New York City

Armed Robbery Leader Marcus Ricketts Sentenced to 25 Years for Murder in NYC Drug-Related Shootout

AI Assisted Icon
Published on May 16, 2025
Armed Robbery Leader Marcus Ricketts Sentenced to 25 Years for Murder in NYC Drug-Related ShootoutSource: Unsplash/ Ye Jinghan

Marcus Ricketts, a Jamaican national who orchestrated a series of armed robberies in New York City, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for murder, following a violent drug-related shootout in Brighton Beach. The announcement was made by United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Assistant Director in Charge, Christopher G. Raia. In a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York, Nocella emphasized the ongoing efforts to dismantle violent robbery crews that pose a threat to communities throughout the city.

Ricketts pleaded guilty to the charge on April 4, 2024, having been previously convicted, sentenced, and deported for a similar violent robbery before illegally re-entering the United States. The pattern of Ricketts's criminal actions was one of disregard for the law, as he continued to quickly reengage in criminal activities following his deportation. "Today’s sentencing reaffirms that brazen and incorrigible violence will be severely punished," Nocella stated, underscoring the severity with which the justice system regards such crimes, as noted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The robberies, which spanned from June 2020 to December 2021, saw Ricketts and his crew posing as marijuana buyers to lure sellers into vulnerable situations before robbing them at gunpoint. One of these instances led to a fatal shootout, where Ricketts's crew clashed with the marijuana sellers in Brighton Beach, resulting in the death of a Poughkeepsie man and the injury of another individual.

Detailed by the FBI, the crew, which included Mark Goulbourne and several others, expressly targeted marijuana dealers, stealing significant quantities of marijuana during each heist. "May today’s sentencing reflect the FBI’s steadfast commitment to crush violent crime and deter chronic recidivists from entering this country illegally determined to wreak criminal havoc in our communities," Raia conveyed, highlighting the outcome as a reflection of the law enforcement's dedication to curb the influx and impact of violent offenders, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.

While Ricketts now faces a lengthy prison term, the case against Mark Goulbourne remains ongoing. Goulbourne has pled not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial on June 16, 2025. He remains innocent unless proven guilty. Other members of the crew, including Jonathan Goulbourne, Juvanie Crossgill, and Chevonne Williams, have pled guilty to various charges and are awaiting sentencing or have already been sentenced.

This case was part of an operation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which aims to identify and dismantle high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.