Ezekiel Pittman, 21, also sentenced for shooting man on Fulton Ave. in Hempstead, leaving bullet lodged near his victim’s spine
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Roosevelt man was sentenced to 20 years in prison today for committing a string of armed robberies as well as two shootings in August 2013.
“This defendant wreaked havoc on the communities of Hempstead and Roosevelt, robbing or shooting multiple victims in a one-man, one-week crime wave,” Acting DA Singas said. “Thanks to the hard work and persistence of Nassau police and prosecutors, he'll spend many years behind bars paying for these crimes.”
Ezekiel Pittman, 21, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of Robbery in the 1st Degree (a B violent felony), Assault in the 1st Degree (a B violent felony), Attempted Robbery in the 1st Degree (a C felony), and Attempted Assault in the 1st Degree (a C felony) before Acting Nassau Supreme Court Justice Helene Gugerty.
Acting DA Singas said on Aug. 2, 2013 at about 1:45 a.m., Pittman entered the rear of a cab in the vicinity of 5 Winthrop Street in Hempstead. Pittman displayed a gun and demanded money from the driver. The driver confronted Pittman, who became nervous and fled.
On Aug. 3, 2013 at about 2:22 p.m., Pittman entered the rear of a cab in the vicinity of 57 Willet Place in Roosevelt. Pittman displayed a gun, and demanded money from the driver. When the driver started to go into his pocket for money, Pittman became impatient and hit the driver in the area of his left eye with the gun. The driver gave Pittman approximately $200 and the defendant fled.
On Aug. 10, 2013 at about 7:30 p.m., Pittman entered the rear of a cab in the vicinity of 48 W. Roosevelt Ave. in Roosevelt. Pittman displayed a gun, and demanded money from the driver. After the driver threw $20 at Pittman, the defendant demanded more money, and shot the driver in the side. The driver was released from the hospital the next day with the bullet remaining in in his body.
In a separate incident, Pittman approached a male convened with a group of friends on Fulton Avenue in Hempstead on Aug. 6, 2013, asking for change and marijuana. Pittman then displayed a firearm and shot the victim in the side, with the bullet causing an injury to the victim’s kidney and lung. A few months later, the victim had to have surgery to remove the bullet because it had lodged closely to his spine.
Pittman was arrested by the Nassau County Police Department on Aug. 10, 2013.
Assistant District Attorney Michelle Burke of Acting DA Singas’ Street Narcotics and Gang Bureau is prosecuting the case. Pittman is represented by Karl Seman, Esq.