Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg cuts career criminal loose on $1 bail while busy prosecuting Trump
By
Joe Marino and
April 4, 2023 2:08pm
Controversial Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is lavishly spending tax dollars to prosecute former President Donald Trump on what critics call politically motivated charges — while cutting a career criminal loose on $1 bail.
Rodney Johnson, 53, who has nearly 90 busts on his rap sheet and two state prison stints under his belt, had his felony robbery charges knocked down to slap-on-the-wrist misdemeanors by Bragg’s office last week, law enforcement sources told The Post.
Johnson skipped out on a court-ordered intervention program three times on a 2021 felony robbery case.
But the criminal is now free on a $1 bail in the latest charges, records show.
“This guy has been breaking the law for 35 years,” one law enforcement law said.
“He’s been a one-man robbery spree preying on low-wage workers, then when the cops catch the guy, Bragg’s office downgrades the felon charges,” the sources said.
“All the while he chases an indictment of the former president for paying a porn star. Priorities.”
Rodney Johnson, 53, has nearly 90 busts on his rap sheet and is on parole in a rape case, yet Manhattan prosecutors still knocked down his felony robbery charges.
Johnson’s latest bust came last week and stemmed from two alleged incidents at pharmacies in Chelsea on March 24, according to court records.
At 8:20 a.m. that day, he allegedly walked into a CVS pharmacy on West 23rd Street and stole several items, including air freshener and detergent, with cops charging Johnson with third-degree attempted robbery, the records show.
At 12:38 p.m., he allegedly went into a Walgreens on West 30th Street and stole more merchandise — and threatened workers with pepper spray when confronted.
Police charged him with third-degree robbery in that incident.
Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who brought criminal charges against former President Donald Trump while giving career criminal Rodney Johnson, 53, a major break.
Former US President Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower in New York.
But in court, all the charges were dropped to misdemeanor menacing and petty larceny.
Although the misdemeanors were non-bail eligible, the judge set a $1 bail on the previous offenses.
Johnson’s criminal history includes a string of larceny and robbery busts and a 2005 domestic violence rap after he allegedly threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend’s daughter.
He has also served state prison time on a 1994 robbery conviction and a 1998 grand larceny conviction, state correction records show.
The scene in Manhattan on Tuesday when former President Donald Trump was arraigned on criminal charges tied to allegedly hush money paid to former porn star Stormy Daniels.
“A major principle of our system is the more crimes you commit the worse the punishment,” said defense attorney Mike Discioarro, a former Bronx prosecutor. “How is this guy getting a deal?
“Should we tell people to commit more crimes to get a better deal?”
A spokesperson for the Legal Aid Society, which represents Johnson, noted that while police make sentencing recommendations, the final decision on charges rests with prosecutors, who made the determination based on the circumstances.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post.
Bragg has taken heat since he took office last year and announced he would not seek prison time on a slew of charges and downgrade felony charges in hordes of cases — including armed robbery and drug offenses.
Manhattan Supreme Court, where former President Donald Trump is being arraigned on criminal charges tied to allegedly hush money paid to former porn star Stormy Daniels.
Meanwhile, Trump is due to be arraigned on a grand jury indictment Tuesday on charges tied to alleged hush money paid to former porn star Stormy Daniels in 2
The circus-like case has the NYPD on heavy alert and has Secret Service agents deployed in the Big Apple for the unprecedented court appearance.
Additional reporting by Elizabeth Rosner
