News12 New York
Where to Watch
Download the App
Local
Crime
Weather
beWell
The East End
Crime Files
FIFA World Cup
Murder Sentencing

Three men sentenced in murder of security guard

Charles Powell, 28, was ordered 42 years in prison, Musah Coward, 34, was given 45 years in prison, and the third defendant, Brian Castro, 25, was sentenced to 45 years in December.

Lauren Hartley

Apr 16, 2026, 5:57 PM

Updated

Share:

Top Stories

Three men have been sentenced in the murder of 58-year-old Rodney Maxwell, a security guard for an illegal gambling den in Brownsville, where he was working when he was shot in October 2020.

Three New Jersey men have been sentenced in the crime. Charles Powell, 28, was ordered 42 years in prison, Musah Coward, 34, was given 45 years in prison, and the third defendant, Brian Castro, 25, was sentenced to 45 years in December.

The three men were carrying out a robbery of the gambling den when Castro and Powell each shot Maxwell, a father of three. Coward, who drove Castro and Powell there, waited outside in the car.

Powell also fired into a crowd of individuals at the location as they desperately attempted to escape the violence. Three additional victims were shot that evening, all of whom survived their wounds.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch thanked the NYPD and FBI for delivering justice in the case.

"The defendants in this case orchestrated an armed robbery that resulted in one man’s death and three other victims being shot,” she said. “They showed a complete disregard for human life, and these sentencings reflect the severity and shocking brutality of their crimes."

Top Stories

App StoreGoogle Play Store

info

Newsletter

Send Photos/Videos

Contact

About Us

News Team

News 12 New York

follow us

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

more resources

Optimum Corporate

Optimum Service

Advertise on News 12

Careers

Content Removal Policy

© 2026 N12N, LLC

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Ad Choices