Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, Christian John, the leader of the “Hull Street Crew,” a violent criminal gang that operated in the Bushwick, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and East New York areas of Brooklyn for more than a decade, was sentenced to life imprisonment, following his conviction after trial in December 2014 on charges of racketeering, murder, attempted murder, murder-for-hire, armed robbery, murder-for-hire, narcotics distribution and gambling on dog fighting. Marvin Johnson, a member of John’s crew, was also sentenced to life imprisonment, following his conviction after trial on murder, robbery and narcotics distribution charges.
The sentences were announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Capers stated, “Today’s sentence marks a day of closure for the six families whose loved ones were senselessly murdered and for the Brooklyn communities where John and his violent crew wreaked havoc from more than a decade. These life sentences also provide notice to gang members and violent offenders that this Office and our law enforcement partners will be relentless in our efforts to make communities safe for their residents.” Mr. Capers extended his grateful appreciation to the FBI and the New York City Police Department for their outstanding assistance in this case.
As proven at trial, Christian John was found guilty of the 2000 murder of Charlemagne Lormand, the 2008 murder of Barry Haynes, the 2008 murder of Daquane Shelton and the 2011 murders of Jason Bostic and Aaron Formey. Both defendants were found guilty of the 2006 murder of Earle Kevin Obermuller. During the Obermuller murder, the defendants lured the victim to an abandoned building where they duct taped his entire head and watched him suffocate to death. The defendants then set his body on fire. During the 2011 murders of Jason Bostic and Aaron Formey, John ordered his crew members to bind the victims with duct tape and to kill them. Among his many other crimes, John was also found guilty of assaulting a crew member by tying him up and pouring scalding water over his body as retaliation for the crew member being disloyal to John.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Soumya Dayananda and Robert T. Polemeni.
The sentencing proceeding took place before United States District Judge Frederic Block.
The Defendants:
CHRISTIAN KESTON JOHN
Age: 32
Brooklyn, N.Y.
MARVIN JOHNSON
Age: 32
Brooklyn, N.Y.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 11-CR-00405