DA KATZ SHUTTERS ILLEGAL MOBILE CANNABIS DISPENSARY IN REGO PARK

  Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the closure of an unlicensed mobile cannabis dispensary that operated at Woodhaven Boulevard underneath the Long Island Expressway in Rego Park, near a school and park. In response to community complaints, the Queens District Attorney detective investigators conducted a series of undercover purchases at the van, which had…

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Your Weekly Update – April 18, 2025

I announced an indictment this week against a defendant for allegedly driving while impaired under the influence of alcohol and drugs and speeding down Northern Boulevard at more than three times the posted limit, killing another motorist… (continued)

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Your Weekly Update – April 11, 2025

Every April, we commemorate Crime Victims Rights Week. It is a time to acknowledge the struggles of crime victims and their families, and to acknowledge that survivors need both justice and support as they rebuild their lives after a traumatic incident… (continued)

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Your Weekly Update – April 4, 2025

A Queens squatter was sentenced to two years in prison recently for illegally occupying a single-family home in Flushing and renting out rooms to others in February 2024. The defendant forced himself into the house after the homeowner attempted to regain access, then falsely claimed that he was a legal tenant facing eviction and harassment. The incident…

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QUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY MELINDA KATZ SWEARS IN SIX NEW ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS

From left to right Maria Simonova, Jessica Laguerre, Laurane Fumex, the DA, Emily Jilson, Naomi-Beth Carter, and Elizabeth Mullin. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today the appointment of six new Assistant District Attorneys to the Queens District Attorney’s Office. The new ADAs received their degrees from Columbia Law School, Cornell Law School, Emory University…

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SQUATTER SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING FLUSHING HOME

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Brian Rodriguez was sentenced to two years in prison for illegally occupying a single-family home in Flushing and renting out rooms to others in February 2024. The defendant forced himself into the house after the homeowner attempted to regain access, then falsely claimed that he was a…

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ALLEGED MAIL THIEF CHARGED WITH STEALING $80,000 WORTH OF CHECKS FROM CONSTRUCTION UNION

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Xingqiang Chen has been charged with grand larceny in the second degree, criminal possession of stolen property and other crimes after an investigation led by the United Stated Postal Inspection Service uncovered an elaborate mail theft operation by the defendant. Chen allegedly falsified authorization documents and used forged…

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DRUG DEALER CONVICTED OF POSSESSING TWO KILOGRAMS OF DEADLY FENTANYL

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Dennis Carrol was convicted by a jury of criminal possession of a controlled substance after transporting a large quantity of fentanyl from Suffolk County into Queens. Approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl, with an estimated street value of $80,000, were recovered from the trunk of Carrol’s car in November…

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Your Weekly Update – March 21, 2025

My office secured an indictment against four individuals and three companies on charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and other crimes for allegedly stealing three homes from their rightful owners in the neighborhoods of Kew Gardens Hills, Queens Village and Jamaica Estates… (continued)

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DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR 2021 AMBUSH MURDER

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Isaiah Stokes was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison today after being convicted of murder for the fatal shooting of Tyrone Jones in St. Albans on February 7, 2021. The victim was sitting in a parked Jeep Cherokee and waiting for a friend to arrive for…

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TEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR STABBING DEATH AT SUNNYSIDE MCDONALD’S RESTAURANT

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 16-year-old was indicted by a grand jury and charged with murder in the second degree, manslaughter in the first degree, gang assault in the first degree and other crimes for the stabbing death of 14-year-old Julian Corniell during a melee at a McDonald’s in Sunnyside on…

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FOUR INDIVIDUALS INDICTED IN DEED FRAUD SCHEME

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that four individuals and three companies were indicted on charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, conspiracy and other crimes for allegedly stealing three homes from their rightful owners in the neighborhoods of Kew Gardens Hills, Queens Village and Jamaica Estates. Carl Avinger, Autumn Valeri, Lawrence T.…

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Your Weekly Update – March 14, 2025

My office charged a Kew Gardens Hills woman with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property for scamming senior citizens out of more than $500,000 in a nationwide elder fraud scheme… (continued)

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DEFENDANT CONVICTED OF MURDER FOR 2021 AMBUSH SHOOTING

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Isaiah Stokes was convicted of murder following a jury trial for the fatal shooting of Tyrone Jones in St. Albans on February 7, 2021. The victim was sitting in a parked Jeep Cherokee and waiting for a friend to arrive to have lunch at a nearby restaurant. The…

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Your Weekly Update – March 7, 2025

I announced criminal charges this week against two individuals for their alleged role in the cybercrime theft of more than 900 concert tickets, including for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour… (continued)

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Your Weekly Update – February 28, 2025

I had the honor of speaking at the Citizens Crime Commission’s breakfast forum this week to discuss the work of my office to keep Queens safe. The CCC is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to preventing gun violence and violent extremism through programs, advocacy and policy reform… (continued)

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Your Weekly Update – February 21, 2025

My office announced this week that a defendant faces 20 years in prison on kidnapping and robbery charges for three disturbing incidents that took place in July and August 2022… (continued)

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