BROOKLYN, NY – Harvey Christian, a 44-year-old Staten Island kingpin, will spend the next 50 years of his life behind bars. U.S. District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano handed down the sentence today at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, capping a years-long investigation into Christian’s brutal reign over the Park Hill housing complex in Clifton.
Christian, also known as “Black,” was convicted in October 2014 on charges of racketeering, including two counts of murder conspiracy, firearms possession, and trafficking in crack cocaine. The case, spearheaded by Acting United States Attorney Bridget M. Rohde and FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr., detailed a violent enterprise that terrorized Park Hill from 1991 to 2011.
Prosecutors laid out a chilling picture at trial: Christian, alongside his brother Anthony Christian, aka “Nitty,” waged a bloody war for control of Park Hill’s drug trade. The conflict escalated in the mid-1990s with a vicious turf battle known as the “260 Wars,” aimed at seizing territory from a rival crew at 260 Park Hill. One particularly savage firefight in May 1995 left 77 shell casings scattered throughout a residential building, and claimed the life of one of the Christian brothers’ associates.
The investigation wasn’t a quick hit. Law enforcement executed multiple search warrants and made numerous arrests in and around Park Hill leading up to the 2011 takedown. These searches yielded a disturbing cache of weapons, including a Mac-11 pistol, and substantial quantities of both crack and powder cocaine. A 2010 raid on the Christian brothers’ apartment uncovered bullet-proof vests, crack cocaine, and marijuana.
This wasn’t a solo operation. Co-defendant Jason Quinn was also convicted on all counts at trial. Judge Vitaliano previously sentenced Anthony Christian to life in prison and Quinn to 40 years, signaling a clear message that organized violence won’t be tolerated. The NYPD and Richmond County District Attorney’s Office played a crucial role in gathering evidence and building the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allon Lifshitz and Richard M. Tucker prosecuted the case, bringing a close to a chapter of fear and violence that gripped the Park Hill community for over two decades. While Christian’s sentence offers some measure of justice, the scars of his reign will likely linger for years to come. Docket No. 11 CR 425 (ENV) reflects the culmination of a relentless pursuit of justice in the Eastern District of New York.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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