Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Ramon Castro, 55, has been charged with assault as a hate crime and other charges for slashing a man in the face after using homophobic and racial slurs.  The incident took place on July 6, 2021 near a subway train station in Flushing, Queens.

District Attorney Katz said, “I will not tolerate those who target others because of their ethnicity or who they love. We are better than that. Queens prides itself on being part of a City that holds accountable those who think they can divide us. Not here.”

Castro, of Plimpton Avenue in the Bronx, was arraigned last night before Queens Criminal Court Judge Jerry Iannece on a complaint charging him with assault in the second degree as a hate crime, menacing in the second degree as a hate crime and aggravated harassment in the second degree.  Judge Iannece ordered the defendant to return to court on July 20, 2021. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 15 years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, at approximately 3:00 a.m. on July 6, 2021, the defendant was in front of a subway station near the intersection of 77^th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing, Queens. The defendant allegedly approached a man and yelled, “I hate Latinos and f—-t people.”

Continuing, according to the charges, the 34-year-old victim was cut on the left cheek by a sharp object brandished by the defendant, who then fled the scene on foot.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where he received both external and internal stitches to treat his facial wound.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Daniel Zhang of the New York Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Brovner, Bureau Chief of the Hate Crimes Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney of the Trial Division Pishoy Yacoub.