Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Michael Fan has been convicted of burglary in the first degree, robbery in the first degree and other crimes for a September 2022 violent attack on a Queens woman as she stood in front of her residence smoking a cigarette. The defendant failed to return to court before trial and was convicted in absentia.

District Attorney Katz said: “Michael Fan attacked a young woman as she smoked a cigarette in front of her home. She was tied up and held at knifepoint while this defendant and his accomplices ransacked the residence and stole money. Thanks to the quick intervention of the woman’s partner, police were quickly notified, and the woman was able to escape unharmed while the assailants were captured. The defendant is at-large after his trial conviction, and I encourage anyone with information about Michael Fan to call the NYPD Warrant Squad at 917-319-3780.”

Fan, 25, of Farrington Street, Flushing, was convicted on Monday of burglary in the first and second degrees, robbery in the first degree and two counts of robbery in the second degree and unlawful imprisonment in the second degree before Queens Supreme Court Justice Gary Miret. Co-defendant Sihao Wang, 24, of Booth Memorial Ave., Flushing, pleaded guilty on January 18, 2024, to attempted robbery in the second degree. He was sentenced to two years in prison and two years post-release supervision. Co-defendant Dong Ming Shi, 24, of 58^th Avenue, also in Flushing, is believed to have fled the country.

On April 28, the defendant appeared in court before Justice Miret. The case was adjourned for an afternoon call and the defendant was instructed not to leave the courtroom. The defendant later exited the building and failed to return to court. A bench warrant was issued. He was then tried and convicted in absentia.

Fan faces up to 25 years in prison when sentenced on his trial conviction.

According to the charges, around 3 a.m., the defendant along with two other co-defendants, all dressed in black and wearing black masks, approached the 20-year-old victim in front of her home on Parsons Boulevard. The defendants grabbed her and then dragged her inside her apartment. While inside, Fan at knifepoint demanded the victim’s cell phone and took her into a separate room where her hands were zip-tied together. The victim’s partner, who was in the basement, observed the incident on video and called the police.

When a responding officer arrived at the location he observed defendant Fan through a window. At that time the complainant was able to release her hands from the zip ties and ran outside, opening a gate that gave the police access to the building. All three defendants then fled the rear of the location. Defendant Wang was immediately apprehended and dropped an air pistol during the brief chase. The responding officer recovered the complainant’s cellphone from Wang’s pocket.

Defendant Shi was apprehended minutes later by a responding NYPD lieutenant. As the lieutenant continued the search, he located defendant Fan under a deck in an adjacent backyard. Fan was apprehended and approximately $1,441 was recovered from the defendant’s pocket.

The investigation was conducted by members of the New York City Police Department’s 109^th Precinct.

Assistant District Attorneys Hugh McCann, of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal and Major Crimes Bureau, is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Julia Hsieh of the District Attorneys Felony Trial Bureau IV, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief of the Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau, and Karen Rankin, of Felony Trial Bureau IV, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.