Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Angel Farias was charged with sexual abuse and other crimes for touching a 6-year-old girl in a department store. Farias encountered the child, with whom he had no previous interaction, on April 16 and allegedly touched her genitals twice including once as the two were in the store’s toy aisle.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant preyed on a young girl and subjected her to sexual abuse while she should have been safely browsing a toy aisle. No child should have to endure this. Thank you to the brave victim for coming forward and our partners at the NYPD for quickly apprehending the defendant.”

Farias, 71, of Jamaica, was arraigned last night on charges of sexual abuse in the first degree, forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child. Queens Criminal Court Judge Anthony Battisti ordered the defendant to return to court April 24. If convicted, Farias faces up to seven years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges, on April 16, between approximately 3:30 and 4 p.m., Farias encountered a 6-year-old girl at Marshalls on Jamaica Avenue in Jamaica. On two occasions, including in the store’s toy aisle, Farias touched the child on her genitals.

The defendant was apprehended at his home on Monday.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Trisha Wallace of the New York City Police Department’s Queens Child Abuse Squad.

Assistant District Attorney Barbara Irala, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, is prosecuting the case and under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys, Brian Hughes, Bureau Chief, Debra Lynn Pomodore and Lauren Parson, Deputy Chiefs, under the overall supervision of Acting Executive District Attorney for Special Prosecutions Pishoy Yacoub.