By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Mark Douglas was sentenced on Tuesday to nine years in prison for brutally assaulting a longtime friend with whom he argued at a birthday party and then agreeing to pay $5,000 to have him killed before testifying to the attack, which left the victim needing more than 100 stitches to his face. The hitman Douglas thought he was contracting for the murder was an undercover officer.
Douglas, of Beach Channel Drive in Arverne, pleaded guilty in November to charges of conspiracy in the second degree, bribing a witness, tampering with a witness in the fourth degree, assault in the first and second degrees, and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice John Zoll on Tuesday sentenced him to serve nine years in prison to be followed by five years’ post-release supervision.
File Photo
“Thanks to the smart and consistent collaboration between my office and the NYPD, a violent, dangerous man is going to prison,” DA Katz said.
According to the charges:
On May 16, 2021, at approximately 4 a.m., Douglas was at home, where he got into a dispute with a 43-year-old man, a longtime friend who was there to celebrate Douglas’ birthday.
The friend left. Douglas approached him outside and attacked him from behind with a glass bottle that he had picked up from the street and broken.
The victim required more than 100 stitches to his face.
Douglas was arrested on May 25, 2021, and indicted on charges of assault in the first degree and second degrees and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. The victim was the main witness scheduled to testify against Douglas at trial.
During the following winter, Douglas put out word that he wanted to have the victim killed.
An investigation was launched. Members of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau and Felony Trial Bureau worked with the NYPD’s Intelligence Bureau to set up a sting operation.
During the spring and summer of 2022, Douglas spoke several times on the phone with undercover officers posing as hitmen. In August 2022, Douglas met with one in person and agreed to pay $5,000 to have his former friend killed.
Douglas provided the undercover officer with detailed personal information about the witness, including his photo and address.
On Sept. 7, 2022, Douglas was arrested on new charges, including conspiracy and bribing a witness.
“Thanks to the smart and consistent collaboration between my office and the NYPD, a violent, dangerous man is going to prison,” Katz said. “Police and prosecutors working together is how we make our communities safer.”
