Federal charges announced against nine inmates for violent crimes at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center

October 1, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

The Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where a recent spate of violent incidents, including two murders, has led to federal charges against nine inmates. The facility, which serves as New York City’s primary federal pretrial detention center, has faced ongoing scrutiny over safety and management issues. Photo: Yuki Iwamura/AP

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced federal charges against nine inmates at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center on Tuesday, addressing a string of violent incidents at the facility this year, including two murders and several brutal assaults.

The MDC, located in Sunset Park, is New York City’s primary pretrial federal detention center, housing inmates facing some of the most serious charges in the region.

The charged incidents include the murders of Uriel Whyte on June 7 and Edwin Cordero on July 17, as well as a failed murder attempt on April 27 and two violent assaults in late August. Each of the inmates facing charges was already detained at MDC on separate serious offenses at the time of the alleged attacks.

“Violence will not be tolerated in our federal jails,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. He added that the charges highlight the Department’s commitment to “vindicate the rights of victims who suffer violence within MDC-Brooklyn” and to prosecute perpetrators “to the fullest extent of the law.”

The most severe cases include the murder charges against Andrew Simpson and Devone Thomas, who are accused of fatally stabbing Uriel Whyte after a verbal dispute escalated into a 15-minute attack inside their shared cell, and Jamaul Aziz, James Bazemore and Alberto Santiago, who allegedly cornered Edwin Cordero and delivered a series of fatal blows during a fight in July.

Other charges include attempted murder against Luis Rivas, who, along with other MS-13 members, allegedly stabbed another inmate 44 times in April, and assaults involving Bruce Silva and Hassan Elliott, who are accused of a violent confrontation that left another inmate with a makeshift icepick lodged in his spine.

Despite the U.S. Attorney’s Office positioning these charges as a move to hold violent offenders accountable, some advocates argue that the unsafe conditions at MDC itself — often cited for poor supervision and inadequate staffing — may be contributing to the violent atmosphere. The prison has long been criticized for its handling of detainees, with incidents of violence highlighting broader systemic issues within the facility.

If convicted, most of the defendants face mandatory life sentences.