Archive for January 2024
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSING CACHE OF GHOST GUNS, ASSAULT PISTOLS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Lenold Caesar was arraigned on charges of criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes after a search warrant executed at his Cambria Heights home uncovered ghost guns, including assault weapons, as well as silencers and other weapons-related paraphernalia. District Attorney Katz said: “Illegal firearms cause unspeakable tragedies…
Read MoreBROTHERS CHARGED AFTER SEIZURE OF HOMEMADE EXPLOSIVES, GHOST GUNS IN THEIR ASTORIA APARTMENT [PHOTO]
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Andrew and Angelo Hatziagelis were indicted on 130 counts of criminal possession of a weapon and related charges after an arsenal of improvised explosive devices and ghost guns, including assault rifles, was found inside an Astoria apartment they shared with their mother and another brother. Instructions for making…
Read MoreQUEENS MAN SENTENCED IN THEFT OF FEDERAL PANDEMIC RELIEF FUNDS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Papa Diakhate was sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison for stealing more than $1 million in federal pandemic relief funds for bogus companies he created and spending over $350,000 of the money on personal expenses, including travel and luxury goods. District Attorney Katz said: “At…
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – January 26, 2024
My office handles roughly 3,000 cases per year involving vehicular collisions and we are increasingly finding them to be criminal in nature. To combat this trend, I created a dedicated Vehicular Homicide Unit… (continued)
Read MoreMAN INDICTED IN BRUTAL, RANDOM ATTACK THAT LEFT WOMAN BLIND IN ONE EYE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Waheed Foster was found fit to stand trial and arraigned today on an indictment charging him with attempted murder in connection with the violent, unprovoked assault that left a subway rider blind in one eye after she was beaten in September 2022 at the Howard Beach/JFK station on…
Read MoreMAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER IN STABBING SPREE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jermain Rigueur was arraigned today for attempted murder and assault following a two-day stabbing spree in Springfield Gardens and Jamaica during which four people were attacked, including three within an hour on Wednesday. District Attorney Katz said: “New Yorkers peacefully going about their business very nearly lost their…
Read MoreJACKSON HEIGHTS MAN SENTENCED FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A CHILD RELATIVE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Edgar Chalco was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a child relative beginning when the girl was 5 years old. District Attorney Katz said: “A child should be able to trust family and know that they are safe. Instead, this young victim was…
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – January 19, 2024
My office secured the indictment of five defendants this week on gun and drug charges following a six-month investigation into a trafficking operation in Far Rockaway… (continued)
Read MoreFIVE INDICTED ON GUN AND DRUG CHARGES FOLLOWING LONG-TERM INVESTIGATION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that five defendants were indicted on charges of conspiracy and criminal sale of drugs and guns following a six-month investigation into a trafficking operation in Far Rockaway. The investigation included a series of undercover drug buys and tracking of defendants’ phones, resulting in the seizure of 10 firearms, including…
Read MoreMAN SENTENCED AFTER PULLING GUN IN CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AND THREATENING TO KILL WIFE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Thomas Saxton was sentenced today to seven years in prison for pulling a gun in Cohen’s Children Medical Center and threatening to kill his wife as she held their 2-year-old, who had just been discharged from surgery. Responding officers recovered two loaded guns, ammunition and cocaine from Saxton…
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – January 12, 2024
From expanding gun violence prevention efforts to cracking down on retail theft, Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled a variety of public safety initiatives this week during her State of the State address… (continued)
Read MoreQUEENS MAN SENTENCED FOR KILLING NYPD OFFICER IN HIGH SPEED CRASH
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Kassun Brown was sentenced today to up to 12 years in prison for speeding through a stop sign while drunk and crashing into a car driven by an off-duty NYPD officer, Michael Ellis, who suffered a traumatic brain injury and broken neck in the collision and later died…
Read MoreARVERNE MAN SENTENCED FOR BLOODY ATTACK ON FRIEND AND CONTRACTING TO KILL HIM BEFORE HE TESTIFIED
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Mark Douglas was sentenced today to nine years in prison for brutally assaulting a longtime friend with whom he argued at a birthday party and then agreeing to pay $5,000 to have him killed before testifying to the attack, which left the victim needing more than 100 stitches…
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – January 5, 2024
I first took the oath as Queens District Attorney four years ago, a time when deep-seated concerns about bias and inequity in the criminal justice system undermined public confidence in its outcomes… (continued)
Read MoreDISTRICT ATTORNEY KATZ SWORN IN FOR SECOND TERM
Photo credit: Jack Miller Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz was sworn in for a second term today by Supreme Court Administrative Judge Donna-Marie Golia. The ceremony, held in the Helen Marshall Cultural Center at Queens Borough Hall, was attended by some 200 staff. The District Attorney’s youngest son, Hunter, held the copy of the Old…
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