Three Men Charged in White Plains Federal Court with Carjacking Resulting in Death |
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U.S. Attorney's Office
15 August 2014
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, George Venizelos, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), William J. Bratton, the Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (“NYPD”), and Charles Gardner, Commissioner of the Yonkers Police Department (“Yonkers PD”) announced that TAKIEM EWING, a/k/a “Mulla,” TYRONE FELDER, a/k/a “Man Man,” and KAREEM MARTIN, a/k/a “Jamal Walker,” were arrested and charged with carjacking in connection with the August 12, 2014, murder of a livery cab driver in the Bronx, New York. All three men were presented this afternoon in White Plains federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith and were ordered detained.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated: “As alleged in the complaint, this was a senseless and heinous murder that took the life of a man who was working as a livery cab driver in the Bronx. The arrests today are a testament to the perseverance and cooperation of the FBI and our local partners, the NYPD and the Yonkers Police Department.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos stated: “As alleged, the defendants were as reckless as they were ruthless, indiscriminately assassinating an innocent livery driver trying to earn a living. This alleged conduct is beyond deplorable. Agents, detectives, and prosecutors worked around-the-clock to make these arrests and to stop this scourge on our community. I commend them for their relentless drive in pursuit of justice.”
NYPD Commissioner William J. Bratton stated: “The victim in this case was a hard-working livery driver who provided an essential service to New Yorkers. His death was senseless and motivated by greed. Thanks to the detectives, agents, and prosecutors pursuing this case, the suspects will now be held accountable for this heinous crime.”
Yonkers PD Commissioner Charles Gardner stated: “This investigation is a prime example of inter-agency cooperation and how it can be used to take violent suspects off of our streets. I would like to thank all the investigators and prosecutors from the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, NYPD and Yonkers PD for their professionalism, which ultimately led to these important arrests.”
According to the Complaint, the FBI, the NYPD, and the Yonkers PD were investigating two commercial robberies, two carjackings, and two murders that took place on August 5, 2014, and August 12, 2014, respectively. The first murder took place in the early morning hours of August 5, 2014, when the body of a livery cab driver (the “Hunter Avenue Homicide Victim”) was found shot in the vicinity of Hunter Avenue in the Bronx, New York.
Later that day, the Yonkers PD received a report that a minimart located on McLean Avenue in Yonkers had been robbed at gunpoint. The robbers took cash, bleach, and a cellular telephone. Video footage from outside the minimart revealed that the robbers arrived in a black sedan the looked like the sedan belonging to the Hunter Avenue Homicide Victim. Also on August 5, 2014, at approximately 5:27 a.m., the Yonkers PD received a report that a Dunkin’ Donuts franchise at Central Park Avenue in Yonkers had been robbed at gunpoint.
According to the Complaint, later on the night of August 5, 2014, the black sedan belonging to the Hunter Avenue Homicide Victim was found abandoned near Exterior Street in the Bronx. The vehicle was doused in bleach. Inside was the cellular telephone that was stolen from the Yonkers minimart.
According to the Complaint, on or about August 12, 2014, at approximately 6:00 a.m., the body of a livery cab driver (the “Bryant Avenue Homicide Victim”) was found shot in the head in the street on Bryant Avenue in the Bronx, New York. He was later pronounced dead.
On or about August 12, 2014, at approximately 8:10 a.m., the livery cab belonging to the Bryant Avenue Homicide Victim (the “Victim’s Cab”) was found abandoned on Underhill Avenue in the Bronx, New York.
According to the Complaint, a ballistics examination has shown that different guns were used to murder the Hunter Avenue Homicide Victim and the Bryant Avenue Homicide Victim. Ballistics evidence shows, however, that both of those guns were used in a single shooting on May 29, 2014, on the corner of Ogden Avenue and West 162nd Street in the Bronx, New York.
According to the Complaint, video footage (“Video-1”) from inside and outside an apartment building on Third Avenue between 167th and 168th Streets in the Bronx, New York (the “Third Avenue Building”), on August 12, 2014, from approximately 5:00 a.m. to 5:01 a.m., shows two men (“Suspect-1” and “Suspect-2”) getting into an elevator on the ninth floor of the Third Avenue Building, taking the elevator downstairs, leaving the building, and turning left onto Third Avenue. Suspect-1 is wearing a dark Adidas sweatshirt and is wearing a knapsack. Suspect-2 is wearing a dark Brooklyn Nets sweatshirt. Additional video footage (“Video-2”) from Third Avenue between 166th and 167th Streets in the Bronx, New York, on August 12, 2014, from approximately 5:34 a.m. to 5:36 a.m., shows four individuals approaching a car from different directions and getting in a car. Two of the individuals are wearing clothing that is consistent with the description of Suspect-1 and Suspect-2.
According to the Complaint, an NYPD detective (“Detective-1”) spoke with a witness (“Witness-1”) who is a livery cab driver who knows the Bryant Avenue Victim. On the morning of August 12, 2014, Witness-1 had been at a mosque on Third Avenue between 166th and 167th Streets (the “Mosque”). At approximately 5:15 a.m., Witness-1 left the Mosque and got into his livery cab. Before Witness-1 left the Mosque, Witness-1 saw the Bryant Avenue Victim at the Mosque. Witness-1 also saw the Victim’s Cab parked on Third Avenue near the Mosque. At approximately 5:20 a.m., an individual wearing a knapsack approached Witness-1’s car and asked for a ride. Witness-1 saw two other individuals nearby, felt uncomfortable, and left.
According to the Complaint, an NYPD detective (“Detective-2”) spoke with a witness (“Witness-2”), who is a livery cab driver who knows the Bryant Avenue Victim. On the morning of August 12, 2014, Witness-2 had been at the Mosque. Sometime after 5:00 a.m., Witness-2 left the Mosque. Before Witness-2 left the Mosque, Witness-2 saw the Bryant Avenue Victim at the Mosque. Witness-2 got into Witness-2’s car, and observed four individuals separated from one another. At approximately 5:25 a.m., one of those individuals asked Witness-2 for a ride, and informed Witness-2 that it was a ride for four people. Witness-2 declined and drove away.
Additional video footage (“Video-3”) from Bryant Avenue in the Bronx, New York, on August 12, 2014, at approximately 6:00 a.m., shows the Victim’s Cab rolling down Bryant Avenue and making contact with at least one parked car. Video-3 shows Suspect-1, Suspect-2, and two other individuals (“Suspect-3” and “Suspect-4”) (collectively, the “Suspects”) running after the Victim’s Cab. They got into the Victim’s Cab, dumped a body onto Bryant Avenue, and drove away in the Victim’s Cab.
Additional video footage (“Video-4”) from the vicinity of Underhill Avenue between Lafayette and Story Avenues, and Bolton Avenue between Lafayette and Story Avenues, in the Bronx, New York, on August 12, 2014, from approximately 6:03 a.m. to 6:05 a.m., shows that the Victim’s Cab pulled up, and the Suspects got out of the Victim’s Cab. The Suspects wiped the outside of the Victim’s Cab, and then ran across a walkway to Bolton Avenue between Lafayette and Story Avenues. They took off their sweatshirts and left their sweatshirts and Suspect-1’s knapsack in a dumpster. The Suspects then walked toward Lafayette Avenue.
Additional video footage (“Video-5”) from Lafayette Avenue in the Bronx, New York, on August 12, 2014, from approximately 6:08 a.m. to 6:09 a.m., shows Suspect-1 and Suspect-3 getting into a car. Suspect-2 and Suspect-4 walked toward Seward Avenue.
According to the Complaint, an NYPD detective (“Detective-3”) spoke with a livery cab driver (“Driver-1”). Driver-1 informed Detective-3, in substance and in part, that at approximately 6:10 a.m. on August 12, 2014, Driver-1 picked up two individuals from the vicinity of the intersection of White Plains Road and Seward Avenue in the Bronx, New York. Driver-1 drove the two individuals in his livery cab (“Cab-1”) to the vicinity of the Third Avenue Building. Driver-1 saw those individuals walking toward the Third Avenue Building.
Additional video footage (“Video-6”) from inside and outside the Third Avenue Building on August 12, 2014, from approximately 6:17 a.m. to 6:21 a.m., shows that Suspect-1 and Suspect-3 got out of a car, entered the Third Avenue Building, and went up in the elevator to the ninth floor. Approximately two minutes later, Suspect-2 and Suspect-4 got out of a car, entered the Third Avenue Building, and went up in the elevator to the ninth floor. Detective-3 has reviewed portions of Video-6. Detective-3 has seen Cab-1. He informed me that, on Video 6, Suspect-2 and Suspect-4 got out of a car that appears to be Cab-1.
The Complaint alleges that a cooperating witness (“CW-1”) was shown portions of Video-1. CW-1 said that Suspect-1 looked like “Mulla,” and identified Suspect-2 as “Kareem.” CW-1 was shown, among other things, portions of Video-6. CW-1 identified Suspect-1 as “Mulla.” CW-1 identified Suspect-2 as “Kareem.” CW-1 identified Suspect-3 as TYRONE FELDER, a/k/a “Man Man,” the defendant. CW-1 previously identified a picture of TAKIEM EWING as “Mulla.” CW-1 previously identified a picture of TYRONE FELDER as “Man Man.” CW-1 previously identified a picture of KAREEM MARTIN as “Kareem.”
The Complaint alleges that an NYPD sergeant (“Sergeant-1”) spoke with an individual in the management office for the Third Avenue Building, and learned that a certain individual (“Person-1”) leases an apartment with Person-1’s daughters on the ninth floor of the Third Avenue Building (the “Apartment”). Also according to the Complaint, the superintendent of the Third Avenue Building identified Suspect-1 as a person who lives in the Apartment with Suspect-1’s mother. Following his arrest in this case, TAKIEM EWING, a/k/a “Mulla,” the defendant, identified Person-1 as his mother.
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Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding work of the FBI, the Yonkers Police Department, and the New York City Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Gerber and Scott Hartman are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
TAKIEM EWING, a/k/a “Mulla,” 21, TYRONE FELDER, a/k/a “Man Man,” 25, and KAREEM MARTIN, a/k/a “Jamal Walker” 26, all of the Bronx, are each charged with one count of carjacking with intent to cause death and serious bodily harm in which a death resulted, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, or the death penalty. The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.