Press Releases
QUEENS FATHER SENTENCED TO 32 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER OF 3-YEAR-OLD SON
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Shaquan Butler was sentenced to 32 years to life in prison today for killing his 3-year-old son in an Elmhurst shelter. A jury convicted Butler of murder, assault and other charges for the death of his son and the physical abuse of the boy’s younger sibling. District Attorney…
MOTORIST CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AND LEAVING THE SCENE OF FATILITY FOR STRIKING WORKER ON NASSAU EXPRESSWAY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Daveanand Budhai was arraigned on charges of manslaughter, assault, leaving the scene of a fatality, reckless driving and other charges for causing the death of a safety flag worker who was positioned inside a construction zone on the Nassau Expressway Friday morning. Budhai was allegedly driving at a…
CARDOZO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CHARGED WITH GUN POSSESSION AND MAKING TERRORISTIC THREAT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a 16-year-old high school student was charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, making a terroristic threat and other crimes for allegedly posting to social media on September 18 that he would “shoot the school up.” District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, a 16-year-old student…
TEXAS MAN CHARGED WITH MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS AS A HATE CRIME AGAINST NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER AND MAYORAL CANDIDATE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jeremy Fistel was indicted by a grand jury on September 4 and arraigned today on charges of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime and related crimes for voicemail and written messages left for New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. The messages began in June 2025 and…
ASTORIA MAN CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR ASSAULT FOR STRIKING PEDESTRIANS WITH CAR ON SIDEWALK
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Luis Saula Quindi was arraigned on charges of aggravated vehicular assault, driving while under the influence and related traffic violations for pinning two pedestrians under his Honda sedan on Sunday night. Quindi allegedly struck a 72-year-old man and 13-year-old girl at the intersection of 102nd Street and Martense…
THREE ARRESTED AT CORONA BOUTIQUE FOR POSSESSING STOLEN MERCHANDISE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the recovery of more than $50,000 in merchandise allegedly stolen from major retailers including Macy’s, Lululemon, Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle that was offered for sale at a steep discount at the Elegant Fashion boutique in Corona. Three defendants were charged with criminal possession of stolen property for…
UNIONDALE MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR INTENTIONALLY DRIVING INTO TEEN ON ROOSEVELT AVENUE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Edwin Cruz Gomez was arraigned on charges of murder, attempted murder, assault, vehicular manslaughter and other crimes for intentionally driving his vehicle at four people, including a teenager and her mother whom he sexually propositioned just minutes earlier. The collision, which occurred on Roosevelt Avenue in Elmhurst early…
TWO ALLEGED GUN TRAFFICKERS INDICTED ON WEAPONS AND DRUGS CHARGES; GUNS TRANSPORTED FROM GEORGIA TO SOUTHEAST QUEENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Mayor Eric Adams, NYPD Commissioner Jessica L. Tisch and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel announced the arraignment of Teddy Gaston “JD Yikes” and Jezerel Huston on a 194-count grand jury indictment charging them with possession and sale of illegal firearms and narcotics. A six-month joint…
BRONX MAN CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND ARSON FOR KILLING ELDERLY BELLEROSE COUPLE IN THEIR HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jamel McGriff was arraigned on 12 counts of murder in the first degree, two counts of murder in the second degree, robbery, burglary, arson and other crimes for the deaths of a husband and wife in their Bellerose home on Monday. McGriff allegedly restrained 76-year-old Frank Olton in…
TEEN CHARGED WITH KILLING 17-YEAR-OLD, INJURING OTHERS IN HIGH-SPEED CRASH ON CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Mohammad Sk was indicted on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, driving under the influence, assault and other crimes for an October 2024 crash that killed 17-year-old Mohammad Rafid and injured four other teenagers, all passengers in the car he was operating. Sk allegedly drank alcohol and smoked…
QUEENS WOMAN INDICTED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING WOMAN, EXTORTING ANOTHER ON ROOSEVELT AVENUE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Valezka Echeverrias was indicted by a grand jury on charges of sex trafficking, grand larceny, and other charges for allegedly forcing a woman to engage in prostitution on Roosevelt Avenue and to pay the defendant a daily sum of money. The defendant is additionally indicted on charges of…
TWELVE REPUTED GANG MEMBERS INDICTED ON ATTEMPTED MURDER AND CONSPIRACY CHARGES FOR YEAR-LONG SHOOTING SPREE IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch announced today the indictment of 12 reputed members of the Floss Money Ballers gang following a year-long investigation into multiple shootings in Southeast Queens. As alleged, violence between Floss Money Ballers and rival Blitz Gang…
DOCTOR SENTENCED FOR RAPING UNCONSCIOUS ACQUAINTANCES AND SEXUALLY ABUSING HOSPITAL PATIENTS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Zhi Alan Cheng was sentenced to 24 years in prison, 10 years post-release supervision and a requirement to register as a sex offender after pleading guilty to multiple counts of rape and sexual abuse for assaulting acquaintances and female hospital patients. The defendant – a former gastroenterologist at…
BROOKLYN MAN CHARGED WITH ANIMAL CRUELTY FOR TAPING MUZZLE, EYES AND LEGS OF PIT BULL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Kristopher Fyffe was charged with animal cruelty, menacing and other crimes after allegedly wrapping duct tape around the muzzle, eyes and legs of one pit bull, as well as keeping that dog and four others in unsanitary conditions in the back of a van. District Attorney Katz said:…
BROOKLYN MAN CHARGED FOR ATTEMPTED CARJACKING SPREE THAT LED TO NYPD FRIENDLY FIRE INCIDENT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Kevin Dubuisson was arraigned on charges of robbery, assault, grand larceny, menacing and other crimes for an attempted carjacking spree that led to an NYPD detective being shot on Friday morning in Whitestone on Friday morning. District Attorney Katz said: “As per the complaint, this defendant brought chaos…
FORMER ADMINISTRATOR AT QUEENS CHARITY CHARGED WITH STEALING $872,000 MEANT TO FEED THE NEEDY FROM THE ORGANIZATION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Otto Starzmann was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property for stealing $872,440 from River Fund, the Queens nonprofit where he worked as an administrator. The money was supposed to provide fresh produce to needy families. Starzmann allegedly spent $429,508 of the money to buy…
DA KATZ ANNOUNCES PADLOCKING OF SIX ILLEGAL CANNABIS STOREFRONTS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced a sweeping enforcement action against six illegal cannabis storefronts in the borough. Dubbed Operation Weed Whacker, the months-long investigation included undercover buys and resulted in the padlocking of each location, four arrests and the seizure of hundreds of pounds of illicit cannabis and tobacco products. District Attorney Katz…
BAYSIDE MAN SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON FOR ATTEMPTED ASSAULT AFTER WRONG WAY CRASH ON CLEARVIEW EXPRESSWAY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Joseph Lee was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of attempted assault in the first degree, two counts of assault in the second degree, and reckless driving for driving his minivan the wrong way on the Clearview Expressway during rush hour. The defendant struck multiple…
SQUATTER SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING ST. ALBANS HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that True Jackson was sentenced to two to four years in prison for illegally occupying a vacant single-family home in St. Albans in 2024. Jackson claimed the home was his lawful permanent residence and kept pit bulls on the property. District Attorney Katz said: “This defendant thought he could…
QUEENS MAN INDICTED FOR SHOOTING DEATH OF ESTRANGED WIFE, ATTEMPTED MURDER OF HER DAUGHTER ON STREET IN JUNE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Audwin Caines has been indicted for shooting and killing his estranged wife and attempting to murder her daughter on a street in St. Albans in June. The defendant is charged with murder, attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes, including attempted murder for using…
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