QUEENS MAN ARRAIGNED ON ATTEMPTED ROBBERY, SEXUAL ABUSE AND OTHER CHARGES FOR TWO SEPARATE ELEVATOR ATTACKS IN FOREST HILLS

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Ralph Toro, 62, has been arraigned on attempted robbery, sexual abuse and other charges. District Attorney Katz said, “The defendant is accused of committing two separate, terrifying elevator attacks inside two different Forest Hills apartment buildings on the same day. Among other counts, I am charging him…

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QUEENS WOMAN CHARGED WITH CRUELTY TO ANIMALS FOR ALLEGED NEGLIGENCE AND CRIMINAL CONTEMPT FOR VIOLATING COURT ORDER

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that Elizabeth Grant, 53, has been charged with failure to provide proper food and drink to animals and other charges for allegedly keeping more than 50 animals in unsanitary living conditions. Officials who visited the residence where Grant and her elderly mother live allegedly observed cats, dogs and…

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CONNECTICUT RESIDENT INDICTED ON VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES IN DEATH OF DIRT BIKE RIDER KILLED ON THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jorge Serrano, 30, has been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated charges. The defendant allegedly struck and killed a man riding a dirt bike on the Long Island Expressway in September 2021. District Attorney…

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QUEENS RESIDENT INDICTED ON MURDER CHARGES IN BROAD DAYLIGHT SHOOTING

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Waturi Johnson, 51, has been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on murder charges and other crimes for allegedly shooting a young man in front of a car service on October 4, 2021, in Far Rockaway, Queens. District Attorney Katz said,…

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NYPD OFFICER CAUGHT SELLING STEROIDS IN UNDERCOVER STING; DEFENDANT CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL SALE OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined by New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, announced today that Maurice Lemelin, 33, who is an officer with the New York City Police Department, has been charged with possessing and sale of a controlled substance. On two occasions, the defendant allegedly sold anabolic steroids to an undercover detective…

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JUST-RETIRED POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH RUNNING RENT SCAM; OFFERED APARTMENT HE LEASED TO RAKE IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined by New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, announced today that Burbran Pierre, a former NYPD police officer, has been charged with grand larceny and scheme to defraud for allegedly conning nearly a dozen would-be renters out of thousands of dollars. The defendant is accused running a scam offering…

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BROOKLYN MAN SENTENCED TO 33 YEARS IN PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO AGGRAVATED MANSLAUGHTER IN 2019 DEATH OF DETECTIVE BRIAN SIMONSEN

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Christopher Ransom, 30, has been sentenced to 33 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated manslaughter and robbery for his role in the February 2019 hold up of a mobile phone store, which resulted in the death of New York City Police Department Detective Brian Simonsen.…

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QUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY MELINDA KATZ ANNOUNCES GRANTS AWARDED TO 28 RECIPIENTS FOR THE QUEENS COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced grant funding to 28 community-based organizations for the implementation of her Office’s Community Youth Development and Crime Prevention Project (CYDCPP). The District Attorney’s initiative aims to provide youth activities and wrap around services to help prevent crime and keep young people out of the criminal justice system. District…

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QUEENS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER FOR SHOOTING WOMAN TO DEATH IN 2017

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jonel Lattore, 38, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree for shooting and killing a 21-year-old camp counselor in August 2017. The victim was walking home from a nearby store when the defendant fired multiple shots, striking the young woman once in the head. District…

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QUEENS MAN ARRAIGNED ON MURDER CHARGES FOR DEADLY SHOOTING OF MOTHER’S BOYFRIEND

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Desean McCain, 22, has been arraigned and charged with murder in the November 2 shooting death of a 47-year-old man, who was the boyfriend of the defendant’s disabled mother, in an apartment of the Pomonok Houses. District Attorney Katz said, “A domestic dispute erupted into chaos and tragedy…

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