NYC Gazette

Five criminal complaints were unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn, charging current New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) employees Da’Vante Bolton, Roger Francis, Christopher Craig, and Nigel King, along with former ACS employee Octavia Napier, with conspiracy to commit Travel Act bribery. All five defendants were Youth Development Specialists at the Crossroads Juvenile Center in Brownsville, Brooklyn. They were arrested this morning and are scheduled for initial appearances this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI); and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.

"As alleged, these so-called ‘Youth Development Specialists’ violated their duty to the City and the residents at Crossroads by smuggling in weapons, drugs, and other contraband in exchange for bribes, placing young people and other staff members at an alarming risk of serious harm," stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. "Today’s arrests demonstrate that this Office remains committed to rooting out corruption and cleaning up our city’s jails and juvenile detention facilities."

DOI Commissioner Strauber added: "As Youth Development Specialists at ACS, these defendants were trusted to ensure the safety and security of residents in the City’s youth detention facilities. They betrayed that trust when they accepted cash payments in exchange for smuggling drugs, weapons, and other contraband into the Crossroads Juvenile Center in Brooklyn."

"These five defendants are alleged to have repeatedly smuggled dangerous contraband into the facility in exchange for bribes," stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge James Smith. "The arrests today highlight the FBI’s continued dedication to eradicating public corruption and holding those responsible accountable."

Approximately 120 residents aged 14 to 20 are detained at Crossroads. Residents are prohibited from possessing narcotics, cellular telephones, cigarettes, weapons, alcohol among other items. ACS employees at Crossroads are trained to confiscate any contraband they find and must notify a supervisor if any is discovered. Despite security screenings for staff entering the facility, significant amounts of contraband have recently been recovered from residents.

Between March 2022 and May 2024 alone over 75 cell phones and more than 340 scalpels or blades were recovered from Crossroads residents alongside narcotics and tobacco.

The complaints allege that Bolton accepted more than $20,000 from residents or their associates to smuggle razor blades and marijuana; Francis received over $17,000 for bringing in marijuana and phone accessories; Craig took more than $5,000 for smuggling marijuana and tobacco; King accepted upwards of $6,800 for transporting marijuana prescription pills alcohol; Napier received over $2 ,000 both to smuggle contraband allow resident use her Cash App account run his distribution business within facility.

The charges remain allegations until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt . If convicted each defendant faces maximum sentence five years imprisonment

The case is being handled by Public Integrity Section U.S Attorney's Office Eastern District NY Assistant U.S Attorneys Philip Pilmar Andrew D Grubin Special Assistant U.S Attorney Cassie Perez Bronx DA office prosecution assistance Legal Assistant Thomas Englert

The Defendants:

DA'VANTE BOLTON

Age: 31

Queens NY

E.D.N.Y Docket No.:24-MJ-435

ROGER FRANCIS

Age:58

Brooklyn NY

E.D.N.Y Docket No.:24-MJ-432

CHRISTOPHER CRAIG

Age:37

Brooklyn NY

E.D.N.Y Docket No.:24-MJ-433

NIGEL KING

Age:45

Queens NY

E.D.N.Y Docket No.:24-MJ-431

OCTAVIA NAPIER

Age:26

Brooklyn NY

E.D.N.Y Docket No.:24-MJ-434