Three men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the killing of Bubacarr Camera, an immigrant from Gambia who worked at the t-shirt shop BNC Merchandise on 104th street and Amsterdam Avenue.
The men arrested were Stephen Adams, 27 years old; Michael Adams, 29 years old (brother of Stephen) and Zubearu Bettis, 44 years old. Bettis and Stephen Adams, who are also charged with a robbery in Harlem, were arrested on June 26, while Michael Adams was arrested on Thursday morning.
The three were indicted under a law called the Hobbs Act, used in cases where a firearm was used in a commercial robbery that resulted in death. If convicted, the men face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years, and could face life in prison or even the death penalty. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has not yet determined whether he will seek the death penalty in this case, a spokesperson for the office said.
The U.S. attorney’s office had no comment on why the men face federal charges rather than state ones. One reason could be that the case was investigated both by NYPD and by federal ATF agents as part of a task force called SPARTA.
Camera (pictured at left) was killed on June 18 while working at the shop in what appeared to be a botched robbery. While police initially said Camara was beaten to death, the indictment says he was killed by gunfire.
Attorneys for Bettis and Stephen Adams did not immediately respond to inquiries about their clients. We are awaiting information on Michael Adams’ attorney.
We’ve also attempted to find out how to help support Camera’s family — he has a wife and child back home in Gambia — but haven’t been successful so far.
Correction: We initially misspelled Camera’s name.
Thank god. So heartbreaking, and the thought that his murderers were walking free with the potential to destroy another family’s life was very upsetting.
I’m so relieved.
In case anyone else has questions about the federal statute involved in this crime, I copied this information:
Under the Armed Career Criminal Act, certain violent offenders are subject to mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years if they have been thrice convicted of crimes involving “a serious potential risk of physical injury to another.”
and by some slim slim slim chance they do get the death penalty…may I offer my services to do the deed…by then i’ll probably be dead but I can wait
Above comment not by UWS-er, but an imposter.
So happy to hear this. I was hoping for updates on this situation. Wish Bubacarr’s family much peace to heal.
This story saddened so many of us. We can only hope that Mr. Camera is somehow a bit more at peace now. Glad the Feds are stepping in – “botched” robbery or not, these animals made the choice to murder an innocent shopkeeper for a few dollars. If the death penalty is on the table, I am all for it in this case.
WSR, please let us know if and when any information comes available to help support Mr. Camera’s family.
I’m so glad that they caught they bastard ( for lack of a better word) im so upset how people now have no disregard of the human life, how can someone take someone’s life just for a few dollars. Give them life in prison, let these low life rot in jail for the rest of their lifes… May he rest in eternal peace