July 3, 2000

CAREER CRIMINAL SENTENCED IN HOWARD BEACH HOME INVASION TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the sentencing of Robert Manino, 41,of 305 Colon Avenue, Staten Island, a professional, violent felon on charges of robbery, burglary, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful imprisonment after a trial lasting three and a half weeks. He was sentenced by Supreme Court Justice Robert Kohm on June 29^th to 25 years to life in prison.

The District Attorney said, "The defendant specialized in invading the homes of women who were alone caring for their children. He was arrested for this series of home invasions in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island while he was on federal probation for bank robberies. His prison sentence will remove a real danger to society for a long time.

According to evidence at the trial, the defendant was targeting women coming home alone or with children, following them into their homes and threatening them and their children with weapons, demanding money and jewelry. In the Howard Beach robbery, he put a knife to the throat of a 16 month old baby to ensure its mother's cooperation.

District Attorney Brown said, "The defendant has had a similar sentence imposed on him in Brooklyn and faces further charges in Staten Island. The cooperation between Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens built the strongest possible case against the defendant." The citywide investigation was led by Detective Sean Kennedy of the Staten Island Robbery Squad of New York City Police Department.

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