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This post is one in a partnership between the Rochester Beacon and veteran reporter Gary Craig, featuring articles published on his Substack site.
Imprisoned drug trafficker Brandon Washington last year received a $250,000 settlement with an insurance company. The government now wants its share.
Washington was alleged to head a marijuana trafficking ring that, in the summer of 2022, was entangled in a violent turf war. That conflict in 2022 led to the fatal shootings of Rochester police officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz, local hip-hop artist Richard Collinge and MyJel Rand.
Last year, in one of my first Substack posts, I wrote of Washington’s successful efforts to get a settlement with an insurance company after a city home Washington lived in was shot up and set afire. He received $250,000. (Two posts here: “Alleged drug trafficker gets insurance for home nearly destroyed by rivals” and “Drug dealer got $250,000 for his torched home” )
Washington had earlier indicated that some of the money could go toward “neighborhood rehabilitation or to honoring Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz,” court records show, but none of those proposals were included in a May letter from Washington to the court about the possible disbursal of the money.
Washington, who is serving more than 21 years in prison, instead “wants the entirety of the funds to benefit himself and his family,” federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing this month.
Washington has proposed that, after payment of taxes and the costs of demolishing his home, much of the remaining money would be distributed among his relatives, including his children.
Federal prosecutors are opposing this. Washington is asking that more than $172,000 be provided to his family.
Under federal statutes, a court can order payment from indigent individuals represented by taxpayer-paid attorneys if money does become available later.
Washington had two lawyers for his legal proceedings. He ultimately pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking conspiracy and other crimes.
At his sentencing, Washington apologized to Lynn Mazurkiewicz, the widow of the slain Rochester police officer. Mazurkiewicz was shot by Kelvin Vickers, one of the men entangled in the turf battle.
Money for the family
Federal prosecutors have agreed that Washington’s insurance settlement can properly be used for the taxes and demolition.
But, they argue, the money designated for Washington’s family should instead go to the Criminal Justice Act fund that covers the costs of lawyers for indigent defendants. (There is a Federal Public Defender’s Office, but when there is a conflict or multi-defendant criminal prosecution, additional attorneys are needed.)
“Here, the Court should determine that funds are available on behalf of the defendant, who was furnished representation by two CJA appointed attorneys in this case for which the taxpayers and the CJA fund likely paid a 6-figure dollar amount,” prosecutors wrote.
“If Washington had $250,000 at the time he was appointed counsel, the Court would likely have required Washington to utilize some, or all, of those funds to obtain counsel,” prosecutors wrote. “That should still be the case, and the Court should order an appropriate reimbursement to the CJA fund.”
The case is before U.S. District Judge Frank Geraci Jr.
Gary Craig is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer. A retired Democrat and Chronicle reporter, he now writes on Substack.
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