February 14, 2000

 PERSISTENT FELONY OFFENDER CONVICTED IN HOWARD BEACH KNIFEPOINT ROBBERY OF JOGGER AND HER BABY; FACES LIFE IMPRISONMENT

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the conviction of Robert Manino, 41, of 305 Colon Avenue, Staten Island, a persistent felony offender, on charges of robbery, burglary, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful imprisonment after a trial lasting three and a half weeks. He will be sentenced by Supreme Court Justice Robert C. Kohm on March 15th and faces 25 years to life in prison.

"The defendant has been living off the fruits of his criminal activities for a good part of his life," the District Attorney said. "When he was arrested he was on federal probation for bank robbery. He also faces robbery charges in four cases pending in Staten Island and another in Brooklyn. He is a dangerous individual and deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison."

District Attorney Brown said, "According to the trial testimony, the defendant targeted his victim as she was out jogging with her baby in Howard Beach on February 10, 1999 and followed her into her house as she returned home. He produced a gun and threw his victim to the floor while demanding money and jewelry. When his victim hesitated to comply he produced a knife and held it to the baby's throat. Before fleeing, the defendant locked his victim and her baby in the bathroom."

District Attorney Brown praised the cooperation among Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens police officers and prosecutors which helped to build the strongest possible case against the defendant. The citywide investigation was led by Detective Sean Kennedy of the New York City Police Department's Staten Island Robbery Squad.

Assistant District Attorney Claude Stuart of the District Attorney's Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau, which is under the supervision of Bureau Chief Charles Testagrossa and Deputy Chief James W. Evangelou, was the trial prosecutor.

#