Press Releases
DISBARRED ATTORNEY SENTENCED TO ONE TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON FOR STEALING $1 MILLION FROM ASTORIA CHURCH
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Debra Hoskins was sentenced to one to three years in prison for stealing more than $1 million dollars from an Astoria church. Hoskins, now a disbarred attorney, pleaded guilty to grand larceny in November 2025. Between 2018 and 2020, Hoskins improperly accessed escrow funds from a real estate…
FAR ROCKAWAY MAN INDICTED ON CHARGES OF GANG ASSAULT AND RIOT FOR BEATING MALBA HOMEOWNER AT VIOLENT CAR MEETUP; FACES UP TO 25 YEARS IF CONVICTED
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Justin Aguilera was indicted by a grand jury on charges of gang assault, riot and other related crimes in connection with an illegal car meetup in November in Malba which devolved into a violent assault. Aguilera allegedly attacked a homeowner and his wife as the couple attempted to…
SOUTH CAROLINA MAN INDICTED FOR EXECUTION-STYLE MURDER OF 21-YEAR-OLD DASHANNA DONOVAN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that De’Ovryion Elijha Ray was indicted for murder and criminal possession of a weapon for the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Dashanna Donovan in Elmhurst on September 12. The defendant allegedly fled New York immediately following the murder. He was apprehended October 8 in South Carolina and refused to waive…
MOTHER INDICTED ON MURDER CHARGE FOR KILLING 15-MONTH-OLD SON
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Nicole Boodhai has been indicted on murder in the second degree for intentionally causing the death of her 15-month-old son, Charlie Ramraykha. The defendant was at the home of Charlie’s father on December 29 when she was discovered in a locked bathroom with the lifeless child. District Attorney…
QUEENS MAN ARRAIGNED ON ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES FOR TYING DOGS BEHIND CAR AND DRAGGING THEM
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Dan Bujor was charged with animal cruelty for tying two dogs behind his car in Long Island City and then driving through the neighborhood. Video captured by a bystander showed the dogs, named Marzipan and Nougat, forced to run behind the vehicle. District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged,…
ROSEDALE MAN INDICTED FOR MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS AS A HATE CRIME; DEFENDANT THREATENED TO KILL ‘JEWS,’ ‘ISRAELIS,’ ‘NYPD,’ AND ‘FEDS’
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Nathan White was arraigned on grand jury indictment charges of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime and related crimes for posting threatening messages on his X account in November. The messages threatened the murder of Jewish and Israeli residents of New York City, as well as…
DRUG TRAFFICKING OPERATION DISMANTLED ALONG ROOSEVELT AVENUE CORRIDOR IN JACKSON HEIGHTS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel announced the indictment of 16 individuals charged with conspiracy, drug trafficking and other crimes following a long-term investigation into the sale of cocaine, fentanyl, crystal meth and other drugs on 93rd Street…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR KILLING NEPHEW AT FAMILY BARBECUE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Durran Morgan was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for murdering his 25-year-old nephew during a Memorial Day weekend party in St. Albans in 2023. Morgan quarreled with Chevaughn Millings over payment for the barbeque chicken – and who was entitled to eat it – at…
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH SEX TRAFFICKING, RAPE AND STRANGULATION FOR SUBJECTING WOMAN TO MONTHS OF ABUSE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Leighton Jennings was arraigned on a seven-count indictment charging him with sex trafficking, promoting prostitution, strangulation and rape against a 25-year-old woman. Jennings allegedly hit the woman for not earning enough money for him and used violence, coercion and false promises to profit from her prostitution. After an…
HOWARD BEACH MAN SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATAL OZONE PARK SHOOTING OF TAROT CARD READER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Giuseppe Canzani was sentenced to 23 years in prison for fatally shooting 51-year-old Anna Torres shortly after she opened the door to her Ozone Park home in May 2022. The victim was a tarot card reader and Canzani believed she was a witch who had put a curse…
OPERATION SELF CHECKOUT: THIRTEEN DEFENDANTS INDICTED FOR STEALING MORE THAN $2.2 MILLION IN MERCHANDISE FROM HOME DEPOT LOCATIONS IN NINE STATES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that 13 defendants were charged in a 780-count indictment with grand larceny, conspiracy and criminal possession of stolen property for operating a stolen goods and fencing ring that targeted Home Depot locations in New York and eight other states. Members of the Queens-based theft…
JURY CONVICTS ASTORIA MAN OF ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR SHOVING HIS MOTHER OUT OF THIRD FLOOR WINDOW
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that George Tsintzelis was convicted of attempted murder, assault and other crimes for shoving his 64-year-old mother¸ Paraskevi Tsintzelis, out of their third-floor apartment window in 2024. District Attorney Katz said: “Paraskevi Tsintzelis was seriously injured but fortunately survived the fall and then made the difficult decision to testify…
FAR ROCKAWAY MAN CHARGED WITH GANG ASSAULT AND RIOT FOR BEATING MALBA HOMEOWNER AT VIOLENT CAR MEETUP; FACES UP TO 25 YEARS IF CONVICTED
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Justin Aguilera was arraigned today on charges of gang assault, riot and other related charges for attacking a Malba man and his wife after the victims told the defendant and a group of others to disperse from in front of their property. The incident took place during a…
FLUSHING MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR VIOLENT ROBBERY OF QUEENS WOMAN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Michael Fan was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a violent attack on a Queens woman as she stood in front of her residence in 2022. Fan and his codefendants tied up the victim, held her at knifepoint and then burglarized her home. The defendant failed…
DRIVER IN DEADLY MOTHER’S DAY CRASH SENTENCED TO 28 ½ YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Roosevelt Rose was sentenced today to 28 ½ years to life in prison for a hit-and-run crash on Mother’s Day in 2022 that resulted in the death of 49-year-old Florence Ngwu in front of her South Jamaica home. District Attorney Katz said: “The defendant behaved recklessly to the…
BROOKLYN MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR KNIFING SUBWAY RIDER OVER PHONE CALL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Johnny Wood was charged with attempted murder, assault and weapon possession for stabbing a subway rider onboard an E train on Saturday. The 54-year-old victim confronted Wood about a noisy cellphone conversation, an argument ensued and then Wood allegedly stabbed the man in the ribcage. District Attorney…
QUEENS UNCLE WHO KILLED NEPHEW AT FAMILY BARBECUE CONVICTED OF MURDER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Durran Morgan was convicted of murder in the shooting death of his 25-year-old nephew during a family barbecue in St. Albans during Memorial Day weekend in 2023. Morgan argued with his nephew, 25-year-old Chevaughn Millings, over payment for the chicken served at the gathering. The defendant was also…
MANHATTAN MAN CHARGED FOR UNPROVOKED ASSAULT OF TWO STRAPHANGERS ON SUBWAY PLATFORM IN KEW GARDENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Tyquan Manassa was arraigned late last night on charges of assault and weapon possession for an unprovoked attack on two commuters inside the Union Turnpike-Kew Gardens train station on Wednesday. Both victims were slashed in the face while waiting for the train to arrive. District Attorney Katz said:…
GLENDALE MAN SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN PRISON FOR MASPETH TAVERN KILLING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Marcin Pieciak was sentenced to 24 years in prison for fatally stabbing his girlfriend, Sarah McNally, in March 2024. The defendant pleaded guilty to manslaughter last month in satisfaction of the indictment against him. Pieciak cornered the victim while she worked at a Maspeth tavern, fatally attacked her,…
REPEAT OFFENDER EXTRADITED FROM CALIFORNIA ON BAIL JUMPING CHARGES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Freddy Arias Zapata was extradited and arraigned on an indictment charging him with bail jumping, an E felony, in regard to three separate grand larcenies and a burglary that took place between May and November 2024. Zapata is accused of stealing luxury items, cash and other valuables from…
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