Ricardo Ferguson, Murder and Attempted Robbery, New York 2021

Ricardo Ferguson, a 38-year-old man from the Bronx, has been convicted of murder and attempted robbery in a deadly dispute over drug sales in Aqueduct Park walkway in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx.

According to the prosecution, Ferguson shot Robert Brown, Sr. in the head and attempted to steal crack cocaine and money from his pockets during the dispute on December 5, 2021. The 63-year-old victim was found dead in the park.

The conviction comes after a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. Ferguson was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, murder through the use of a firearm, and using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

The maximum sentence for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine is 20 years in prison, while the maximum sentence for murder through the use of a firearm is life in prison. A mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison applies to the charge of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams praised the investigative work of the New York City Police Department, the Special Agents and NYPD Task Force Officers from the Special Investigations Division assigned to the Southern District of New York, and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area analysts.

Ferguson is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Berman on October 9, 2024. The case is being handled by the Office's Violent and Organized Crime Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic Gentile, Jun Xiang, Mathew Andrews, and Peter Davis leading the prosecution.

The conviction sends a strong message that violent crimes committed by drug dealers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.

Ricardo Ferguson was convicted of the following crimes:

Conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison

Attempted Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison

Murder through the use of a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison

Using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/bronx-man-convicted-december-2021-murder-and-attempted-robbery-aqueduct-park-walkway