO and other street gang/organized crime related charges.

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