Court Cases

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a fourth person has been indicted and arraigned on charges of kidnapping, robbery and burglary following a violent home invasion in Douglaston in August. The defendant, Oneil Thompson, is alleged to have acted as a getaway driver for three men – Jone Smith and brothers Ryan and Brandon…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Shaqeem Douglas was arraigned on an indictment charging him with manslaughter and related crimes for the death of 41-year-old Pradeppa Desai, who was a passenger in a for-hire Lyft SUV that Douglas cut off while both cars were traveling on the Long Island Expressway on August 14….

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a 15-year-old male has been indicted on charges of murder, criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes for allegedly shooting and killing a motorist in St. Albans on September 16. The defendant, an alleged gang member, is accused of discharging a 9 mm handgun multiple times following…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Laurel Bay has been indicted on charges of burglary, criminal trespass and other crimes for illegally occupying a single-family home in Howard Beach. The property had been vacant since 2012, with the homeowner managing the property from out of state. Observant neighbors spotted the defendant allegedly moving items…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Lance White-Hunt has pleaded guilty to identity theft, offering a false instrument for filing and tampering with physical evidence after illegally occupying a home in Jamaica and forging leasing documents to stake his claim to the property as a legal tenant. As part of the plea, the defendant…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that three men – Jone Smith and brothers Ryan and Brandon Dash – have been indicted by a Queens grand jury on 41 charges including kidnapping, robbery and burglary. The trio allegedly strong-armed their way into a Douglaston residence last month and held a family – including children and…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Christian Inga has been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and is now charged with predatory sexual assault, rape in the first degree, criminal sexual act in the first degree and numerous other crimes for a June attack on a 13-year-old girl and her friend. District…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jiahai Ma has been indicted by a grand jury on murder and weapon charges for allegedly stabbing his wife to death inside of her place of employment at a Flushing spa on Kissena Boulevard on September 3. District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, the defendant carried out a…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 15-year-old male has been charged with murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon for allegedly shooting and killing a motorist on Farmers Boulevard on Tuesday afternoon. The defendant, an alleged gang member, allegedly discharged a 9mm handgun multiple times near a Popeyes…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Haiyan Deng pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree and other charges for shooting and killing a man in her apartment in Flushing on September 18, 2021. The 26-year-old victim was found dead in the defendant’s bed and bleeding from a single gunshot wound to the…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Keyah Richardson was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned today on charges of attempted murder in the first degree, attempted assault in the first degree, assault and other crimes for allegedly ramming a stolen car into an NYPD officer who was investigating the theft. He is also…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that eight defendants have been indicted on charges of grand larceny and other crimes for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars in death benefits that had been intended for the beneficiaries of United Service Workers Union Local 74 workers. The alleged leader, Catherine Wenzell-Reyes, worked at the union for…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Joel Kelly was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned on charges of attempted murder in the first degree, attempted assault in the first degree and other crimes for firing at two NYPD officers as they pursued him in Edgemere after responding to a call of shots fired…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Anthony Martin, a New York City correction officer, was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned on charges of first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse and other crimes for an attack on a 20-year-old woman in March. District Attorney Katz said: “This defendant – a New York City correction…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Saul Colon was arraigned today on charges of grand larceny and burglary for stealing a safe containing a Torah scroll from a Far Rockaway yeshiva in May. District Attorney Katz said: “This defendant and an accomplice allegedly broke into a religious school and showed profound disrespect for the…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Feruz Radjabov was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned today on two counts of attempted murder, assault and other crimes in the random stabbing of a driver pumping gas in Ozone Park and a man standing on the platform at a nearby subway station. The commuter was…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Elizabeth Grant, 56, has been charged in an 88-count indictment with aggravated cruelty to animals, criminal contempt and other crimes for allegedly having more than 20 dogs and cats in a filthy, two-story home in Jackson Heights. The animals did not have accessible water, were living in…