Archive for October 2021
Your Weekly Update – October 29, 2021
The months of November and December bring many joyous occasions for people celebrating holidays that include the lighting of candles. My Office would like to remind everyone to be mindful of the potential dangers of leaving candlelight unattended for an extended period of time… (continued)
Read MoreBRONX MAN SENTENCED TO UP TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER IN 2016 BOTCHED HOME INVASION IN SOUTH RICHMOND HILL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jose Pichardo, 27, has been sentenced to up to life in prison on murder and other crimes for his participation in a botched home invasion that resulted in the death of a 20-year-old man. The victim was stabbed to death when the defendant and others broke into a…
Read MoreBRONX MAN INDICTED FOR FIRST NYC MURDER OF 2021 OUTSIDE UMBRELLA HOTEL IN KEW GARDENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Richard Swygert, 19, has been indicted by a Queens grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on murder and related charges. The defendant is accused of fatally shooting a 20-year-old Rosedale man and injuring two other individuals outside a Kew Gardens hotel in the early morning hours…
Read MoreQUEENS RESIDENT SENTENCED TO PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO 2019 SHOOTING DEATH OF MAN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Keanu Suckoo, 21, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. Following a verbal dispute in March 2019 in Jamaica, Queens, the defendant shot and killed the victim, who was running away from him. District Attorney Katz said, “This defendant shot down…
Read MoreQUEENS GRAND JURY INDICTS MAN FOR RANDOM ATTACKS ON MUSLIMS; DEFENDANT CHARGED WITH ROBBERY AND ASSAULT AS A HATE CRIME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Naved Durrni, 30, has been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on robbery, assault as a hate crime and other charges. In three separate incidents, the defendant allegedly pursued people on the street he believed were Muslim, struck them and yelled…
Read MoreBUFFALO RESIDENT INDICTED ON MURDER CHARGES FOR GUNNING DOWN QUEENS MAN IN SEPTEMBER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Dwayne Scott, 22, has been indicted by a Queens grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on murder charges. The defendant is accused of gunning down a 20-year-old Queens man in Ozone Park on September 24th. District Attorney Katz said, “The murder of this young man has…
Read MoreQUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSING ARSENAL OF ILLEGAL “GHOST” GUNS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined by NYPD Chief of Intelligence Thomas Galati, announced today that Jonathan Santos, 36, has been charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, criminal sale of a firearm and numerous other charges for allegedly having a stockpile of illegal weapons, including “ghost” guns, magazines and ammo, in…
Read MoreQUEENS JURY FIND DEFENDANT GUILTY OF MURDER FOR SHOOTING MAN IN THE HEAD IN 2014
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Sharif Brown, 37, has been convicted at trial of murder and other crimes in the shooting death of a Jamaica, Queens man. The victim was gunned down in broad daylight just steps from his home in December 2014. District Attorney Katz said, “After listening to all the evidence,…
Read MoreTWO QUEENS RESIDENTS CHARGED WITH STEALING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTENDED FOR NYC’S SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined by New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett, today announced that Rahmello Poole and Mariah Moore, have been charged with grand larceny, defrauding the government and other crimes for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars intended for youth summer employees. The pair – who worked at the Central…
Read MoreDEFENDANT PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER IN DEATH OF NYPD DETECTIVE BRIAN SIMONSEN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Christopher Ransom, 30, has pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter for the February 2019 death of New York City Police Detective Brian Simonsen. The defendant has also pleaded guilty to robbery for holding up the mobile phone store that brought police to the Richmond Hill location and culminated…
Read MoreQUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY FILES JOINT MOTION TO VACATE CONVICTION CITING IMPROPER DISCRIMINATION DURING JURY SELECTION
Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz and defense counsel at the law firm Covington & Burling, LLP today filed a joint motion to vacate the conviction of Lawrence Scott based on evidence of improper discrimination during jury selection. A jury found Mr. Scott guilty of robbery at a 1995 trial, but today the Honorable Michelle…
Read MoreQUEENS MAN INDICTED ON MURDER CHARGES FOR DEADLY SHOOTING OF ELMONT MAN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Edson Giron-Figueroa, 19, has been indicted by a Queens grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on murder, criminal possession of a weapon charges in the shooting death of a 25-year-old man from Elmont, Queens, on July 24, 2021. District Attorney Katz said, “This defendant first attempted to…
Read MoreQUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY MELINDA KATZ APPOINTS 48 NEW ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced the appointment of 48 new Assistant District Attorneys – which is the largest class ever – to join the Queens District Attorney’s Office. Of the 48 new prosecutors, 27 are women and 21 are men. “I am proud to welcome this diverse group of talented, dedicated professionals and…
Read MoreNEW JERSEY MOTHER AND SON ARRESTED ON BURGLARY AND RELATED CHARGES FOR DEED FRAUD/SQUATTING SCHEME TO STEAL FAR ROCKAWAY HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that Tanya M. Howard, 47, and her son Trevon Howard, 26, have been charged with burglary, grand larceny and other crimes for allegedly assuming a prior owner’s identity in order to obtain false title papers and take possession of a home in Far Rockaway. The pair allegedly occupied…
Read MoreQUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY FILES JOINT MOTION TO VACATE CONVICTION IN 1995 ROBBERY
Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz filed today a joint motion with the defense to vacate defendant Chad Breland’s conviction and 15-year sentence for a November 27, 1995, armed robbery in the Far Rockaway section of Queens. Breland is represented by defense attorney Justin Bonus. The Hon. Michelle Johnson granted the joint motion and dismissed…
Read MoreQUEENS DRIVER SENTENCED TO PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO VEHICULAR HOMICIDE CHARGES IN CRASH THAT KILLED PASSENGER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Nicholas Thompson, 36, has been sentenced to up to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide charges. The defendant hit speeds up to 97 mph while driving drunk. A 32-year-old woman riding with Thompson was killed when the car crashed through a metal…
Read MoreDISTRICT ATTORNEY MELINDA KATZ HOSTS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION WITH SPECIAL ACCOLADES TO LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS [PHOTOS]
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, in partnership with her Latino Advisory Council, hosted an annual celebration in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month last night during an in-person event at a local venue, La Boom, in Woodside. The program included special awards honoring notable community members of Hispanic and Latin descent and included songs and musical…
Read MoreLONG ISLAND MAN INDICTED FOR COLD CASE MURDER IN SHOOTING DEATH OF 34-YEAR-OLD FATHER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Michael Brown, 37, has been indicted by a Queens grand jury, charging him with murder and other crimes in the fatal shooting of a 34-year-old man. The defendant allegedly shot the victim from a passing vehicle in St. Albans in September 2018. District Attorney Katz said, “Securing…
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – October 8, 2021
There is no question that the COVID-19 pandemic fueled a national drug abuse crisis. In 2020, Queens saw a significant increase in overdose deaths, echoing national data for the same time period… (continued)
Read MoreMANHATTAN MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER IN STABBING OF MAN IN ELMHURST NEIGHBORHOOD PARK
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Daniel Deloir, 37, has been charged with attempted murder, assault and other crimes for allegedly attacking a man in Hoffman Park in Elmhurst, Queens last month. District Attorney Katz said, “Violence is never an acceptable way to resolve a dispute. The defendant in this case argued with…
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