by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, April 9 – The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York prosecutors on July 10 announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging SHYMELL EPHRON, a/k/a “Shy,” with two counts of coercion and enticement of minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity and five drug-trafficking counts, including two counts of using a minor to distribute narcotics and two counts of distributing narcotics to a minor."
Inner City Press went to the presentment, the only media there. Thread:
AUSA: The 17-year-old was forcibly raped: the 15 year old was given Ecstasy. Federal Defender: We are asking for release on bail. AUSA: The defendant is 34 years old. He invited another to come over, texting "Just got two b*tches." After the FBI found drugs in his apartment, he was already on location monitoring.
Jane Doe 1's mother (by phone) We have endured trauma. Keep this criminal off the street.
Federal Defender: I have doubts about coercion. They went to a police precinct, then went back with the defendant. He has an apartment in Harlem, unlike many of our clients
FD: He is ROR on the state cases. He didn't flee. AUSA: He checks in with Probation in Times Square, which is where he found the 2 victims.
Judge Sarah Netburn: I cannot release you. Detained.
On August 30, the US Attorney's Office opposed Ephron's request for a 60 day extension of the motions deadline, noting that on August 6 it received recordings of the defendant's jail calls and immediately produced them to defense counsel and citing the public interest in the prompt resolution of criminal cases.
Jury selection began on March 31, 2025 - and took four days. On the fifth day, Federal Defenders wrote in that peremptory challenge lists should be kept as a sealed exhibit to allow a Batson challenge to the 2d Circuit, "should Mr. Ephron be convicted."
Judge Garnett docketed: "It is the Court's standard practice to mark peremptory strike forms as court exhibits and file them under seal at the close of trial; that standard practice will be followed in this case."
On April 8 an FBI scientist was on the stand, testifying about the defendant's DNA not on a bra, but on a tooth brush, to a certainly of 27 zeros. The large courtroom had only four other people in it (beyond Inner City Press), one of whom was another Federal Defender, beyond the three at counsel table.
On April 9 as Inner City Press arrived there was an argument outside the presence of the jury about the defendant's mother's tears - natural and appropriate, Judge Garnett found, noting that when the jury came back the witness would be a minor victim and politely informing the Press that the courtroom would be sealed. We will stay on it, including through the docket.
The case is USA v. Ephron, 1:24-cr-418 (Garnett)
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