June 9, 1999
MAJOR CRACKDOWN ON DRAG RACING ANNOUNCED BY QUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY RICHARD A. BROWN AND NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICIALS
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir announced today the arrest of 5 individuals and the seizure of 4 high-performance vehicles in an ongoing crackdown on drag racing along Francis Lewis Boulevard, a major north-south thoroughfare in Queens. Two additional individuals were previously arrested in the investigation and have pleaded guilty to engaging in an illegal speed contest along the same road in April. Their vehicles, a high-powered 1998 Ford Mustang Saleen worth an estimated $40,000 and a Ford Mustang, have been forfeited as a result of the prosecution.
District Attorney Brown said, "This joint investigation and enforcement initiative has several objectives. One is to arrest the racers and seize their vehicles, using court issued warrants requested by my office. Another is to send a strong signal to would-be drag racers that they will pay a steep price for engaging in this activity. Third, we want to stop speed racing in Queens because it has a serious negative impact on the quality of life here and, finally, we hope to call attention to the fact that drag racing is extremely perilous both for racers as well as for passers by."
"Drag racing is neither a harmless or victimless crime and we will continue to be out on the city streets enforcing the law and ensuring people's safety," said New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir. "The drivers of these vehicles not only put themselves at risk but also endanger pedestrians as well. Thanks to District Attorney Brown obtaining court issued warrants, we were able to seize the drivers' vehicles. We will continue with this type of enforcement until people get the message to stop drag racing."
District Attorney Brown said that the joint operation, conducted by the 107th and 109th Precincts, the Queens District Attorney's Detective Bureau and the Queens District Attorney's Office Squad is a part of a series of law enforcement initiatives dubbed Operation Hermes. The initiative was undertaken based on complaints from nearby residents that dangerous and illegal drag racing contests were taking place at all hours of the night along Francis Lewis Boulevard between 73rd Avenue and the Horace Harding Expressway.
According to the charges, on the night of May 15, 1999, the defendant Marcus Rusek, 36, of 62-27 Boelsen Crescent, Rego Park and Vincent Romano, 29, of 87-35 81st Avenue, Glendale engaged in a drag racing contest during which the defendant Rusek, a chiropractor, drove his 1997 Dodge Viper at up to 110 mph and the defendant Romano, in his 1986 Buick Regal was clocked at 108 mph. Also, on the same night investigators observed the defendant David Cotto, 16, of 135-35 123rd Street, South Ozone Park, in his 1992 Toyota Camry and Carlos Mora, 19, of 53-42 207th Street, Bayside, in his 1998 Ford Mustang engage in a drag racing contest at the same location. The Viper, the Camry and the Mustang have been seized.
District Attorney Brown said that all five defendants are charged with Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, Engaging in an Illegal Speed Contest and Speeding. It is alleged that the defendants by racing their high-powered vehicles at tremendous speeds, evinced a depraved indifference to human life creating a grave risk of death to others. They face up to seven years in prison if convicted of reckless endangerment.
The fifth defendant arrested today, Johnny Morales, 16, of 133-22 124th Street, South Ozone Park is accused of acting as the starter for the two races which took place on May 15th. He is also charged with reckless endangerment, in both cases for acting in concert with the others. He faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison upon conviction.
District Attorney Brown said, "Including today's enforcement activity we have, so far, conducted four Operation Hermes initiatives, each with excellent results. The first, conducted in the summer of 1994, was aimed at eliminating highly organized drag racing in Queens, particularly here along Francis Lewis boulevard in Fresh Meadows and along the South Conduit and Cross Bay Boulevard in Southern Queens. Fifteen people were arrested and convicted and 15 vehicles, were seized and thereafter forfeited and each of the drivers licenses were revoked." The District Attorney added, "`Operation Hermes II' clamped down on corrupt auto inspection stations with the arrest and conviction 15 station owners and employees who were illegally issuing safety stickers to automobiles that were unsafe or had been modified for drag racing purposes. Each of the station owners involved have since had their inspection licenses revoked by the State Department of Motor Vehicles. The third `Operation Hermes' crackdown took place in August, 1995 and was aimed at dragsters who engage in races of opportunity -- for example, one racer pulling alongside another and throwing out a challenge. That operation resulted in 18 arrests and the seizure of 14 high performance cars and motorcycles. During each of the summers since then our office and various Police Department commands especially the 107th Precinct have constantly monitored the situation, taking enforcement action whenever necessary and appropriate and we will continue to do so."
Assigned to the ongoing Operation Hermes investigation are Assistant District Attorney Michael J. Mansfield, Chief of the District Attorney's Economic Crime Bureau, Assistant District Attorney David Chen of that bureau and Assistant District Attorney Anthony M. Communiello, Chief of the Civil Enforcement Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Oscar Ruiz of that bureau. The investigation leading to the arrests were carried out by Detectives Carey Brenner and Gerard LaRocca of the Queens District Attorney's Office Squad under the supervision of Captain Harold J. Knorr and Lt. Kenneth Rosello and Detectives Glen McKechnie and Michael Giacobello of the District Attorney's Detective Bureau under the command of Chief Edward T. Brady and Lt. Lawrence J. Festa, officers of the 107th Precinct under the supervision of Captain Steven Fisher, officers of the 109th Precinct under the supervision of Deputy Inspector Edmund T. Hartnett and officers assigned to Highway 3 under the command of Captain Kevin Hickey.
It should be noted that an arrest is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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