Press Release
☷Three Defendants Arrested for Gunpoint Robberies of Sex Workers in the Bronx
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( By Press Release office)
Mar 08,2024
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In a more laid - back announcement , U . S . Attorney Damian Williams , ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tommy Kalogiros , and NYPD Commissioner Edward A . Caban revealed the charges against Ramel Deckard , Dashawn Hampton , and Taliek Payne for robbing women engaged in sex work at Bronx hotels . The suspects were arrested this morning and will appear in Manhattan federal court later today . Williams stated that the defendants targeted sex workers for robbery , while Kalogiros emphasized the importance of cracking down on violent offenders . Caban highlighted the NYPD ' s commitment to holding those who endanger the community accountable . The Complaint details how Deckard used a firearm to steal from a sex worker during an appointment in a Bronx hotel room on August 15 , 2023 . There ' s a picture of Deckard at a hotel where he robbed someone . On September 19 , 2023 , Deckard and Payne robbed two people who were doing sex work at a hotel in the Bronx . Deckard and Payne showed up at the hotel room where the victims were and stole their stuff and cash . Deckard even hit one of the victims in the face . There ' s a photo of Deckard and Payne at the hotel where they did the robbery . On January 6 , Deckard and Hampton robbed someone else at a hotel in the Bronx . They went to the hotel room and robbed the person at gunpoint , taking their cellphone . Deckard also made the person give him the passcode to their phone , and Hampton threatened them . Hampton used the victim ' s phone to send $300 to his own account . There ' s a picture of Hampton and Deckard at the hotel where they did this robbery . The police think these guys might be responsible for other robberies in New York . If you have any info , call the NYPD ' s Crime Stoppers hotline . Deckard , 34 , is charged with robbery and using a firearm during a crime , which could land him in prison for a long time . Hampton , a 34 - year - old from New York , is facing charges for plotting a robbery and carrying a firearm during a violent crime . If convicted , he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison , with an additional mandatory seven - year consecutive sentence for the firearm charge . Payne , a 34 - year - old from East Orange , New Jersey , is also charged with the same offenses and could face the same potential sentences . It ' s important to note that the final sentencing will be determined by a judge . The ATF and NYPD , specifically the SPARTA Task Force , are praised for their investigative work in this case . The prosecution is being handled by the Office ' s General Crimes Unit , with Assistant U . S . Attorneys Foster and Kostopoulos leading the case . It ' s important to remember that the charges mentioned in the Complaint are only accusations , and the defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty . For more information , contact Nicholas Biase or Lauren Scarff at the New York Field Division at ( 212 ) 637 - 2600 .
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