“Retail theft is a scourge that impacts our local businesses and jeopardizes the safety of employees and customers alike,” Bragg said in the statement.

“We must use every tool in our toolbox to address the root causes of retail theft, and a critical piece of that is upstream, proactive investigations into those who stand to profit,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.

“While today’s sentence will not bring back an innocent life lost and cannot undo the pain two New Yorkers face, I hope it provides a sense of comfort and closure,” Manhattan District Attorney Bragg said in a statement.

“New Yorkers who face the painful and difficult experience of being unhoused shouldn’t have to simultaneously fear for their safety,” Mr. Bragg said in a statement on Wednesday.