# Visit of Attorney General William P. Barr United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York October 10, 2019



# MCC-Epstein Investigation

and will present on their investigation into the events at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on August 9-10, 2019, the night that Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide. In the last two months, our Office, along with agents from the FBI and DOJ-OIG, have interviewed more than 40 witnesses, including 27 MCC employees and 16 inmates at MCC; reviewed records from the MCC as well as financial records for the relevant employees; conducted searches of the cellphones used by certain of the relevant prison guards, and reviewed dozens of hours of the limited videotape evidence the FBI has thus far been able to recover in the face of technical data recovery issues.

# MCC-Epstein Investigation (cont.)

The investigation has determined principally that the two prison officers responsible for the SHU area during the night of August 9 and early morning hours of August 10 - Michael Thomas and Tova Noel - did not conduct any of the required institutional "counts" at 12 a.m., 3 a.m., and 5 a.m., nor did they conduct most of the "rounds" they were required to conduct every 30 minutes. In particular, it appears that no prison official observed Epstein from approximately 9:30 pm on the evening of August 9 until his body was discovered at approximately 6:30 a.m. the next morning. Thomas and Noel also falsified numerous forms, indicating that they had performed the required rounds and counts overnight although they did not actually do so. Instead, Thomas and Noel were performing other tasks, using the computer, talking, or sleeping during their overnight shift. In addition, the investigation has determined that, contrary to MCC policy and a directive from the Chief Psychologist and then-Warden, Epstein was left without a cellmate from the morning of August 9 through his death on the morning of August 10. It is not clear that either Thomas or Noel was specifically made aware of the directive, although Thomas had been on duty in the SHU during Epstein's prior suicide attempt and they were both trained on MCC policy and had the ability to assign Epstein a new cellmate.

# MCC-Epstein Investigation (cont.)

The case is being handled by the Office's Public Corruption Unit, led by Co-Chiefs

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# Visit of Attorney General William P. Barr United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York October 10, 2019



# Nine Trey Prosecution

will be presenting on this important gang-violence prosecution, which culminated in a trial conviction last week.

In the spring of 2018, our Office began an investigation into high- ranking members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, a violent set of the Bloods gang. Working with our law enforcement partners from the NYPD, HSI, and ATF, the team built a racketeering case against some of the highest ranking and most violent members of Nine Trey. Our investigation resulted in charges against 14 members and associates of the gang, including its leaders and shooters.

# Nine Trey Prosecution (cont.)

Nine Trey was responsible for distributing large amounts of heroin and fentanyl, as well as brazen acts of violence across New York City, including two shootings in Times Square, a shooting inside the Barclays Center, and other shootings, robberies, and slashings near residential housing complexes. Our investigation included the use of multiple cooperating witnesses, including a world-famous rap artist, who promoted the gang through his music and used the gang for protection and to taunt rivals.

Of the 14 defendants, nine pled guilty; three pled guilty pursuant to cooperation agreements; and two were convicted of racketeering and narcotics offenses following trial.

The case is being handled by the Office's Violent & Organized Crime

Unit, led by Co-Chiefs

and

Co-Chief, Violent & Co-Chief, Violent &
Organized Crimes Unit Organized Crime Unit

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# Visit of Attorney General William P. Barr United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York October 10, 2019

# "Hard Knocks" Prosecution



will present on this far-reaching sex-trafficking operation, which they have investigated and prosecuted in partnership with the FBI and NYPD.

The investigation began when the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force received a tip from a non-profit organization about the sex trafficking of minor victims in and around New York City. Many of these minor victims were residing, or had resided, at a particular foster care facility in Westchester County, the Hawthorne Residential Treatment Facility. The investigation expanded as minor victims identified other minor victims and particular pimps for whom they had worked, including pimps who had used significant violence to force them into prostitution.

As part of this investigation, the team has charged 19 defendants in eight separate cases, involving dozens of victims. To date, 13 have been convicted, including two following jury trials.

The case is being handled by the Office's General Crimes Unit, led by Co-Chief and Acting Co-Chief



Co-Chief, General Crimes Unit Acting Co Chief, General Crimes Unit

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