The Block (TV Pilot)

After witnessing the brutal murder of his cousin, Nestor, Richie is sent to New York from the Dominican Republic by his grandmother to find and rekindle his relationship with his estranged father. In midst of his journey, he discovers a truth about his father that leads him to look elsewhere for a father figure. Richie as naive and completely unaware of the dangers of New York City, he befriends a local drug kingpin, known on the streets as “Killa Mike”. His omnipresence is what attracts him and quickly develops an admiration towards him. Initially Richie is unaware of how infamous Mike is because unlike other sociopaths, Killa Mike is a charismatic individual with philanthropic ways in his community; adored by residents and feared by his enemies. When meeting him for the first time in a local eatery, Mike becomes intrigued by Richie's courageous attempt to introduce himself. This is not the norm for Killa Mike because nearly everyone is afraid to approach him; largely due to his reputation as a ruthless and merciless killer. His crime organization is despised by law enforcement but is constantly being scrutinized and extorted by two corrupt detectives, Williams and Grafano. Also as an underlining tale of irony, Richie happens to resemble Killa Mike's late younger brother. In light of this aspect, they develop an unusual bond, which later Mike becomes a major influence and lures him to an illicit lifestyle. As a stranded teenager in a big city dealing with his emotions by the rejection of his father along with the trauma of witnessing his cousin’s murder; his only solace is when he meets a Christian young lady, Lisa.