Guyanese informant cooperating in federal drug probe gunned down PDF  | Print |
Written by Demerara Waves   
Saturday, 16 February 2013 08:06

By MITCHEL MADDUX and DAN MACLEODdennison

'SINGING' NO MORE': Burton Dennison, who was cooperating with federal agents in drug cases, was shot to death in this car in Brooklyn.

A Guyana-born informant aiding the feds in a New York drug probe was gunned down after he left a nightclub in Brooklyn last month, The Post has learned, the New York Post reported.

The murder appeared to be a professional hit, law-enforcement sources said — and the killing could hamper efforts to convince others to become government cooperators.

Burton Dennison, 44, who was gunned down in his Mercedes in East Flatbush, was helping agents on Long Island on “multiple cases” in exchange for reduced jail time on drug charges, said a source familiar with the investigation.

“He was cooperating not only in the case he was arrested on, but also proactively assisting the DEA to ensnare others dealing drugs,” the source said.

“Certainly, any cooperator will have this in their mind when it comes to their decision whether or not to work for ‘Club Fed,’ ” another source said.

And a veteran prosecutor called the murder a “worst-case scenario,” noting that word of the killing would spread “like ripples in a pond” and intimidate informants already wary of cooperating.

“From a law-enforcement perspective, it’s what keeps us up at night,” the source said. “The best thing we can do is come back, full force, on whoever did it.”

Dennison, of Queens, who was married with six kids, was shot once in the head and once in the “lower extremity” on Jan. 13 after leaving the club at 3:30 a.m., according to documents and a source.

He was gunned down a few blocks away at East 46th Street and Glenwood Road.

He started working with the feds when he was busted in September 2011 for selling a kilo of cocaine to an informant — who himself was angling for reduced jail time on drug and money-laundering charges — according to court documents.

He gave up an alleged partner in the scheme when he was arrested, and later agreed to work with the DEA on the Long Island drug cases, sources said. He did not enroll in the federal witness-protection program.

Sources said investigators are probing whether the murder was revenge for his cooperation.

“Mr. Dennison pled guilty pursuant to a cooperation agreement, and following his guilty plea he continued to cooperate with the government,” his lawyer, Eric Franz, wrote to federal Judge John Gleeson. “Unfortunately Mr. Dennison’s worst fears manifested themselves in his being gunned down and murdered.”

Dennison pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute drugs, and was set to be sentenced Friday in Brooklyn federal court.

The killing of a cooperator in a federal case is unusual.

“It rarely happens,” said Steve Zissou, a defense attorney, even though “cooperating is a very dangerous game.”

Additional reporting by Bruce Golding and Josh Margolin

mmaddux@nypost.com

AddThis Social Bookmark Button
 

Comments  

 
+19 #1 CleveM 2013-02-16 08:29
Sad to say but this is a direct result of living in fast lane. It might sound cold but people who choose this way of making a living destroy the lives of many. By his own actions he has left a widow to fend for herself and children. Illegality and dishonesty catches up with the "perp" 99 percent of the time.
Quote
 
 
+4 #2 crazy g/t 2013-02-16 08:59
fast $$$ . you know where take you , six feet under , i hope his body dont drug , i just want the worme have a good time , live by the gun and you die by the gun ,
Quote
 
 
+1 #3 kbaksh 2013-02-16 09:09
New York seems to be the same as Guyana
Quote
 
 
-7 #4 gtbeat 2013-02-16 09:18
Brooklyn in da house...thank god, its not Richmond Hill Queens or the boards would light up about the East Indians dis and dat.
Quote
 
 
+7 #5 Miss Hibiscus79 2013-02-16 09:25
Fears come true!. Fear is from the Evil one dominating this world. At 03:30 am, Mr Dennison..should have been in his bed,with his wife.
The Killer or Killers, were probably at the Club, eyeing him/Plotting his demise. This is what we expect, in the World of Crime. So Sorry for Mr Dennison's wife and Children.
Quote
 
 
+3 #6 Miss Hibiscus79 2013-02-16 09:25
Fears come true!. Fear is from the Evil one dominating this world. At 03:30 am, Mr Dennison..should have been in his bed,with his wife.
The Killer or Killers, were probably at the Club, eyeing him/Plotting his demise. This is what we expect, in the World of Crime. So Sorry for Mr Dennison's wife and Children.
Quote
 
 
-8 #7 JCoe 2013-02-16 09:55
Snitches end up in ditches
Quote
 
 
-1 #8 NITTI GRITTI 2013-02-16 10:16
The feds pimped him out.He would not have served more than 3 years for 1 kilo, but he chose to destroy lives with his telling.He most likely sent a lot of people to jail. All the best to his wife and kids,god bless them.
Quote
 
 
+6 #9 realist 2013-02-16 10:34
Ow lawd till 'merica dem gone wit dem dutty habit!!!
Quote
 
 
-1 #10 lulu 2013-02-16 10:41
Quoting CleveM:
Sad to say but this is a direct result of living in fast lane. It might sound cold but people who choose this way of making a living destroy the lives of many. By his own actions he has left a widow to fend for herself and children. Illegality and dishonesty catches up with the "perp" 99 percent of the time.


He turned his life around to help the feds and wanted the reduced jail time to be with his kids.

Don't be so harsh, at least he got on the right side of the law in the end.
Quote
 
 
+2 #11 PETER SAM 2013-02-16 10:53
Sad, drug dealing = death. He should have taken the witness protection thing. Imagine some people, take money to murder a man and just live like nothing happen.
Quote
 
 
+6 #12 G/T Times 2013-02-16 11:22
G/T The way's you make your Bed ,that is the way you sleep on it,My Condolence.
Quote
 
 
+8 #13 Rov 2013-02-16 11:33
Once you get involved in the illegal drug business you cannot leave. The only way out is the way of this man.
Quote
 
 
+10 #14 Jack black 2013-02-16 11:51
Sad he did not use the opportunity of living in the US to seek out an honest way of living like so many immigrants. But fast money is not necessarily easy as you will pay with either your life or your time away from society.
I would like to see 10 successful drug dealers in the US who can live in freedom, with no fear of prosecution and or assisination by rivals. People working a security guards in NYC have been able to buy houses and yes, Mercedes.
Quote
 
 
+9 #15 guyamerican 2013-02-16 12:28
Well how you live determine the way you leave this world,you play with fire you will get burn cooperating with the feds will eventually get out more so when you are taking down other drug dealers ,no tears here because his poison could have destroyed lots of young lives along the way get a 9 to 5 the money may be small but he could have been alive today to play and smile with his kids guess the wife will now have to get a 9 to 5 for herself and kids ,fast money never work out in the long run I am only sorry for the kids .
Quote
 
 
+6 #16 paul 2013-02-16 12:41
live by the sword u will die by it yr family knows the trade
Quote
 
 
+7 #17 Vicr 2013-02-16 15:46
That's what u get in the get rich scheme. U lost all morales.
Quote
 
 
+4 #18 Fy sens. 2013-02-16 17:37
Driving a Benz and having ur freedom while u are an informant doesn't rest well with one's enemies. That you were in hot water and chose to boil others in the process is indeed a GRAVE risk. I say, if you choose to destroy families consciously, then consciously God will show U ur error in the same likeness. Some may call it Karma, but Jesus describes it best when he said that the least you have done to your bretheren, you have also done unto me. Just my fy sens on the matter.
Quote
 
 
-1 #19 Amrit Singh 2013-02-16 22:31
Quoting gtbeat:
Brooklyn in da house...thank god, its not Richmond Hill Queens or the boards would light up about the East Indians dis and dat.


Quite true! However the Guyanese of East Indian descent have given their people a very bad name. Gone are the days of hard, honest work. Gone are the days when our ancestors crossed the "KALA PANI" for hard work. It was blood, sweat and tears, but we,through them, came a long way.
We withstood the abuse of the 'Massa'. Then came his replacement. A regime that abused us for 28 long years. We have to remember that. Those who cause us the shame I say to them SHAME ON YOU, YOU BASTARDS. I HOPE YOU ROT IN THE PRISONS OF HELL THAT YOU ARE IN RIGHT NOW!!
Quote
 
 
+1 #20 dezetante 2013-02-17 06:39
Quoting Amrit Singh:
Quoting gtbeat:
Brooklyn in da house...thank god, its not Richmond Hill Queens or the boards would light up about the East Indians dis and dat.


Quite true! However the Guyanese of East Indian descent have given their people a very bad name. Gone are the days of hard, honest work. Gone are the days when our ancestors crossed the "KALA PANI" for hard work. It was blood, sweat and tears, but we,through them, came a long way.
We withstood the abuse of the 'Massa'. Then came his replacement. A regime that abused us for 28 long years. We have to remember that. Those who cause us the shame I say to them SHAME ON YOU, YOU BASTARDS. I HOPE YOU ROT IN THE PRISONS OF HELL THAT YOU ARE IN RIGHT NOW!!

Then come the ones who SOLD OUT to foreign SLAVE DRIVERS
Quote
 
 
+2 #21 weep not for me but weep for your children 2013-02-17 12:54
Quoting CleveM:
Sad to say but this is a direct result of living in fast lane. It might sound cold but people who choose this way of making a living destroy the lives of many. By his own actions he has left a widow to fend for herself and children. Illegality and dishonesty catches up with the "perp" 99 percent of the time.

Quoting CleveM:
Sad to say but this is a direct result of living in fast lane. It might sound cold but people who choose this way of making a living destroy the lives of many. By his own actions he has left a widow to fend for herself and children. Illegality and dishonesty catches up with the "perp" 99 percent of the time.


NOT THESE HERE THOUGH. DEM LIVING A CHARMED LIFE
Quote
 
 
+1 #22 Metropole 2013-02-18 04:34
Rohee, I hope you and all of your "speak easy dime dropping" proponents read the above article. No one can stop the "natural" process of evolution and so can no one stop the demise of those "rats". This Guyanese informant knew the wrong he was doing but believed he could have gotten away with his nastiness. Everything that is done in the cover of darkness will eventually come to light so prepare yourself for the consequences. Rats are not only in Brooklyn they are everywhere!
Quote
 
 
0 #23 shaun 2013-02-20 08:45
wait did this happen is the USA ......wow really i taught it was only in Guyana things lie this happens and i aint hearing all you ppl who down talk the government saying any thing if this had happen in Guyana you would have hear all the bad comments lol
Quote
 

Add comment


Charles Ramson Sr. appointed Commissioner of Information
Kwesi Isles - Wednesday, 22 May 2013
charles_ramson
Charles Ramson Sr.

Former Attorney General Charles Ramson Sr. has been appointed as the Commissioner of Information un...


Read more...
Granger missed opportunity to be updated on countering financial crimes status
Denis Scott Chabrol - Tuesday, 21 May 2013
ramotar_granger
President Ramotar                                   Opposition Leader David Granger

President Donald Ramotar has told ...


Read more...
High tides warning in effect- more sandbags aligned
GINA - Tuesday, 21 May 2013
sandbags
Sandbags along the seawall in the vicinity of the Conversation Tree

The Ministry of Public Works has issued a warning ...


Read more...
Community Comes Together to Build New Roadway in Region 2
Demerara Waves - Tuesday, 21 May 2013

usem_region2

GEORGETOWN — Representatives from Builders Beyond Borders (B3), the Region 2 Regional Democratic Council, U.S. Peace ...


Read more...
Joint opposition firm on "no" vote for money laundering bill
Kwesi Isles - Tuesday, 21 May 2013

parlbldgThe two parliamentary opposition parties on Tuesday confirmed that they will be using their majority in the National ...


Read more...
US Embassy donates school supplies, books around Guyana
Demerara Waves - Tuesday, 21 May 2013

usembassy2

GEORGETOWN – The U.S Embassy’s Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP) team donated school supplies and reading materia...


Read more...
More Articles...

Podcast

Podcast Feed

CLICK PREFERRED PLAYER FOR DemWaves Radio


listen with Window Media Player   listen with Winamp   listen with iTunes   listen with RealPlayer

Ads on: Special HTML

Listen on your Blackberry


Play Webcast


Ads on: Special HTML
Subscribe to Receive Breaking News via E-mail.
Email: