The former head of a prominent Brooklyn anti-violence group known as the GodSquad walked out of court Friday with three years of probation, not prison time, after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child. Edward Richard Hinds, who once ran the 67th Precinct Clergy Council in East Flatbush and was a familiar face at neighborhood outreach events, now finds himself at the center of renewed questions about how publicly funded youth and violence-prevention programs are overseen.
Sentencing and plea
Judge Donald Leo handed down the probation sentence during a brief hearing in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Court filings show that Hinds had already pleaded guilty in February to a single misdemeanor count in the case, according to Gothamist. Hinds stayed silent during Friday’s proceeding and declined to comment after leaving the courthouse.
Charges and timeline
Hinds’ misdemeanor plea came after a far more serious indictment in 2024 on seven criminal counts, including sexual misconduct and a third-degree criminal sexual act charge, tied to an allegation that sexual contact occurred in December 2022, News12 reported. Authorities said the victim was younger than 17 at the time. Court records show Hinds was initially arraigned after a search warrant was executed and was then removed from his leadership role at the organization.
GodSquad response
The 67th Precinct Clergy Council later acknowledged that the victim was “a minor connected to our program” and said Hinds was first suspended, then permanently ousted from his position, according to a statement from the group’s board chair. “While this outcome brings a level of legal closure, we recognize that matters of this nature leave a lasting impact, and our hearts remain with all those affected,” Pastor Louis Straker Jr. told Gothamist. The council says it has implemented stronger internal safeguards and oversight over the past year.
Funding and oversight
The GodSquad has long been tapped as a key partner in city-backed violence-prevention work, and public spending records show the 67th Precinct Clergy Council has received millions of dollars in government contracts. City payment data on CheckbookNYC and local reporting have documented the steady flow of funding. A 2023 article in BKReader highlighted a $1 million federal allocation that helped expand the group’s programming. That sizable financial footprint has only intensified scrutiny of how nonprofits that work directly with young people are monitored when taxpayer money is involved.
Legal context and what’s next
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office recused itself from the case, so prosecutors from the Staten Island DA’s office took over, according to reporting from the Jamaica Gleaner. Because Hinds ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor rather than the original felony counts, the sentence allowed for probation instead of prison. His three-year probation term will be supervised by the court, though any specific conditions were not spelled out during the short sentencing hearing. Prosecutors and defense attorneys did not immediately release additional documents or statements following the proceeding.
