United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today that KARL SMITH, a/k/a “Pacavell,” and CHELSEY HARRIS, a/k/a “Ms. Chinn,” have pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Paul E. Engelmayer for their role in orchestrating a shooting that killed Clarisa Burgos, an innocent bystander.  HARRIS pled guilty on June 26, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2025, and SMITH pled guilty yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025.  Two other defendants, DAJAHN MCBEAN, a/k/a “Jeezy Mula,” a/k/a “Freeze,” and JULISSA BARTHOLOMEW, a/k/a “Trophy,” a/k/a “Tactical Mommy,” have been charged and are awaiting trial.

“Karl Smith and Chelsey Harris participated in an elaborate plot to murder their victim, setting him up to be shot multiple times at several locations across New York City in December 2023,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “During one of those shootings, an innocent bystander, Clarisa Burgos, was tragically killed.  Thanks to the hard work of the prosecutors in this Office and our law enforcement partners, Smith and Harris will now be held to account for this heinous crime.  We and the NYPD are committed to making our streets safer and will tirelessly fight against gun crime.”

“This wasn’t random gunfire – it was a calculated plot to carry out a murder on New York City streets, and an innocent woman paid the price,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.  “It’s a stark reminder of how reckless, calculated violence puts innocent New Yorkers in the line of fire.  I commend our detectives and federal partners for their unrelenting work to take violent criminals off the streets and hold them accountable.”

As alleged in public court filings, statements at public court proceedings, and the charging documents in the case:

In December 2023, MCBEAN was detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York (“MDC Brooklyn”), awaiting sentencing for directing a separate gang-related shooting in January 2017.  While in federal custody, MCBEAN feuded over social media with another person (“Victim-1”).  MCBEAN then used a contraband cellphone from inside MDC Brooklyn to conspire with SMITH and HARRIS, who were at liberty in the community, to lure Victim-1 to various nightclubs in New York City where MCBEAN had arranged for gunmen to kill Victim-1.  MCBEAN paid SMITH and HARRIS through intermediaries, including BARTHOLOMEW, for their roles in this scheme.

The plot to kill Victim-1 resulted in two shootings.  First, on December 24, 2023, MCBEAN and his co-conspirators lured Victim-1 to a nightclub (“Club-1”) in Queens, New York. Outside Club-1, gunmen shot and struck Victim-1’s car multiple times but missed Victim-1.  Second, on December 26, 2023, MCBEAN and his co-conspirators tried again to kill Victim-1, this time luring him to a different nightclub (“Club-2”) in Queens.  At MCBEAN’s direction from within MDC Brooklyn, gunmen again fired on Victim1’s car when it was parked outside Club-2.  The bullets struck Victim-1 multiple times, but Victim-1 survived.  The bullets also struck and killed Clarisa Burgos, who was seated in Victim-1’s car.  Clarisa Burgos was twenty-eight years old.

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SMITH, 27, of Queens, New York, and HARRIS, 24, of the Bronx, New York, each pled guilty to stalking resulting in life threatening bodily injury and death, which carries a maximum term of life in prison.  SMITH also pled guilty to aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of the plot to kill Victim-1, which carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison.  HARRIS additionally pled guilty to aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm in furtherance of the plot to kill Victim-1, which carries mandatory minimum term of five years in prison.

The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the work of the U.S. Secret Service Financial Crimes Task Force and the NYPD.  Mr. Clayton also thanked the Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations’ El Dorado Task Force for their assistance in the investigation.  He added that the investigation is ongoing.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison, Andrew Chan, Dominic Gentile, and Timothy Ly are in charge of the prosecution.