MINEOLA, N.Y. (1010 WINS) — A fifth person has been indicted for the Sept. 2021 shooting death and robbery of a man who had just received a $55,000 settlement check.
Akeem Chambers was arraigned on Friday on charges of second-degree murder and two counts of first-degree robbery, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced Monday.
If convicted of the top charge, the 20-year-old faces a potential maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison. He was remanded and is due back in court on Aug. 23.
According the indictment, on Sept. 20, 2021, Diamond, and a friend, drove to a Long Beach law firm to pick up a check for $55,000, that Diamond was awarded as part of a lawsuit.
After receiving the check, the pair picked up Corey Grier and drove to a check cashing business. Grier then directed them in their vehicle to South Bay Avenue in Freeport, and Diamond and his friend left to attempt to deposit the cash at a nearby bank.
Grier allegedly called Eric Baldwin and Todd Brant to meet him at South Bay Avenue, prosecutors said. Baldwin, allegedly driven by his girlfriend, Anyibel Madera, and Brant both met Grier.
When Diamond and his friend returned to the location, Baldwin and Chambers allegedly took Diamond and his friend out of their vehicle at gunpoint. A struggle ensued, and Diamond was shot once in the abdomen.
Baldwin allegedly took Diamond's bag filled with cash and fled, the DA said. Diamond was later pronounced deceased at South Nassau Communities Hospital.
Chambers was arrested in Elmhurst, Queens by members of the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Baldwin, Brant, Grier and Madera were arraigned in January.
It wasn't immediately clear if the victim knew his attackers.
"Chambers and his co-defendants allegedly lured James Diamond, who had more than $50,000 in cash on him, to Freeport where the victim was robbed and shot once in the chest," Donnelly said. "This defendant was on the run for nearly 10 months and was arrested due to the extraordinary work of our police partners and our prosecutors. Our thoughts remain with the family of James Diamond as we prosecute the people who allegedly orchestrated his murder."
