MARCH 22, 2000

OVER $500,000 IN STOLEN NAME BRAND CLOTHING RECOVERED FROM JACKSON HEIGHTS APARTMENT;SIX QUEENS RESIDENTS, ONE BROOKLYNITE ARRESTED

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the arrest of seven individuals for running a store stocked with stolen clothing out of a Jackson Heights apartment at 104-39 44th Avenue. The apartment, which was protected by surveillance cameras and a peephole door, was filled with shoppers snatching up the bargain merchandise at the time of the arrests. The merchandise was allegedly stolen from manufacturers and merchants throughout the Northeast.

District Attorney Brown said, "Every year retailers say that more than $23 billion dollars worth of retail merchandise is stolen by organized rings of shoplifters, cargo thieves and warehouse burglars. Buying from these individuals may offer an immediate savings but the long term cost is high for all of us."

According to the District Attorney the operation was so successful that it attracted the attention of the police and retail industry investigators. A team of detectives from the 110th Precinct as well as detectives from Queens District Attorney's Squad went into the makeshift store called Villa Fashions and made purchases on several occasions. The rooms of the apartment allegedly were crowded with stolen name brand clothing bearing labels such as Talbots, Banana Republic, J. Crew, Polo, Brooks Brothers and the Gap. Racks allegedly lined every room and even the bathtub was filled with merchandise.

The defendants arrested are Eladio Fernandez, 50, of 35-46 100 Street, Corona; Sergio Castillo, 24, of 41-18 Vernon Boulevard, Long Island City; Wilson Tavarez, 35, of 50-10 31 Avenue, Woodside; Cesar Castillo, 30, of 108-13 44 Avenue, Elmhurst; Eddie Martinez, 21, 104-39 44 Avenue, Elmhurst; Alexandra Garcia, 21, 147 Chirper Avenue, Brooklyn; and Juan Nunez, 32 108-13 44 Avenue, Elmhurst. The defendants are charged with criminal possession of stolen property and face up to 7 years in prison if convicted.

The investigation was carried out by Detectives Henry Chan and Virginia Santevecchi of the New York Police Department's Queens District Attorney's Squad under the supervision of Captain Harold J. Knorr and Lt. Kenneth Rossello, and Detective Ruben Martinez and Police Officer Peter Roberts under the supervision of Lt. James C. Walsh of the 110 Squad and Lt. William Dentrone of the 110 Patrol and Lt. Kevin O'Brian of the New York Police Department Intelligence Division. District Attorney Brown praised the cooperation of industry representatives from affected retailers.

Assistant District Attorney David Chen of District Attorney Brown's Economic Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Michael Mansfield, will prosecute the case.

It is to be noted that a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.