Posts by Renea Henry
BROOKLYN MAN CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER HITTING NYPD OFFICER WITH STOLEN CAR
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Keyah Richardson was arraigned today on charges of attempted murder in the first degree, attempted assault in the first degree, assault, reckless endangerment and other crimes for allegedly ramming a stolen car into an NYPD officer who was investigating the theft. He is also accused of driving onto…
Read MoreSTATEMENT FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY MELINDA KATZ ON HARVEY WEINSTEIN COURT APPEARANCE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said: “Today, defendant Harvey Weinstein was formally arraigned on a governor’s warrant issued by Governor Kathy Hochul, who exercised her authority for him to remain in New York State until his case in New York County is adjudicated. The defendant – who was convicted in California of forcible rape and…
Read MoreTHREE MEN CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING, BURGLARY FOR DOUGLASTON HOME INVASION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that three defendants — Ryan Dash, Brandon Dash and Jone Smith — are charged with kidnapping, robbery, burglary and other crimes for an alleged home invasion robbery in Douglaston on Saturday morning, in which they held eight people, including three children, hostage. The defendants are accused of physically restraining…
Read MoreBROOKLYN MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON IN 2019 STABBING DEATH OF HOMELESS SHELTER RESIDENT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Ricardo Henry was sentenced today to 17 years to life prison for the fatal stabbing of a 38-year-old homeless shelter resident in retaliation for a domestic violence assault that one of Henry’s friends believed to have taken place at the East Elmhurst shelter. District Attorney Katz said: “The…
Read MoreFORMER DIRECTOR AT TWO QUEENS NURSING HOMES CHARGED WITH STEALING MORE THAN 1,500 OXYCODONE PILLS FROM FACILITIES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Charles Gonder was arraigned on drug charges today following an investigation into his past employment as the nursing director at two nursing homes — the Regal Heights Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, and the Sapphire Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing of Central Queens. He is accused of stealing more…
Read MoreQUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY MELINDA KATZ REQUESTS DISMISSAL OF 46 CASES CONNECTED TO FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE
Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz petitioned the Court today to vacate the convictions of 46 defendants whose cases involved a detective later convicted of perjury. After former NYPD Detective James Donovan plead guilty in 2023 to falsely testifying before a Queens grand jury, an extensive review was conducted of his previous cases by the…
Read MoreTWO HOLLIS MEN SENTENCED FOR MURDERING DICE GAME OPPONENT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Mark Watson and Rodney Dunn were each sentenced today to 23 years to life in prison for the murder of 33-year-old Christopher McKnight, who was shot to death during a dice game in 2021. McKnight was winning when he was held up at gunpoint and shot. District Attorney…
Read MoreROCKAWAY BEACH MAN CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR SHOOTING AT NYPD OFFICERS IN EDGEMERE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Joel Kelly was arraigned on a criminal complaint charging him with attempted murder in the first degree, attempted assault in the first degree and other crimes for firing at two NYPD police officers who were pursuing him in Edgemere after responding to a call of shots fired in…
Read MoreSTATEMENT FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY MELINDA KATZ ON RANDOL CONTRERAS BEING CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said: “We have charged Randol Contreras with attempted murder. A young woman is fighting for her life after being stabbed in an unprovoked attack as she exited the subway system. This defendant allegedly asked the victim for money and then stabbed the woman multiple times in the torso, leaving her…
Read MoreDELIVERY TRUCK DRIVER INDICTED FOR HIT-AND-RUN COLLISION THAT KILLED 16-YEAR-OLD PEDESTRIAN AND INJURED HER 8-YEAR-OLD SISTER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Boubacar Barry was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with criminally negligent homicide in the death of 16-year-old Jael Zhinin who was struck by Barry’s water delivery truck as she was crossing 46th Street in Sunnyside along with her younger sister, who was also hit and seriously…
Read MoreDRIVER WITH SUSPENDED LICENSE INDICTED FOR STRIKING E-BIKER WHILE FLEEING POLICE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Harold Vega was indicted by a grand jury on charges of assault, leaving the scene of an incident and other related crimes after allegedly slamming into an e-bike rider while fleeing police in Astoria on July 3. Vega allegedly ran through 26 red lights and 14 stop signs…
Read MoreQUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO FOUR TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON FOR RICHMOND HILL DWI CRASH THAT KILLED CITY WORKER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Errick Persaud was sentenced today to four to 12 years in prison on a charge of manslaughter for a drunken collision in which he killed a 36-year-old worker in a New York City Department of Environmental Protection truck in Richmond Hill in July 2023. The defendant pleaded guilty…
Read MoreDA KATZ SEIZES UNLICENSED MOBILE CANNABIS DISPENSARY IN SUNNYSIDE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the takedown of an illegal cannabis dispensary operating out of a converted school bus in Sunnyside. The seized product was determined to have been overtly marketed toward children, with names such as “Skittles,” “Gummy Sharks,” “Jolly Ranchers,” and packaging nearly identically to snacks popular with kids. The vehicle’s owner…
Read MoreHOLLIS MAN CHARGED WITH WEAPON POSSESSION AFTER GUN, AMMUNITION, KNIVES FOUND IN CAR AFTER TRAFFIC STOP
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Judd Sanson was arraigned on charges of criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes after he was stopped by police in East Elmhurst for having a covering over his license plate. Police officers allegedly discovered an arsenal of weapons in the car including a loaded 9 mm…
Read MoreDISTRICT ATTORNEY KATZ WELCOMES SUMMER INTERNS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz welcomed 64 law school and college students for the start of an enriching nine-week summer internship program. District Attorney Melinda Katz said: “We are happy to bring on board this bright and diverse group of interns to spend the summer gaining invaluable experience learning about the inner workings of the…
Read MoreALABAMA MAN CHARGED AFTER ELDERLY WOMAN KILLED IN 2021 HIT-AND-RUN NEAR THE SHOPS AT ATLAS PARK
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Edward Garzon was arraigned on charges of leaving the scene of a deadly December 2021 hit-and-run near the Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale that killed an elderly woman. The charges were brought after District Attorney Katz formed a Vehicular Homicide Unit to not only investigate current cases…
Read MoreSOUTH OZONE PARK COUPLE PLEAD GUILTY IN DEED FRAUD SCHEME TO STEAL HOMES IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Justin Joseph pleaded guilty to a deed fraud scheme that resulted in five properties being stolen from their rightful owners. His wife, Latoya Hewitt, pleaded guilty in connection with the theft of one of the homes. As part of the plea, Joseph and Hewitt agreed to pay restitution…
Read MoreUNLICENSED DRIVER INDICTED ON MANSLAUGHTER, DWI CHARGES IN DEADLY ASTORIA CRASH
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Ray Perez was indicted on charges of manslaughter, drunk driving and other crimes for a deadly collision in February that killed his long-time girlfriend who was the mother of his child. Perez allegedly sped through a stop sign, collided with another vehicle and several parked cars, then drove…
Read MoreTEEN INDICTED FOR SHOVING ELDERLY WOMAN DOWN CHURCH STEPS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a 16-year-old has been indicted for first-degree assault and first-degree robbery for shoving a 68-year-old woman down the steps of a Briarwood church on April 7, leaving the seriously injured victim on the sidewalk and then stealing her purse and car. He was also indicted for a separate…
Read MoreUNCLE ORDERED TO PAY RESTITUTION FOR STEALING SHARE OF FAMILY HOME WILLED TO NIECE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Wagner Recio was sentenced today for filing fraudulent paperwork to claim he fully owned a Queens Village home when his niece had actually inherited half of it from her father, Recio’s brother. In 2021, Recio obtained a mortgage against the value of the property and kept the financial…
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