BRONX MAN CONVICTED OF A GUN POINT "PUSH IN" ROBBERY OF A WOMAN IN THE PRESENCE OF SIX YOUNG CHILDREN IN HER CARE

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today the conviction of a forty six year old Bronx man who robbed a woman at gunpoint after pushing his way into the apartment where she lived with her five children.

Johnnie Cooks, of 1920 Walton Avenue, was found guilty of Robbery in the first degree, Robbery in the second degree, Burglary in the first degree, and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

Acting State Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Skloot Bamberger set sentencing for Thursday, November 13, 2003 in Part T1. Cooks is facing a maximum sentence of up to 25 years imprisonment on each count of first degree robbery and first degree burglary, up to 15 years imprisonment on the second degree robbery charge, and up to one year in jail on each of the two child endangerment charges.

The crimes occurred on July 23, 2002 when Cooks and two accomplices forced their way into an apartment where Mayra Garcia, 46, was caring for six children. Garcia was the biological mother of three of the children, the foster parent of two others and babysitter of the sixth youngster. The children ranged in age from three to fourteen years old.

The intruders, armed with a .38 caliber revolver, knocked on the door and pushed their way into the apartment when Garcia let them in without looking through the peephole because she had been expecting her sister to arrive for a visit. The victim’s eleven year old son was in a bedroom when he heard his mother screaming. When the boy looked into the hallway and saw the men hitting his mother, he grabbed his cell phone and dialed 911 for help.

Another son, meanwhile, who had been sleeping when the commotion began, ran into the hallway in an effort to help his mother whose hands had been tied with duct tape. One of the intruders grabbed the fourteen year old from behind, pushed him to the floor and threatened the boy while holding a knife at his neck. When the eleven year old victim saw his fourteen year old brother being tied, the younger boy tried to intervene but was subdued immediately and bound with duct tape, hands behind his back. The defendants removed gold chains that the boys were wearing, and took other jewelry and a bank ATM card that were found during a search of the apartment. When police arrived in response to the call to 911, the eleven year old boy stood up and was able to maneuver his hands to unlock the front door. Crooks and his accomplices were in a back room attempting to flee when police arrested them. The four younger children who were also in the apartment during the robbery were not harmed. Two had locked themselves in the bathroom and two locked themselves in a third bedroom during the ordeal.

Accomplices Jonnie Scott, 47, and Carmelo Pereira, 36, each pled guilty to a single count of Burglary in the first degree on October 2002. Over the DA’s objection, Scott was sentenced to a term of ten and a half years imprisonment while Pereira received a term of eight years imprisonment. The People had recommended that Acting State Supreme Court Justice William Mogulescu impose a sentence of eighteen years imprisonment for Scott and fifteen years imprisonment for Pereira.

The case against Cooks is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Cristina Park who also prosecuted accomplices Scott and Pereira.