MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. — A newly promoted detective in the Westchester County Police Department was arrested Thursday on charges that he allegedly supplied firearms to members of a violent Long Island gang linked to multiple murders and robberies, authorities said. Kyren Braunskill, 34, faces conspiracy and other charges stemming from an 18-person indictment unsealed by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, which accuses him of peddling guns to associates of the so-called “48 Gang” in Riverhead.
The indictment, a 57-count document obtained by local outlets, details how Braunskill allegedly sold weapons that were later used in fatal and non-fatal shootings. Prosecutors claim that in early 2021, Braunskill sold a 9mm Ruger pistol to a high-ranking member of the gang. Court papers further allege that he plotted gun purchases with indicted individual Nickomas Allen and a member of another criminal syndicate in March 2021. Over the following year, Braunskill reportedly offered to sell multiple firearms to Jayvonte Nash, described as a senior operative in the 48 Gang.
One of the most striking details in the case is the timing of Braunskill’s alleged activities relative to his law enforcement career. According to the indictment, his final offer to Nash occurred on December 25, 2022—just three days before he was hired by the Mount Vernon Police Department and about a week before he began training at the Westchester Police Academy. This revelation has raised questions about the vetting process for new officers in the region.
The 48 Gang, a Suffolk County-based criminal organization, is portrayed by prosecutors as particularly vicious. Seventeen of its alleged members and associates are also named in the sweeping indictment, charged with involvement in two murders, eight armed robberies, five shootings, and the possession of 13 illegal firearms. The gang’s activities have terrorized communities in Riverhead and surrounding areas on Long Island, contributing to a wave of violence that has strained local law enforcement resources.
Braunskill, who joined the Mount Vernon Police Department in 2022 after a brief stint as a corrections officer, was promoted to detective just one week before his arrest. The Mount Vernon Police Department responded swiftly to the news, placing him on suspended duty pending the outcome of the case. In a statement posted on Facebook Thursday night, the department expressed disappointment over the allegations, which they noted “precede his employment.”
“A pre-employment background investigation was conducted in accordance with department procedures, and no findings were returned,” the department said. “Based on the information available at that time, the decision was made to proceed with his employment. In light of these developments, the Mount Vernon Police Department will review its hiring and vetting practices to ensure they meet the highest standards.”
Despite the department’s assurances, Braunskill’s background includes troubling elements. Prior to his hiring in Mount Vernon, he had been terminated as a probationary corrections officer in October 2020 by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. His name appeared on the state’s decertification list for law enforcement officers, a database intended to flag individuals with disciplinary issues. However, officials have not clarified why this history did not surface during his background check.
In addition to the gun-related charges, Braunskill faces counts of third-degree attempted grand larceny and third-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. These stem from an incident on December 15, 2022, when he was allegedly caught with a fraudulent check. He pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment and was released on supervision with GPS monitoring. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 15 in Suffolk County court.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, whose office led the investigation, is set to hold a press conference Friday morning to discuss the indictment in greater detail. Tierney’s office has emphasized the collaborative effort behind the case, involving federal, state, and local agencies. “This indictment strikes at the heart of a dangerous criminal enterprise that has plagued our communities,” a spokesperson for the DA’s office said in a preliminary release, though Tierney himself has not yet commented publicly on Braunskill’s specific role.
The case highlights ongoing challenges in combating gang violence on Long Island, where groups like the 48 Gang have been implicated in escalating turf wars. Riverhead, a town of about 30,000 residents in eastern Suffolk County, has seen a spike in gun-related incidents over the past several years. According to crime statistics from the Suffolk County Police Department, shootings in the area rose by more than 20% between 2020 and 2022, coinciding with the period covered in the indictment.
Experts in criminal justice have pointed to the infiltration of law enforcement by criminal elements as a rare but deeply concerning phenomenon. “When someone sworn to protect the public is instead arming those who prey on it, it erodes trust in the entire system,” said Dr. Elena Ramirez, a criminology professor at Stony Brook University, in an interview with local media. Ramirez noted that cases like this often involve officers with prior disciplinary records who slip through cracks in hiring protocols.
Braunskill’s arrest comes amid broader scrutiny of police hiring practices across New York State. Following high-profile incidents of misconduct in recent years, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation in 2022 expanding the state’s decertification list and mandating more thorough background checks for officers. The Mount Vernon Police Department’s decision to review its procedures aligns with this push for reform, though department officials have stressed that Braunskill’s alleged actions occurred before his tenure.
Community leaders in Mount Vernon, a diverse city of around 70,000 just north of New York City, expressed shock over the news. “We rely on our police to keep us safe, not to enable crime elsewhere,” said Rev. Marcus Johnson, president of the local NAACP chapter, in a statement to reporters. Johnson called for transparency in the internal review and urged other departments to examine their own vetting processes.
On Long Island, reactions have been more focused on the takedown of the 48 Gang. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine praised the DA’s office for the indictment, saying in a tweet, “This is a major blow to gang activity in our county. We won’t tolerate violence that tears at the fabric of our communities.” Romaine’s office has allocated additional funding for anti-gang initiatives in recent budgets, including youth outreach programs aimed at preventing recruitment into groups like the 48 Gang.
As the case unfolds, questions remain about how Braunskill came into contact with the gang members and whether other officers were involved. Prosecutors have not indicated any additional law enforcement targets in the indictment, but the breadth of the charges suggests a wide-ranging probe. The involvement of multiple agencies, including possibly federal authorities, points to the case’s significance beyond local borders.
For now, Braunskill remains free but under electronic monitoring, a condition that underscores the seriousness of the allegations. The April 15 court date will likely provide more insights into the evidence against him, including any recorded conversations or forensic links between the guns he allegedly sold and the crimes they were used in. Meanwhile, the Mount Vernon Police Department’s review could lead to policy changes that affect hiring not just locally, but statewide.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities within law enforcement ranks, even as efforts to strengthen accountability continue. As Suffolk County DA Tierney prepares to speak Friday, residents on both Long Island and in Westchester await further details on how one man’s alleged betrayal may have fueled a cycle of violence.