MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2005

D.A. BROWN: JACKSON HEIGHTS BURGLAR CAUGHT BY DNA SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON

Defendant Linked to Crime Through DNA On Paper Towel Left at Crime Scene

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown today announced that a 48-year-old Bronx man has been sentenced to 20 years to life in state prison for the 2004 burglary of a Jackson Heights woman’s apartment. The defendant was linked to the crime through DNA left on a paper towel at the crime scene.

District Attorney Brown said, “Once again DNA evidence recovered from a crime scene has been instrumental in the capture – and successful prosecution – of a career criminal. Leaving behind a paper towel with his DNA on it was as good as leaving his fingerprints. As a persistent felon, the sentence meted out is more than warranted.”

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Stanley Jenkins, 48, of 1674 Macombs Road in the Bronx. The defendant was convicted of Burglary in the Second Degree, Petit Larceny and Criminal Mischief in the First Degree on October 17, 2005 following a two-week bench trial presided over by Queens Supreme Court Justice Randall T. Eng.

The District Attorney said that the defendant was found guilty of breaking into an apartment at 88-11 34th Avenue on the night of May 13, 2004. Among the items taken were a video camera, DVD player, jewelry and other family heirlooms. In collecting evidence police discovered a white paper towel that the defendant had left behind. Jenkins was tracked down through his DNA recovered from the paper towel and matched to a DNA specimen in the New York State DNA Index System from a previous burglary conviction.

Assistant District Attorney Maryam A. Lipkansky of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney James W. Evangelou, Bureau Chief, and Brad A. Leventhal, Deputy Chief, under the overall supervision of Senior Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials James C. Quinn and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials John H. Larsen.