Indictment Includes 250 Counts of Grand Larceny, Other Charges
By Hank Russell
Thirteen alleged gang members and their associates were indicted following a long-term investigation into a pattern of car break-ins and stolen credit cards throughout Suffolk County during an 18-month period. The defendants, allegedly members of the Hempstead/Freeport-based “5-L” or “CC Boyz” gang, are charged with breaking into 52 vehicles, stealing 15 of those vehicles and taking 75 credit cards that were then used to make more than $40,000 in fraudulent purchases.
“This indictment demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting Suffolk County residents from property theft. Through meticulous investigation and collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we’ve dismantled a sophisticated criminal operation that targeted neighborhoods throughout our county,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “These alleged gang members strategically victimized our communities, breaking into vehicles, stealing credit cards, and quickly making purchases before victims could respond. Let it be clear – in Suffolk County, you cannot steal other people’s property with impunity. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the investigators and prosecutors in my office that helped bring this indictment to fruition and we look forward to holding these individuals responsible in court.”
“This criminal enterprise capitalized on unsuspecting people for a year and a half, stealing property and peace of mind,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. “What this gang didn’t count on was the tenacity of our detectives to uncover their schemes. I commend the Fifth Squad, the District Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners that sent a clear message that property crime is not victimless and one we are focused on.”
In December 2023, the Suffolk County Police Department and the District Attorney’s Gang Task Force began an investigation in December 2023 after identifying a pattern of car break-ins and credit card thefts. The pattern involved the use of the stolen credit cards at Wal-Mart, Target and other retail stores throughout Long Island in the early morning hours, before the owners of the credit cards realized their property had been stolen.
Through surveillance footage, witness interviews and numerous search warrants, investigators determined the suspects allegedly targeted neighborhoods using real estate apps.
The defendants, led by Shawn Mullen, Zion Fenner, Trevon Brandon-Douse, Jaquan Wilson, Edwin Pierre and others allegedly engaged in what they called “car checking” or “cc-ing,” which involved traveling to Suffolk County late at night or in the early morning hours and breaking into vehicles to steal contents, particularly wallets and credit cards, or the vehicles themselves.
The investigation further revealed that the defendants allegedly used real estate phone applications to target neighborhoods throughout Suffolk County, where they believed the victims would be more likely to leave their cars unlocked and their wallets or car keys within the vehicles. The defendants also allegedly targeted locations such as assisted living homes, golf courses, hotels, and high-end gyms, where they believed victims would be likely to leave their vehicles for a prolonged period of time, often with their personal property within the vehicle.
From February 2023 through August 2024, Mullen, Fenner, Brandon-Douse and Wilson were involved in a collective effort to break into over 52 vehicles throughout Long Island. They allegedly stole 15 of those vehicles, in which the keys were left inside, or where they were able to start the vehicles without the keys.
While most of the incidents involved unlocked vehicles, the defendants are also charged with breaking the windows of 14 vehicles to gain access to locked vehicles.
The defendants would allegedly use the stolen vehicles to travel to other locations throughout Suffolk County to “car check,” often times switching license plates on the vehicles to avoid detection by law enforcement and eventually abandoning the vehicles in locations around Nassau and Suffolk County when they were able to acquire a new stolen vehicle.
The defendants also allegedly stole 75 credit cards from the 52 vehicles they broke into and charged over $40,000 at retail stores.
The defendants typically conducted their purchases immediately after stealing the credit cards so that the owners of the credit cards did not have time to report their cards stolen or cancel the cards.
In August 2024, search warrants were executed at Mullen’s Hempstead residence and Fenner’s residence in Freeport. In Mullen’s residence, law enforcement recovered several cell phones and a trove of stolen property including over 100 driver’s licenses, 45 credit or debit cards, 20 checkbooks, passports, social security cards and other stolen property.
Members of law enforcement additionally recovered cell phones, a number of credit and debit cards and two firearms from Fenner’s residence, including a firearm stolen from a vehicle in Suffolk County in September 2023.
Law enforcement also uncovered a separate, related grand larceny conspiracy that Mullen, Jaquan Wilson, Rahmadon Cruz and others were allegedly engaging in while also participating in the “car-checking” scheme. In this scheme, the investigation revealed that Mullen and others would gain access to the online bank accounts of unsuspecting account holders through an e-mail phishing scheme. This scheme involved the defendants phishing for bank account access, changing account addresses, having debit cards mailed to accomplices and withdrawing over $50,000 from victim’s accounts.
On March 3, 2025, nine of the 13 defendants were arrested by members of the Suffolk County Police Department with the assistance of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, United States Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force, Nassau County Police Department, Hempstead olice Department, Freeport Police Department and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. During the arrests, law enforcement recovered an additional loaded firearm from the location where defendant Joshua Lee Garrett was arrested. Of the remaining four defendants, three are in custody on unrelated matters and will be arrested and arraigned at a later date. One defendant, Rahmadon Cruz, is still at large.
The following defendants have been indicted:
- Shawn Mullen, 24, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony. Mullen is charged in this indictment with a total of 197 counts, including 178 felony charges. Mullen allegedly broke into approximately 35 vehicles and stole 14 vehicles. He has been held on bail since August 2024 search warrant at his Hempstead residence. On March 3, 2025, Mullen was arrested on additional charges contained within the indictment and arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A Pilewski, who ordered Mullen held on $1,000,000 cash, $5,000,000 bond, or $10,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Mullen is due back in court on April 2, 2025. He faces 5 to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count and is eligible for consecutive sentences if convicted of multiple charges.
- Trevon Branson-Douse, 26, of Freeport, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony. Brandon-Douse is charged with a total of 79 counts, including 73 felonies. Brandon-Douse allegedly broke into approximately 20 vehicles and stole four vehicles. On March 3, 2025, he was arrested and arraigned on the indictment before Pilewski, who ordered Brandon-Douse held on $500,000 cash, $1,000,000 bond, or $5,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. He is due back in court on April 2, 2025, and faces five to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count.
- Zion Fenner, 25, of Freeport, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D Felony. Fenner is charged with a total of 62 counts including 59 felonies. He allegedly broke into 10 vehicles and stole three vehicles. On March 3, 2025, he was arrested and arraigned on the indictment before Pilewski, who ordered Fenner held on $500,000 cash, $1,000,000 bond, or $5,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Fenner is due back in court on March 10, 2025, and faces 2⅓ to seven years in prison if convicted on the top count and is eligible for consecutive sentences if convicted of multiple charges.
- Jaquan Wilson, 21, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony. Pilewski set bail in the amount of $100,000 cash, $200,000 bond, $1,000,000 partially secured bond. Wilson is due back in court on April 1, 2025, and faces five to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count.
- Edwin Pierre, 25, of Freeport, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony. Pierre was released from jail without bail because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set, bail. Pierre is due back in court on April 2, 2025, and faces up to five to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count. Pierre is being represented by John Halverson, Esq.
- Damien Patrice, 27, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony. Patrice is currently in New York State Department of Corrections custody on an unrelated matter and will be arraigned on the indictment on March 19, 2025. He faces up to 7 ½ to 15 years in prison, if convicted on the top count.
- Jarell Lanier, 25, of Freeport, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony. Lanier is currently in New York State Department of Corrections custody on an unrelated matter and will be arraigned on the indictment on March 19, 2025. He faces 1 ⅓ to 4 years in prison, if convicted on the top count.
- Jamal Woodside, 24, of Freeport, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony. Woodside is currently in New York State Department of Corrections custody on an unrelated matter and will be arraigned on the indictment on March 19, 2025. He faces up to 2 ⅓ to 7 years in prison, if convicted on the top count.
- Kavon Wilson, 21, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony. Wilson was released from jail without bail because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set, bail. Wilson is due back in court on April 2, 2025, and faces up to 1⅓ to four years in prison if convicted on the top count.
- Rahmadon Cruz, 28, of the Bronx, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony and faces up to two to four years in prison if convicted on the top count. Cruz is still at large.
- Andrew Lawrence, 23, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony. Lawrence was released from jail without bail because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set, bail. Lawrence is due back in court on April 2, 2025 and faces 1 ⅓ to four years in prison if convicted on the top count.
- Joshua Lee Garrett, 20, Bethpage, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony. Garrett was released from jail without bail because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set, bail. Garrett is due back in court on April 2, 2025 and faces up to 1⅓ to four years in prison if convicted on the top count.
- Brianna Patterson, 32, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony. Patterson was released from jail without bail because her charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail. Patterson is due back in court on April 2, 2025, and faces up to 1⅓ to four years in prison if convicted on the top count.
The investigation was led by Detective Matthew Messina of Suffolk County Police Department’s Fifth Squad and Detective Investigator Jean Graf of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Gang Task Force with investigative assistance from Postal Inspector Robert Moerler of the United States Postal Inspection Service.
“The charges in this case against 13 defendants demonstrate that, along with our law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors will work tirelessly to eliminate gang-related crimes in our communities; while uncovering and exposing those who commit fraud against the American public, our customers. We will hold those accountable who exploit the U.S. Mail to further their crimes,” said USPIS New York Division Acting Inspector in Charge Brendan T. Donahue. “Here’s a message for every would-be criminal out there: if you try to exploit the postal system for criminal use, Postal Inspectors will be on the case, and we’ve had a lot of practice arresting fraudsters, over 250 years’ worth. I’d like to thank all our law enforcement partners for their assistance with this case and bringing these individuals to justice.”
“I commend the outstanding work of District Attorney Ray Tierney and Commissioner Kevin Catalina on putting an end to the brazen criminal activity that targeted the residents of Suffolk County,” said Vincent F. DeMarco, United States Marshal for the Eastern of New York. “The United States Marshals Service is proud to have played a key role in the successful apprehension of the defendants yesterday.”
“This indictment once again highlights the power that Suffolk County’s law enforcement network has in taking down criminal operations and keeping our communities safe,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. “The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and protect our residents from those who seek to victimize them. I commend the officers involved in the investigation for their tireless work in bringing these individuals to justice.”