Federal Inmate At MDC Brooklyn Charged With Orchestrating Murder For Hire Using A Contraband Cellphone

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; and Patrick J. Freaney, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Secret Service ("USSS"), announced the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment charging DAJAHN MCBEAN, a/k/a "Jeezy Mula," a/k/a "Freeze," KARL SMITH, a/k/a "Pacavell," and CHELSEY HARRIS, a/k/a "Ms. Chinn" with murder-for-hire conspiracy resulting in personal injury and death, stalking resulting in life threatening bodily injury and death, and conspiracy to destroy records. These charges relate to MCBEAN, SMITH, and HARRIS's roles in attempting to murder an individual in December 2023, which resulted in the shooting death of Clarisa Burgos on December 26, 2023. MCBEAN is already serving a federal sentence for directing a separate gang-related shooting in January 2017 and will be presented today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. SMITH and HARRIS were arrested previously and are detained pending trial. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: "As alleged, Dajahn McBean and his co-conspirators planned and carried out an elaborate plot to murder another individual by causing others to shoot at the target several times in New York City. During one of those shootings, an innocent bystander, Clarisa Burgos, was killed. McBean allegedly directed this murder plot using a contraband cellphone from within a federal jail while waiting to be sentenced for a separate gang related shooting. Thanks to the hard work of the prosecutors in this Office and our law enforcement partners, McBean and his co-conspirators will be held to account for this crime. These charges make clear that this Office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to prosecuting those who commit violence on our streets and any federal inmate who causes such violence."

U.S.S.S. Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Freaney said: "The abiding intent to cause death, as alleged in this murder-for-hire case, is truly shocking. The relentless investigation that followed evinces the Secret Service's unwavering commitment to take the worst among us off the streets. I want to thank the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force for their incredible partnership and devotion to this critical work."

As alleged in public court filings, statements at public court proceedings, and the Superseding Indictment:[1]

In December 2023, MCBEAN was detained at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York ("MDC Brooklyn") awaiting sentencing for directing a separate gang-related shooting in January 2017. While in federal custody, MCBEAN feuded over social media with another gang member ("Victim-1"). MCBEAN then used a contraband cellphone from inside MDC Brooklyn to conspire with SMITH and HARRIS, who were at liberty in the community, to lure Victim-1 to various nightclubs in New York City where MCBEAN had arranged for gunmen to kill Victim-1. MCBEAN paid SMITH and HARRIS through intermediaries for their roles in this conspiracy.

The plot to kill Victim-1 resulted in two shootings. First, on December 24, 2023, MCBEAN and his co-conspirators lured Victim-1 to a nightclub ("Club-1") in Queens, New York. Outside Club-1, gunmen shot and struck Victim-1's car multiple times but missed Victim-1. Second, on December 26, 2023, MCBEAN and his co-conspirators tried again to kill Victim-1, this time luring him to a different nightclub ("Club-2") in Queens. At MCBEAN's direction from within MDC Brooklyn, gunmen again fired on Victim-1's car when it was parked outside Club-2. The bullets struck Victim-1 multiple times, but Victim-1 survived. The bullets also struck and killed Victim-1's girlfriend, Clarisa Burgos, who was seated in Victim-1's car. Clarisa Burgos was twenty-eight years old.

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MCBEAN, 29, of Queens, New York, SMITH, 26, of Queens, New York, and HARRIS, 23, of the Bronx, New York, are charged with one count of murder-for-hire conspiracy resulting in personal injury and death, which carries a mandatory minimum term of life in prison or death; stalking resulting in life threatening bodily injury and death, which carries a maximum term of life in prison; and conspiracy to destroy records, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison.

The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the work of the USSS Financial Crimes Task Force and the New York City Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked the Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations' El Dorado Task Force for their assistance in the investigation. He added that the investigation is ongoing.

This case is being handled by the Office's Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison, Andrew K. Chan, and Jared D. Hoffman are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

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