Posts by Renea Henry
QUEENS RESIDENT SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SHOOTING LONG ISLAND MAN OUTSIDE FUNERAL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Joseph Gilbert Stevens was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for fatally shooting 49-year-old Richard Carter outside of a funeral in April. Stevens pleaded guilty to manslaughter in July for the fatal shooting. District Attorney Katz said: “The defendant acted without consideration or respect for an entire…
Read MoreBRONX MOTORIST CONVICTED OF FIRST-DEGREE ASSAULT FOR SERIOUSLY INJURING E-BIKE RIDER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a jury convicted Harold Vega of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and other charges for a July 2024 hit-and-run collision that left a 39-year-old father gravely injured. Vega, evincing a depraved indifference to human life, recklessly led police on a high-speed chase through Astoria past dozens of…
Read MorePOSTAL WORKER INDICTED FOR MAIL THEFT AND FORGERY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jere Campbell was indicted for forgery, identity theft, grand larceny and other crimes for allegedly stealing mail and cashing money orders intended for others while working as a clerk at the Whitestone Post Office. Campbell is alleged to have stolen more than $20,000 in a 15-month period. Some…
Read MoreTWO CONSPIRATORS SENTENCED FOR STAGING CAR CRASHES ON NEW YORK CITY HIGHWAYS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that Jaime Huiracocha and Victor Murillo have been sentenced for their roles in staging three car crashes on New York City highways and seeking insurance payouts for damages and purported injuries. Huiracocha orchestrated the collisions by recruiting participants with promises of cash…
Read MoreFAR ROCKAWAY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO BEATING MALBA HOMEOWNERS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Justin Aguilera pleaded guilty to attacking a Malba couple in November 2025. When the couple attempted to clear trespassers assembled for an illegal car meetup near their property, Aguilera, along with others, punched, kicked, and stomped the husband to the ground outside his home then punched his wife…
Read MoreFLUSHING MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER FOR 2022 SHOOTING NEAR JAMAICA BODEGA
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Damion Howell was convicted of murder and other crimes for the August 2022 shooting death of Julian Askew, 29, on Waltham Street in Jamaica. The defendant fled the United States after the victim died and was apprehended nine months later. District Attorney Katz said: “Damion Howell propositioned a…
Read MoreEAST HAMPTON MAN INDICTED FOR FATAL NEW YEAR’S DAY HIT-AND-RUN COLLISION IN CORONA
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jonnathan Barbecho has been arraigned on indictment charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, assault and other offenses for a deadly hit-and-run collision in Corona that killed 27-year-old Darwin Adrian Malan Cargua and seriously injured another young man on New Year’s Day. The defendant fled to Ecuador after the…
Read MoreTWO FAR ROCKAWAY DEFENDANTS SENTENCED FOR KILLING LONG ISLAND MAN IN 2022
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Michael Williams has been sentenced to 22 years to life in prison and Kevon Johnson has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for killing 24-year-old Jabeon Bivins in August 2022. Johnson and Williams fired multiple shots in an open walkway at the Redfern Houses as…
Read MoreQUEENS VILLAGE MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON FOR RAPING DAUGHTER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 60-year-old Queens Village man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for a pattern of persistent and escalating sexual abuse against his daughter including intercourse. The man initiated the sexual abuse with his then 10-year-old child during school break visits then increased the assaults once he…
Read MoreFRESH MEADOWS MAN CHARGED WITH HATE CRIMES FOR DAMAGING PROPERTY OUTSIDE JEWISH-OWNED BAGEL SHOP THAT DISPLAYED ISRAELI FLAGS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Dawood Faisal was arraigned on hate crime charges for destroying property in May outside of a kosher bagel store on Union Turnpike in Fresh Meadows that displayed Israeli flags. Faisal allegedly knocked over multiple plant stands outside the shop on two separate occasions and, in one instance, hurled…
Read MoreBROOKLYN MAN WHO CHASED WOMAN WITH HAMMER CHARGED WITH ASSAULT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Shaleek Brunson was arraigned on charges of assault, criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes for wielding a hammer and chasing a woman onto the grounds of the Jewish Institute of Queens in Rego Park. While there, Brunson pushed an 8-year-old boy into a fence and bit…
Read MoreMOTHER AND DAUGHTER CHARGED WITH OPERATING INTERNATIONAL STOLEN MERCHANDISE RING FROM EAST ELMHURST APARTMENT AND VALLEY STREAM HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced today that mother and daughter Maria Betances and Leslie Cruz were charged with criminal possession of stolen property, grand larceny, conspiracy and other crimes for allegedly operating a retail theft and fencing ring from a registered daycare. The duo allegedly…
Read MoreGEORGIA MAN INDICTED FOR MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT AGAINST CORONA RESIDENT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Luis Belis was indicted for first-degree murder and other offenses for fatally shooting 37-year-old Jairo Vinces-Cobena in March on a Corona street. Belis allegedly contracted with a third-party contact in Ecuador to kill the victim, whom he did not know, for a promised $20,000 payment. District Attorney…
Read MoreFLUSHING MAN SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATAL EXECUTION-STYLE SHOOTING OUTSIDE CORONA DELI
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Omar Prado was sentenced to 23 years in prison for the execution-style shooting of 29-year-old Kelvin Gomez. Prado pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree last month, admitting that he shot the victim in June 2021. District Attorney Katz said: “After a petty verbal argument, defendant…
Read MoreDEFENDANT SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR TRAFFICKING GUNS FROM GEORGIA TO SOUTHEAST QUEENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jezerel Huston was sentenced to 10 years in prison for bringing dozens of guns into Queens. Huston pleaded guilty to criminal sale of a firearm in the first degree. He and codefendant Teddy Gaston were arrested in September 2025 after an undercover investigation resulted in the purchase of…
Read MoreQUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE BURGLARIES IN FIVE-WEEK SPAN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Aaron McKelvey was charged in connection with seven burglaries and one attempted burglary at commercial buildings in Long Island City, Woodside, Maspeth and Jamaica in May and June. The defendant allegedly wandered through office spaces and, in some cases, rummaged through desks to take cash and credit cards.…
Read MoreDRIVER CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER IN DEADLY HIT-AND-RUN IN MARCH ON JAMAICA AVENUE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Darius Adams was arraigned on an indictment charging him with manslaughter, assault, leaving the scene and other crimes for the death of Suzanne Schmieder, a Queens resident who was crossing Jamaica Avenue in March. Adams is alleged to have sped away after the crash and hours later called…
Read MoreTHREE DEFENDANTS SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR HOLDING FAMILY HOSTAGE IN 2024 DOUGLASTON HOME INVASION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Ryan Dash, Brandon Dash and Oneil Thompson were sentenced for their roles in a violent home invasion robbery. The Dashes and defendant Jone Smith broke into a Douglaston family home in August 2024, brandished weapons and threatened the residents, including a child and an elderly couple, with demands…
Read MoreDRIVER OF CAR IN SHOOTING DEATH OF NYPD DET. JONATHAN DILLER SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR ILLEGAL FIREARM
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Lindy Jones was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to a weapon possession charge for a 9 mm pistol found in the glove compartment of the car he was driving. Jones was behind the wheel of the vehicle on March 25, 2024, when his passenger,…
Read MoreFIVE INDICTED FOR IDENTITY THEFT AND MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEME IN FLUSHING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that five defendants were indicted by a grand jury and variously charged with mortgage fraud, identity theft, forgery and other crimes for falsifying documents to obtain a “cash-out” mortgage of more than $688,000 on a Flushing home that they did not own. The scheme was allegedly orchestrated by a…
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