A pair of convicted murderers, arrested for allegedly dealing drugs in Greenwich Village during daylight hours, were granted bail shortly after their arrest.
Interestingly, prosecutors opted not to request that either individual be held in custody, thanks to the state’s 2019 bail reform legislation.
Just last week, the two men recounted their recent activities, with one expressing regret over resorting to drug dealing, claiming he had to do it to provide for his child.
“One day, my wife left, and I ended up alone with the kids. I lost my mind, I’m not sure what happened,” Carlo “Cano” Franco mentioned outside Manhattan Crown Court on July 25th.
Back in 2003, Franco, then 27, shot and killed Dino Desimone at close range during a robbery at Desimone’s family auto shop, leaving behind a Toshiba laptop, according to authorities.
“I felt entirely hollow, as if someone had taken everything away from me,” said Michele Desimone, the widow, reflecting on her husband’s death. “I just wanted him to be there.”
Franco was released in 2022 after serving 13 years for manslaughter, and his parole ended the previous year. He was arrested again on July 3, 1992, for dealing heroin and crack cocaine around 10:30 a.m. near Broadway and West Houston Street, as noted in a police report.
In a similar vein, another drug dealer, Jeffrey “They” Mackenzie, has had his lawyers downplay his legal troubles as “minor crimes” with little public interest.
Mackenzie, 46, spent over two decades in prison for the murder of his mother, Linda Sanders, during a failed robbery at a laundromat in Brownsville.
Since being released on lifetime parole in 2022, Mackenzie has been arrested multiple times, including another drug-related incident on June 4th, where he was reportedly caught selling crack cocaine near 6th and West 9th Avenues.
Frustrated locals expressed their dismay, with one resident, Trevor Sumner, president of the Washington Square Association, stating, “It’s absurd. This is a total breakdown of logic and common sense.”
Franco, who had been arrested again for drug offenses, spoke emotionally about his situation outside the courtroom. “I do it all for him. I can’t abandon that child, I can’t go to prison,” he said, searching for his phone to show a picture of his young son.
Franco was charged with resisting arrest and possessing brass knuckles alongside controlled substances with intent to sell.
Despite his violent history, Mackenzie faced very little time behind bars after his arrest, spending only one night in custody.
During a court appearance last week, Mackenzie attempted to shield his face with a red cloth and seemed anxious to avoid attention.
His public defender dismissed the drug charges as trivial, claiming there wasn’t significant public interest in the case.
Both men pleaded not guilty.
The 2020 bail reforms in New York are significant — they prevent judges from considering a defendant’s criminal past when setting bail, which some experts argue undermines public safety.
Since these reforms, only a select few crimes qualify for bail, and drug dealing does not fall into that category.
Before these changes, judges could set high cash bail in cases like those of Franco and Mackenzie to keep them incarcerated until trial, providing a measure of community safety.
Rafael Munger, a legal policy expert, voiced his concerns, saying, “It’s irrational. The structure for pretrial release is now totally against common-sense principles.”
Mackenzie’s recent arrest marked his fourth within just two months. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office chose not to indict him in two prior incidents this year, while another led to a technical violation.
The Department of Corrections indicated that it couldn’t initiate a parole revocation process against Mackenzie.
The DA’s office stated that Mackenzie’s case was not eligible for bail. Similarly, the office handling Franco’s case confirmed the same.
Concerns about community safety are escalating, with residents feeling increasingly endangered. One local, Scott Evans, remarked, “I think it’s just smoke and mirrors. Our neighborhood faces real risks as the DA’s office tends to overlook public safety.” Another resident, Maud Maron, criticized the DA for allowing individuals to remain unpunished, causing widespread frustration.
Statistics reveal a troubling trend: crime in Greenwich Village has increased by 68% this year, according to NYPD data. The neighborhood’s sixth precinct frequently highlights drug dealing issues affecting daytime activities.
Many residents are exasperated, noticing the same offenders repeatedly on the streets, reflecting a sense of helplessness. “It’s a breaking point for many of us,” Sumner said, condensing the growing frustration into just a few words.
