Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Wednesday, Oct. 9, that four Rikers Island inmates have been charged on first-degree gang assault and related charges for an attack that left an inmate scarred for life.

 

Reacting to the charges, Clark said, “The four defendants allegedly beat and slashed the victim over a petty gang-related beef. He required 45 stitches to his face. We will not tolerate gang violence in the jail.”

 

Clark said the defendants Jamaud Cayenne, 21, David Mingo, 21, Damien Linares, 19, and Tony Smith, 20, were charged with two counts of first-degree assault, first-degree gang assault, second-degree gang assault, three counts of second-degree assault, and third-degree assault.

 

She said Cayenne and Mingo were also charged with first-degree promoting prison contraband, second-degree promoting prison contraband, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Mingo faces an additional charge of third-degree criminal possession of weapon, she said.

 

Prosecutors said Mingo and Smith were arraigned on Wednesday by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Brenda Rivera and are due back in court on December. The other two defendants will be arraigned at a later date.

 

According to the investigation, on March 17, the victim tried to enter a locked dayroom in the Robern N. Davoren Complex where the defendants, alleged members of a Blood set, were located. The defendants took it as a sign of aggression and allegedly attacked. Cayenne and Linares allegedly punched and kicked the victim in the face and body. Mingo allegedly hit him in the face, and Cayenne allegedly slashed the inmate’s face with a sharp object. Smith allegedly kicked the victim.

 

Prosecutors said a correction officer deployed a chemical agent to diffuse the situation, and the victim received 45 stiches to the right side of his face and carries a scar.

 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kevin Bartlett of the Rikers Island Prosecution Bureau, under the supervision of Jevet Johnson, director of the Rikers Island Sex Crimes Prosecution Initiative, Jose Arocho, deputy chief of the Rikers Island Prosecution Bureau, and Frank Alberts, chief of the Rikers Island Prosecution Bureau, and under the overall supervision of Denise Kodjo, deputy chief of the Investigations Division, and Wanda Perez-Maldonado, chief of the Investigations Division.

 

Clark thanked Rikers Island Investigative Analyst Aryeh Halevy of the Crime Strategies Bureau, Trial Preparation Assistant Massiel Castillo of the Rikers Island Prosecution Bureau, and Bronx DA Senior Rackets Investigators Tashana Phelps and Clayton Nyonyo for their assistance with the investigation.

 

She also thanked the NYC Department of Correction Intelligence Bureau, specifically Investigators James Ruiz, Jeffrey Rios, Walter Holmes, Juan Rivera, and Steven DeJesus for their work on the investigation.

 

The defendants are deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

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