GUARD WHO SET MURDER OF ROBERT BROOKS IN MOTION STILL WORKING FOR STATE PRISON SYSTEM
SHERRI ABREU SICCED A GANG ON ROBERT BROOKS AT THE MOHAWK CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, TRIGGERING HIS TRANSFER TO MARCY WHERE HE WAS MURDERED
UTICA, NEW YORK Oct. 9, 2025 Updated: 10:16 PM
Sherri Abreu is the New York State Correction Officer who set-in-motion a chain of crimes that led to the murder of Robert Brooks by guards at the Marcy Correctional Facility outside Utica last December.
Abreu is identified here by The Free Lance for the first time, based on multiple confidential sources and confirmed by a law enforcement official.
During the trial of Brooks' killers last October, Abreu was only called "Mrs. A" by a prosecution witness. The witness, Michael Peacock, testified she had gang members beat Brooks repeatedly for throwing up in his living space at the Mohawk Correctional Facility.
Abreu still works at Mohawk, state prison spokesman Thomas Mailey told The Free Lance in an emailed statement.
The beatings led supervisors at Mohawk to transfer Brooks to Marcy, where he was murdered by guards less than an hour after his arrival, evidence at the killers’ trial showed.
“This is Ms A the person who started the domino effect I truly believe if she didn’t get my dad jumped he never would have been transferred so he would be alive today,” Robert Brooks jr., the murdered man’s son, said in a Facebook statement after publication of this report.
Abreu did not respond to a voicemail and a text message seeking comment. She has not been charged with any crimes.
Mailey’s statement—sent after publication Wednesday evening—also revealed “The investigation involving DOCCS Office of Special Investigations, NY State Police and the Special Counsel determined that claim was unfounded.”
Its not immediately clear who the “Special Counsel” Mailey referred to is and he did not respond to follow up message asking who it is. The Special Prosecutor in the Brooks’ case, Onondaga County District Attorney William F. Fitzpatrick, credited Peacock and had him testify at the trial.
Mailey’s statement ended: “Please contact the NYSP for any additional information.”
Beau Duffy, principal spokesperson for the New York State Police, did not immediately respond to an email asking about its investigation and why Abreu was not charged with any crimes.
Peacock, the prosecution witness who accused Abreu, responded to the news she’s still working at Mohawk in an electronic message late Wednesday evening after The Free Lance received Mailey’s statement effectively calling him a liar and sent it to him.
“Of course they will defend her lol but what happen to him in my dorm that led to him ever being takin out that landed him in Marcy to begin with,” Peacock wrote back. “She knows what happen because it began in her unit but hez not here to say what happen so I did.”
“Its simple,” Peacock added, “he would be alive and well if he didn't get assaulted in my unit and had to be takin out. Reason she claims she don't know what happen is cause she went to a another unit while it happen and never made what really happen known!!”
The administrative disiciplinary system for law enforcement officers in New York, including state prison guards, is notoriously secretive and ineffective. The Free Lance is suing for public access to those disciplinary hearings.
Fitzpatrick, who prosecuted Brooks’ killers, did not immediately respond to an invitation to comment.
Liz Mazur, a civil rights lawyer representing Brooks in a federal lawsuit against the guards and the state correction commissioner for the killing, likewise did not immediately respond (but see below for update).
After Brooks' murder was revealed, Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a public statement promising to hold all the guards who had a role in Brooks' killing accountable.
Gov. Hochul has not, as Abreu’s case shows.
Matthew Janiszewski, Gov. Hochul's upstate New York Press Secretary & Deputy Communications Director for Public Safety, referred questions about Abreu to Mailey.
David J. Kingsley, Mathew Galliher and Nicholas Kieffer were tried for murder and related charges for killing Brooks in Oneida County Court in October. Kinglsey was convicted of second degree murder; Galliher and Kieffer were acquitted of all charges.
During the trial, Fitzpatrick, the special prosecutor, called Peacock as a witness. Peacock lived next to Brooks at Mohawk in the same housing unit, 74B, when Brooks was beaten by the gang. Peacock testified Brooks' trouble started Dec. 7.
That's when, Peacock said, Brooks threw up in his living quarters in an open dormitory-style housing unit at Mohawk. Abreu was the regular officer who worked the dormitory during the day. Abreu discovered Brooks had thrown up and instructed him to clean it up.
When Brooks didn't clean it up fast enough for Abreu, she talked to the leader of a gang who controlled the dorm and asked him to deal with Brooks, Peacock testified. Peacock named the gang leader as Swift. Swift beat Brooks with two other prisoners, Sparks and Stacks.
That night, Dec. 7-8, Brooks didn't sleep. He spent the entire night sitting on top of a locker in his cube. That morning he threw up again.
Referring to what Abreu told the gang the day before, Peacock testified "She didn't have to direct them what to do" the second time.
"The guys already know what to do—if he threw up again," Peacock said.
The gang trapped Brooks in his cube. Swift told him, "Didn't Mrs. A tell you not to throw up again,” Peacock said.
This time, Swift hit him with a lock in a sock while Sparks and Stacks punched him. He escaped by crawling toward the day room and yelling for help.
"Help me!, please help me!," Brooks screamed, Peacock testified.
Abreu re-entered the dorm and Brooks was taken to the infirmary, for the second time in three days.
Instead of sending Brooks back to the housing unit Abreu controlled and where he was beaten, twice, Mohawk supervisors sent Brooks to Marcy during the evening of Dec. 9.
Less than an hour later, Brooks was dead.
As a result of his testimony in the Brooks case, Peacock told The Free Lance exclusively he was punished by guards with a fake assault charge and sent to the notorious maximum-security Attica Correctional Facility outside Buffalo.
Brooks' killing motivated state lawmakers in Albany to pass an omnibus reform bill intended to increase and strengthen independent oversight of the state prison system. Gov. Hochul has until Friday midnight to sign it.
But Robert Brooks jr. said in a Facebook post Thursday afternoon he "finally got in contact with the governor" and "I doubt she will sign the bill."
In addition to Kingsley, Kieffer and Galliher, Anthony Farina, Nicholas Anzalone, Sgt. Michael Mashaw and David Walters pleaded guilty to manslaughter for killing Brooks. Farina and Anzalone were sentenced to 22 years in prison each. Mashaw was sentenced to 3-to-9 years and Walters was sentenced to 2 1/3-to-7 years.
Christopher Walrath, another Marcy guard, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter for taking part in Brooks' killing. Walrath was sentenced to 15 years in state prison Aug. 4. Walrath started the round of beatings that killed Brooks, according to testimony at the trial of three other guards accused of killing Brooks.
Sgt. Glenn Trombly and another guard, Robert Kessler, pleaded guilty and testified for the prosecution at that trial.
Fitzpatrick allowed Trombly to plead guilty to attempted gang assault in exchange for a promised sentence of 4 years in prison. Fitzpatrick allowed Kessler to plead guilty to gang assault, with a promised sentence of 7 years in prison.
Another guard whose name is not known with certainty agreed to help prosecutors and pleaded guilty to unknown charges in exchange for specific sentences also not known at this time. Fitzpatrick said he would disclose the charges and the sentences in the future.
Yet another guard, Nicholas Gentile, was charged with evidence tampering. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of attempted evidence tampering and was sentenced to one year conditional discharge and a $250 fine, the Rome Sentinel reported.
That leaves guard Michael Fisher, who was also present when Brooks was murdered and failed to stop it, body camera video showed. He is scheduled to go on trial in January 2026.
After The Free Lance identified Abreu late Thursday afternoon Robert Brooks’ Estate announced Thursday evening it was filing an amended complaint in its lawsuit against the guards and supervisory state officials it alleges is responsible for Brooks’ killing. The new lawsuit names Abreu.
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