United States of America v. Leo Oliver

New York City, New York criminal defense lawyer represented a Felon Possessing Ammunition Used in Shooting in Brooklyn

Leo Oliver pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with a non-fatal shooting of a man in East New York, Brooklyn. Today's proceeding was held before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. When sentenced, Oliver faces up to 10 years in prison.



Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Erin Keegan, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the guilty plea.



"With today's plea, the community can begin to heal from the callous violence the defendant brazenly inflicted in public places,” stated United States Attorney Peace. "My Office is deeply committed to holding repeat offenders who engage in gun violence, like the defendant, fully accountable for their actions.”



"For years, Leo Oliver caused immense harm to the Brooklyn community through his reckless acts of violence and justice has finally caught up with him. I commend the efforts of HSI New York's Violent Gang Task Force for successfully identifying Oliver, a repeat offender whose rap sheet boasted seven prior felonies, as the perpetrator in multiple shootings in East New York over a two-year period,” said HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan. "I would like to thank the NYPD and the Eastern District of New York for their collaborative efforts to reduce gun-related violence, and their commitment toward the safety of our great city.”



"While crime never rests, neither does the commitment of the men and women of the NYPD,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. "I commend our investigators for their dedication to this important case. And, in the ongoing effort to end the horrors of gun violence, we and our partners at HSI and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York will remain tireless in identifying, investigating, and holding fully accountable anyone responsible for driving crime and disorder in our city.”



According to court filings, the indictment, and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Oliver committed two shootings in East New York, Brooklyn in 2020 and 2021.



On the evening of July 8, 2020, the defendant shot his first victim (Victim-1) at a bodega. Victim-1 was working behind the counter when, after a dispute, Oliver brandished a black firearm from his pocket, and shot Victim-1 in the chest and hand, before fleeing in an SUV. A .380 shell casing was recovered from the scene. Victim-1 was hospitalized but survived.



Oliver committed a second shooting on September 25, 2021 following an argument with Victim-2 on the sidewalk on Van Siclen Avenue in Brooklyn. As Victim-2 and Oliver were in a verbal dispute, Oliver shot Victim-2 in his torso, before fleeing on foot. Victim-2 was hospitalized but survived. Two .380 shell casing were recovered at the scene.



As described in court filings, after the shootings the defendant took steps to destroy evidence and conceal his crimes. He deleted firearms evidence from his cell phone, and threw the firearm used in the 2020 shooting into a river.



The defendant has at least ten other prior convictions, including at least seven felony convictions.



Assistant United States Attorney Adam Amir is in charge of the prosecution.

When sentenced, Oliver faces up to 10 years in prison