Two Brooklyn men received indictments June 15 for a marijuana deal that resulted in the death of a Brighton Beach resident.
According to a June 22 U.S. Department of Justice news release, Marcus Ricketts, also known as "Blaise," and Mark Goulbourne, also known as "Short Man," were indicted for causing death by use of firearms in a Dec. 3, 2021, murder of a Brighton Beach individual.
“Today, New York City is safer because of the exceptional effort and steadfast dedication of everyone involved in this investigation and indictment," New York Police Department Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said in the release. "The NYPD and our law enforcement partners remain focused on the small number of people who are responsible for the crime and disorder in our city, and we are working tirelessly to identify them and get them off our streets."
The indictment also charges the pair and four other defendants, Jonathan “Bobcat” Goulbourne, Romeo “Tee” Desmond Jonas, Chevonne “Chevy" Williams and Amari “Smooth” Webber with Hobbs Act robbery, drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Another defendant, Juvanie "Geo" Crossgill was charged with serving as an accessory to the murder.
"As demonstrated by this case, the deadly combination of drug trafficking, illegal guns and brutal violence is a grave threat to our communities – and will never be tolerated," Sewell added, according to the release. "I want to thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the New York field office of the FBI and everyone else who contributed to this important investigation.”
The release states the defendants are associated with the armed robbery crew that has been operating since at least July 2020 and targeting businesses that participate in marijuana trafficking in Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx. The defendants met at a Brighton Beach Airbnb early December 2021 and acted like buyers in a wholesale marijuana purchase.
According to the release, the victim's nephew and two other associates carried four large marijuana duffel bags. A shootout later occurred, and Mark Goulbourne and Ricketts fled the scene with one of the duffel bags and rode on a stolen Citi Bike. Later, the New York Police Department recovered the victim's body and two guns, 15 shell casings, money counting and vacuum sealing machines, a bag that held real and counterfeit money and a duffel bag of marijuana.
“The violence plaguing the streets of our city must be addressed by stopping the violent criminals who are killing each other over illegal drugs," Michael J. Driscoll, assistant director-in-charge of the FBI New York field office, said in the release. "Innocent people are being harmed by these rivalries, and fear now dictates how we go about our lives. It has to stop. When the FBI New York and our law enforcement partners arrest and prosecute these criminals, we get closer to a safer community."
According to the release, Ricketts, the Goulbournes and Jonas face life in prison if convicted. Rickets and the Goulbornes will face mandatory minimum sentences of 17 years in prison and Jonas will face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison. Williams and Webber will face a 20-year prison sentence and Crossgil will face a maximum of 15 years.
