Jakhi McCray has admitted to torching a cluster of NYPD vehicles in Bushwick, a late-night blaze that prosecutors say put first responders and nearby residents in serious danger and left the city with a massive repair bill.
McCray pleaded guilty Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court to setting fire to 10 NYPD vehicles and one trailer at a secured lot in Bushwick, prosecutors said. The June 12, 2025, burning has been linked to more than $800,000 in damage. McCray faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and up to 20 years when he is sentenced. The plea was entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Seth D. Eichenholtz.
Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Setting NYPD Vehicles Ablaze https://t.co/OvvM8gWmAu (Announced with @ATFNewYork and @NYPDnews)
— U.S. Attorney EDNY (@ednynews) April 8, 2026
Plea, Charges and Prosecutors' Summary
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York, McCray admitted climbing a fence into a private lot on DeKalb Avenue between Wilson and Central avenues and setting fires underneath multiple vehicles. He pleaded guilty to arson of 10 NYPD vehicles and one trailer, in a case assigned to E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-68 (ENV). Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca M. Urquiola is handling the prosecution.
Prosecutors also announced the plea on the office's X, which linked to the Justice Department statement.
What Investigators Say Happened
Video surveillance and charging documents described by news outlets showed a person scaling the fence to the lot shortly before 1 a.m., then fleeing through a hole in the fence after the fires, The Associated Press reported. The outlet, citing federal filings, also noted that investigators recovered a lighter and sunglasses bearing the defendant’s fingerprints and pegged replacement costs at roughly $800,000.
Agency Response and Task Force Work
“The defendant’s actions were not only dangerous, but they were also a direct attack on public safety and the rule of law,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella said in the release.
Federal and local officials highlighted the role of the New York Arson and Explosives Task Force, which includes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the NYPD, and the FDNY, in identifying the suspect and pushing the case forward.
Legal Implications
Because the federal arson provisions carry mandatory minimum sentences, McCray faces at least five years behind bars under statutes that address burning property affecting commerce or federal property. As outlined by Congress.gov, those laws allow penalties of up to 20 years and even higher terms if personal injury or death results.
Timeline and What's Next
McCray surrendered to authorities on July 21, 2025, after a month-long search. The guilty plea settles the federal case’s factual allegations for now, but sentencing and restitution amounts will be determined at a later hearing in E.D.N.Y. The case remains a high-profile example of multiagency coordination on arson and public-safety investigations.
Sentencing has not yet been set. Court filings and official statements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement are expected to provide updates as the matter moves toward disposition.
