Charles Powell, Brian Castro, and Musah Coward were convicted of killing a security guard and wounding three others during an armed robbery at an illegal gambling location in Brooklyn’s Brownsville section.
The trio was convicted yesterday of four counts: firearm-related murder of Rodney Maxwell, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, and Hobbs Act robbery. Powell was also convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
The charges stem from an armed robbery carried out by the defendants inside an illegal gambling spot located at 181 Hegeman Avenue in Brooklyn on October 7, 2020.
Charles Powell, 26, of Newark, New Jersey, was found guilty of possessing three .380 caliber cartridges corresponding to the shots he fired at the gambling spot. Powell, also known as ‘Payback,’ has a prior conviction in New Jersey for felony possession of a weapon.
During the robbery, Powell and Castro entered the location while Coward waited outside in the car. Castro shot Maxwell once in the back with a 9-millimeter pistol, and Powell shot him once in the chest with a .380 caliber pistol. Maxwell later died from his gunshot wounds.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Andy Palacio, Raffaela Belizaire, and Megan Larkin are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Theodore Rader.
The defendants each face a sentence of up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The verdict followed a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Eric R. Komitee.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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