Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the prison sentence of JOHNNY GREEN, 29, for his involvement in the shooting of a bystander during a robbery and for stealing more than $700,000 worth of checks. The evidence obtained during the investigation into the check fraud led to GREEN’S arrest and prosecution for attempted murder. He was sentenced to 9 years in state prison today after previously pleading guilty on September 12, 2024, to one count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree.
“This defendant is being held accountable for his role in both a violent attempted robbery and a white-collar scheme to steal checks from the mail. His actions illustrate what is often a clear nexus between white collar and violent crime, and we will continue to leverage our investigative tools and expertise to tackle both head on. I thank our prosecutors for their outstanding work to develop this sprawling case and uncover a complex web of criminal activity,” said District Attorney Bragg.
“Criminals who violate the sanctity of the U.S. Mail to commit crimes not only jeopardize people’s trust in the postal system, but their activities threaten the overall financial health of our communities. In this case, it is disturbing to uncover the dishonorable actions of a postal employee for mail theft crimes, but mainly the additional violent gang activities that coincided with his crimes. The efforts of our Postal Inspectors in collaboration with the USPS-Office of the Inspector General and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, successfully put an end to these individual’s array of criminal activity. Today’s lengthy sentencing is proof of this fact: if you steal mail from our customers, we along with our law enforcement partners will see you prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said USPIS New York Division Inspector In Charge Daniel B. Brubaker.
Between April 2021 and October 2022, GREEN and others, including ISAIAH SPAIN, a United States Postal Service (“USPS”) worker, orchestrated a scheme to steal from the mail checks, including federal stimulus and state tax return checks. SPAIN stole checks that were sent through the Waldwick Post Office, including checks from individuals along his mail route, and provided some of them to GREEN in exchange for a portion of the stolen proceeds. GREEN and SPAIN worked together to deposit the stolen checks into accomplices’ bank accounts then withdraw the funds as quickly as possible before the fraud was detected. In total, GREEN and SPAIN stole more than $700,000 worth of checks and withdrew over $100,000 in cash. SPAIN previously pleaded guilty Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree.
Separately, on August 24, 2022, during a robbery in front of a residential building on West 159th Street, GREEN fired several gunshots at another person. A third person returned fire, and two people were struck by the gunshots, including a bystander who was struck in the head. GREEN was identified as one of the shooters when a search warrant executed for the bank fraud investigation led to the recovery of the 9 mm semi-automatic ghost gun GREEN used for the shooting. Forensic analysis of the firearm matched shell casings found at the crime scene. On September 19, 2024, Green’s co-defendant in the attempted robbery, MARKESE SCOTT, pled guilty to Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree and was promised a sentence of 12 years-to-life. SCOTT is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2024.
Assistant D.A. Kelly Thomas (Deputy Chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau) is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Kofi Sansculotte (Chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau) and Executive Assistant D.A. Jodie Kane (Chief of the Investigation Division). The investigation was conducted jointly with Assistant D.A. Andrew Mercer (Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit), who is handling the prosecution of the shooting. Investigative Analyst Max Stahl, Investigative Analyst Felix Poley, Assistant D.A. Christopher Prevost (Deputy Chief of the Trial Division, Chief of the Violent Criminal Enterprise Unit) and Former Executive Assistant D.A. for Gun Violence Prevention Peter Pope provided additional support and supervision.
Senior Investigators Frank Toro and former Senior Rackets Investigator Michael O’Brien provided assistance with the investigation, under the supervision of Sergeant Max Adler, Jonathan Reid (Assistant Chief of the Investigation Bureau) and Michael Wigdor (Assistant Chief Racket Investigator). United States Postal Service Postal Inspector Jamon Parham provided additional assistance with the investigation, under the supervision of Virginia Faughnan (Postal Inspector Team Leader).
Defendant Information:
JOHNNY GREEN
New York, New York
Convicted:
- Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a class B felony, one count
- Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count
Sentenced:
- 9 years in state prison