Court Cases
SIBLING SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR FATALLY STABBING BROTHER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Henrry Gutierrez was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for fatally stabbing his 52-year-old brother in July 2022. The incident occurred during an argument inside a multi-unit Jamaica residence where the two men lived on separate floors. District Attorney Katz said: “This is an extraordinary family…
QUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY MELINDA KATZ SWEARS IN SIX NEW ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
From left to right Maria Simonova, Jessica Laguerre, Laurane Fumex, the DA, Emily Jilson, Naomi-Beth Carter, and Elizabeth Mullin. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today the appointment of six new Assistant District Attorneys to the Queens District Attorney’s Office. The new ADAs received their degrees from Columbia Law School, Cornell Law School, Emory University…
SECOND TEEN APPREHENDED, INDICTED ON GANG ASSAULT CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH FATAL STABBING AT SUNNYSIDE MCDONALD’S RESTAURANT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a 17-year-old has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of gang assault in the first degree and other crimes in connection with the stabbing death of 14-year-old Julian Corniell at a McDonald’s in Sunnyside on February 14. The fight stemmed from a prior dispute between two…
ALLEGED MAIL THIEF CHARGED WITH STEALING $80,000 WORTH OF CHECKS FROM CONSTRUCTION UNION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Xingqiang Chen has been charged with grand larceny in the second degree, criminal possession of stolen property and other crimes after an investigation led by the United Stated Postal Inspection Service uncovered an elaborate mail theft operation by the defendant. Chen allegedly falsified authorization documents and used forged…
DRUG DEALER CONVICTED OF POSSESSING TWO KILOGRAMS OF DEADLY FENTANYL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Dennis Carrol was convicted by a jury of criminal possession of a controlled substance after transporting a large quantity of fentanyl from Suffolk County into Queens. Approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl, with an estimated street value of $80,000, were recovered from the trunk of Carrol’s car in November…
DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR 2021 AMBUSH MURDER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Isaiah Stokes was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison today after being convicted of murder for the fatal shooting of Tyrone Jones in St. Albans on February 7, 2021. The victim was sitting in a parked Jeep Cherokee and waiting for a friend to arrive for…
TEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR STABBING DEATH AT SUNNYSIDE MCDONALD’S RESTAURANT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 16-year-old was indicted by a grand jury and charged with murder in the second degree, manslaughter in the first degree, gang assault in the first degree and other crimes for the stabbing death of 14-year-old Julian Corniell during a melee at a McDonald’s in Sunnyside on…
FOUR INDIVIDUALS INDICTED IN DEED FRAUD SCHEME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that four individuals and three companies were indicted on charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, conspiracy and other crimes for allegedly stealing three homes from their rightful owners in the neighborhoods of Kew Gardens Hills, Queens Village and Jamaica Estates. Carl Avinger, Autumn Valeri, Lawrence T….
FOUR MEN FACE FELONY CHARGES OF ASSAULT AND ROBBERY FOR ATTACKING HOMELESS SUBWAY PASSENGER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that four men were arraigned today and variously charged with felony robbery, attempted gang assault and assault for allegedly stealing the belongings of a man who was asleep onboard a 7 subway train. The victim woke up as five individuals were stealing and attempting to maintain his belongings and…
KEW GARDENS HILLS MAN INDICTED FOR SHOOTING TWO MEN OVER PARKING DISPUTE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Alan Rodriguez was indicted for attempted murder, assault and weapon possession for allegedly shooting two men in a parking dispute outside his Kew Gardens Hills residence in November. District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged in the indictment, the defendant shot two men over a parking dispute. This was…
MAN SENTENCED TO UP TO 29 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR THE STRANGULATION DEATH OF A TRANSGENDER WOMAN IN 2010
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Rasheen Everett has been sentenced to up to 29 years to life in prison for the murder of a 29-year-old transgender woman inside the victim’s Glendale apartment in 2010. Everett strangled the victim and poured bleach over her body in an attempt to hide evidence before stealing…
ELEVEN REPUTED GANG MEMBERS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER, ATTEMPTED ASSAULT, RECKLESS ENGAGEMENT AND GUN POSSESSION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a three-and-a-half-year investigation into gang violence in Southeast Queens led to the indictment of 11 alleged members of “Whole Blocc Boys” and “Score On Anything” – two subsets of the “8 Trey Movin Crips” street gang. The defendants are variously charged with conspiracy, attempted murder, attempted assault, reckless…
QUEENS HUSBAND AND WIFE CHARGED WITH OPERATING INTERNATIONAL STOLEN MERCHANDISE RING OUT OF KEW GARDENS HILLS HOME AND STOREFRONT IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that married couple Cristopher Guzman and Yvelisse Guzman Batista, as well as three co-defendants, were charged with operating a large-scale retail theft and fencing operation. The pair sold stolen merchandise including high-end makeup, perfume, beauty products, designer clothing and accessories, locally and abroad under…
QUEENS WOMAN INDICTED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING TRANSGENDER VICTIM ON ROOSEVELT AVENUE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Valezka Echeverrias was arraigned on an indictment charging her with sex trafficking and other crimes for allegedly forcing a transgender woman to engage in prostitution on Roosevelt Avenue and to pay the defendant a weekly sum of money. After the victim stated that she wanted to stop engaging…
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING FEDERAL DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM OF MORE THAN $240,000 WITH BOGUS CLAIMS OF ECONOMIC HARM DUE TO COVID-19
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Humayun Kabir has been charged with grand larceny and other crimes for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars in pandemic relief funds intended to help workers and small business owners suffering hardship due to COVID-19. The defendant allegedly applied for a federal Payroll Protection Program loan and an Economic…
THREE ALLEGED SQUATTERS INDICTED FOR ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING ST. ALBANS HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that True Jackson, Saliam Sudler, and Shania Outar have been indicted on charges of burglary, criminal trespass and other crimes for illegally occupying a single-family home in St. Albans. The rightful owner’s family noticed unauthorized activity in the home this spring after the property was vacated in early 2024….
QUEENS MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN ARSON FIRE THAT SERIOUSLY INJURED TWO OCCUPANTS OF SOUTH OZONE PARK HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Evan Person pleaded guilty to arson in the second degree for setting fire to cars in South Ozone Park and entering a home where he set a blaze that critically injured two of its occupants. District Attorney Katz said: “This defendant is a serial arsonist who set fire…
DA KATZ ANNOUNCES TAKEDOWN OF MAJOR NETWORK CABLE THEFT OPERATION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Kong Gao has been charged with fraudulent making of an electronic access device and criminal possession of forgery devices in connection to a large-scale theft of network cable streaming and Wi-Fi services in Flushing and Whitestone. Gao is accused of manufacturing approximately 200 fraudulent modem devices embedded with…
DA KATZ, NYPD AND SHERIFF’S OFFICE SHUTTER UNLICENSED CANNABIS SHOP IN SUNNYSIDE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the closure of an unlicensed cannabis shop that operated near the Thomas A. Noonan Playground on Greenpoint Avenue in Sunnyside. A woman working at the shop was charged with criminal sale of cannabis and criminal possession of a controlled substance. District Attorney Katz said: “This shop, which was located…
FORMER PTA PRESIDENT ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING MORE THAN $41,000 FROM ASTORIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Athena Gonzalez, the former parent teacher association president at P.S. 166 in Astoria, has been charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly stealing more than $41,000 from the school’s PTA. District Attorney Katz said: District Attorney Katz said: “This defendant, as PTA president…
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