Federal prosecutors say an unsealed complaint alleges that a jailed lumberyard owner kept an illegal cellphone inside Brooklyn’s federal detention center and let other inmates use it, a claim that now brushes up against one of the most notorious names behind bars: Oren Alexander. The filing and the photograph it includes offer a rare glimpse into day-to-day life at the Metropolitan Detention Center and revive long-running questions about how contraband moves through the jail.
Prosecutors unsealed the complaint this week against David Motovich, accusing the convicted lumberyard owner of possessing and sharing a contraband cellphone with other detainees, including using the device to make outside calls, according to The Real Deal. The filing reportedly features a selfie that appears to show Motovich with another inmate. Reporting cited by The Real Deal says The New York Times identified that other man as Oren Alexander. Motovich has been serving a lengthy sentence for a separate 55 million dollar check-cashing fraud scheme and was convicted in 2024.
The Alexander brothers, Oren, Alon and Tal, were convicted on sex-trafficking and related counts in Manhattan federal court in March and remain detained at MDC-Brooklyn while they await sentencing, as reported by the Associated Press. AP has chronicled the trial and verdict, and reporting compiled by LegalClarity shows the brothers’ sentencing is set for October 6, 2026.
What prosecutors say
The complaint alleges Motovich’s phone was used to make outside calls and to take photos inside the jail, material prosecutors say they recovered during an investigation, according to The Real Deal. That coverage notes earlier internal searches found the Alexander brothers using contraband phones at MDC, although none of the brothers has been charged in connection with possessing a phone. Motovich’s lawyer and a spokesperson for the Alexanders declined to comment to reporters, according to the same reporting.
Broader contraband crackdown at MDC-Brooklyn
The Motovich filing lands against a backdrop of aggressive federal enforcement at MDC-Brooklyn. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District announced in March 2025 that 25 inmates, associates and a former correctional officer were charged in a dozen cases tied to violence and smuggling at the jail. The indictments described schemes that included ropes tossed through windows, packages loaded with multiple cellphones and narcotics, and the alleged participation of outside accomplices and at least one member of staff, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, EDNY.
Legal implications
The new complaint adds another federal allegation to Motovich’s case and highlights how contraband phones can quickly turn into evidence in separate prosecutions and investigations. The Alexanders themselves have not been charged with possessing contraband in connection with the incidents described in the filing, but authenticated evidence from inside the jail could still factor into sentencing calculations or even prompt additional counts, according to reporting and court schedules. LegalClarity and court records show the October sentencing date remains on the calendar.
For Brooklyn residents, the episode is another reminder that MDC-Brooklyn continues to serve as a focal point for federal probes into smuggling and jail safety, and that even high-profile detainees get tangled in the same contraband problems that plague the wider jail population. As the Alexanders’ sentencing approaches this fall, prosecutors and the court will have one more set of filings on the table while they decide how to measure punishment for crimes committed years ago.
