Connect with us

Crime

Rockland County Drug Dealer Wayne Hicks Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison For Participation In February 2021 Assault

Published

on

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that WAYNE HICKS, a/k/a “Weez,” was sentenced to 17 years in prison for drug trafficking and violent crimes, including a brutal beating and robbery of a victim in New City, New York, on February 28, 2021.  HICKS pled guilty on August 25, 2023, in White Plains federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of Travel Act Assault, one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime before U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel, who imposed today’s sentence.

HICKS, a marijuana dealer, directed two separate acts of violence to support his drug business.  First, in November 2020, after a marijuana dealer who worked for HICKS was robbed, HICKS arranged for a co-conspirator to shoot one of the robbers.  Second, in February 2021, after JORDAN WOODBINE, another marijuana dealer who worked for HICKS, was robbed, HICKS contacted his brother, co-defendant DWAYNE HICKS, to arrange retribution.  Thereafter, DWAYNE HICKS lured a victim, who the conspirators believed had participated in the robbery of WOODBINE, to a residence in New City, New York, where DWAYNE HICKS and multiple other assailants, including TNAIYA WILLIAMS, BRIAN THOMAS, and WOODBINE, physically attacked the victim.  At times, WAYNE HICKS monitored the attack over video chat.  The assailants forced the victim to strip naked, stole his belongings, including a quantity of marijuana the assailants believed the victim had stolen, then beat the victim with a baseball bat, belts, and their hands and feet, and repeatedly slashed and stabbed the victim with a large knife.  The victim ultimately fled after being left, naked and covered in blood, in a pile of snow.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), the Clarkstown Police Department, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, and the Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of special agents and task force officers from the FBI, U.S. Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, and the New York City, Westchester County, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Greenburgh, White Plains, Peekskill, Ramapo, and Clarkstown Police Departments.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Crime

Rockland County Court Rejects Convicted Murderer’s Eighth Attempt To Vacate Conviction

Published

on

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh, II, announced today that, in a decision issued on March 25, 2025, Rockland County Court Judge Kevin F. Russo rejected the latest attempt by convicted murderer Amer Zada to have his conviction vacated. The court noted that this motion is the eighth time Zada has sought to reverse or vacate his conviction.
In 1980, Zada was convicted of the murder of seventeen-year-old Shirley Smith in a Village of Nyack parking lot. He was also convicted of Attempted Sodomy in the First Degree and Aggravated Sexual Abuse as a result of his attack on Ms. Smith. At his trial, Zada was represented by William Kunstler, a world-renowned defense attorney who had gained notoriety for successfully defending many high profile and controversial clients.
In its decision, the court described the defendant’s current motion as being largely based on Zada’s claim that certain documents were not turned over to him prior to trial.
“The court found that Zada had failed to adequately establish this speculative claim as he provided no direct evidence that he had never received the documents. I would like to commend Executive Assistant District Attorney James Dolan for his dedication and professionalism representing the Office in this proceeding.” said District Attorney Tom Walsh.
The court also found that, even assuming that the documents had not been turned over, they were of little importance in the case against Zada and none of them were exculpatory within the meaning of the law. In addition, the court found that Zada’s motion to vacate his conviction raised only minor inconsistencies in the case against him, most of which were thoroughly explored by Mr. Kunstler during the trial. In conclusion, the court found that Zada had not offered anything to justify vacating his conviction.

Continue Reading

Crime

Ramapo Police Officers Arrest 19 Individuals Over The Weekend From DUI to Domestic Violence

Published

on

This past weekend, your Ramapo officers were hard at work, making 19 arrests throughout the Town. The breakdown includes:
• 10 arrests for suspended licenses or registrations
• 2 arrests on warrants
• 2 arrests for drunk driving, including one with a child in the car
• 1 arrest for open container
• 1 arrest for a forged inspection sticker
• 2 domestic-related assaults with child endangerment
• 1 arrest for domestic-related criminal mischief
All individuals arrested have been processed and cases handed off to the next step in the criminal justice system. It is important to note that a criminal complaint is an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Continue Reading

Trending