Press Releases
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR DEADLY SHOOTING OF ELMONT MAN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Edson Giron Figueroa, 19, has been charged with murder, attempted robbery and other crimes in the July 24th shooting death of a 25-year-old Elmont man in Jamaica, Queens. District Attorney Katz said, “What allegedly began as a robbery attempt quickly accelerated to a craven act of gun…
QUEENS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ROBBERY SPREE FOR SERIES OF CAR-JACKINGS, BOGUS TEST DRIVES AND HOLD-UPS AT GUNPOINT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Rayon Gounga, 22, has pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and will go to prison after going on a crime spree between September 2019 and January 2020. The defendant committed car-jackings, arranged test drives of cars using social media then took off with the vehicles, and…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR HIT AND RUN CRASH THAT KILLED TEENAGER ON SCOOTER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Charles Fleming, 55, has been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide. The defendant struck two teenagers on a motorized scooter on October 2019, in Jamaica, Queens, and then fled the scene. District Attorney Katz said, “Every driver who…
BRONX MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR DEADLY STABBING OF QUEENS DIVORCE ATTORNEY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Nando Perez, 64, has been charged with murder and other crimes in the stabbing death of a 65-year-old Queens attorney. The victim was found dead in his Jackson Heights law office, last Wednesday. District Attorney Katz said, “This is a brutal crime that has stunned our community….
QUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO FILE JOINT MOTION WITH DEFENSE TO VACATE CONVICTION IN MURDER & ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE AND RELEASE A MAN INCARCERATED FOR 32 YEARS
Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that she will file a joint motion with the defense to vacate the conviction of Carlton Roman, who has been incarcerated for 32 years for the murder of Lloyd Witter and attempted murder of Jomo Kenyatta. This motion is based on newly discovered witnesses and evidence which…
BRONX MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT FOR SHOOTING INTO MTA BUS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that Melvin Adams, 43, has been charged with assault and other crimes for allegedly shooting into an MTA bus, striking two passengers and shattering the front windshield on Thursday morning in Jamaica, Queens. District Attorney Katz said, “We can’t live in a world where a petty dispute on…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR MANSLAUGHTER IN HIGH-SPEED HIT AND RUN THAT KILLED 56-YEAR-OLD WORKER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that David Garcia, 29, has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for the July 2019 hit and run death of a Dunkin’ employee that took place in Woodhaven Boulevard. District Attorney Katz said, “The defendant’s blatant disregard of the rules of the road resulted in…
MORE THAN TWO DOZEN REPUTED GANG MEMBERS CHARGED IN INDICTMENT; CRIMES INCLUDE MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER AND GUN POSSESSION IN AND AROUND ASTORIA, LONG ISLAND CITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined by NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig, of the New York City Police Department, announced today that 28 individuals have been indicted by a Queens County grand jury. The defendants, alleged members of warring gang factions within the Queensbridge and Ravenswood public housing developments, are variously charged with murder,…
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH ROBBING 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that Jonathan Perez, 34, has been charged with robbery and other crimes for allegedly grabbing an 11-year-old girl, dragging her into an alleyway and robbing her of cash and personal belongings on Sunday, July 25, 2021 in Jackson Heights, Queens. District Attorney Katz said, “Nothing’s more important than…
BROOKLYN RESIDENT CHARGED WITH MURDER IN SHOOTING DEATH OF 17-YEAR-OLD IN CORONA
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Dennis Vassilenko, 18, has been charged with murder and other crimes for allegedly shooting and killing a Queens teenager in Corona, Queens, on July 7, 2021. District Attorney Katz said, “Easy access to illegal guns has resulted in another senseless tragedy in our community. A 17-year-old is…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR SELLING DRUGS AND CARRYING ILLEGAL FIREARM
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Chris Lee, 30, has been sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing a gun and selling illegal narcotics. The defendant was caught carrying a firearm and was observed during a long-term investigation selling both guns and drugs between August 2019 and January 2020….
ARRAIGNMENT UPDATE: MAN CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR HOMICIDE AND DWI IN CRASH THAT KILLED MOTHER AND DAUGHTER AND INJURED HIS PASSENGERS ARRAIGNED IN HOSPITAL
Defendant Tyrone Absolam, 41, of 133rd Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, had a bedside arraignment today before Queens Criminal Court Judge Jerry Iannece. The defendant is charged in a criminal complaint with two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, two counts of manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular assault in the…
QUEENS MAN FACES HATE CRIMES CHARGES FOR RANDOM ATTACKS ON MUSLIMS IN QUEENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Naved Durrni, 30, has been charged with assault as a hate crime, criminal possession of a weapon and other charges for three separate attacks on people he believed to be Muslim. The defendant allegedly pursued, struck and yelled anti-Muslim sentiments at the victims he encountered on the…
QUEENS RESIDENT SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR KILLING 26-YEAR-OLD IN CAMBRIA HEIGHTS SHOOTING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that John Jahlik Hines, 27, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. The defendant admitted to killing a 26-year-old man in June 2018. District Attorney Katz said, “The defendant ambushed and shot his victim, who was sitting in a parked car. We…
MAN CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR HOMICIDE AND DWI IN CRASH THAT KILLED MOTHER AND DAUGHTER AND INJURED HIS PASSENGERS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Tyrone Absolam, 42, has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, driving while under the influence of alcohol and other charges for the Saturday evening car crash that killed a mother and her daughter. DA Katz said, “As alleged, the defendant’s selfish, illegal choices resulted in the tragic…
QUEENS WOMAN CHARGED WITH HATE CRIMES FOR FOUR SEPARATE ATTACKS ON ASIANS IN QUEENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Maricia Bell, 25, has been charged with assault as a hate crime and other charges for four different attacks on people of Asian descent in Flushing, Queens. The defendant allegedly punched or struck the victims with an object without provocation starting in May of this year and…
QUEENS MAN INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING OF 5-YEAR-OLD BOY SNATCHED FROM SIDEWALK WITHIN FEET OF MOTHER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that James McGonagle, 24, has been indicted by a Queens Grand Jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on charges of attempted kidnapping and other crimes for allegedly grabbing a 5-year-old boy off the sidewalk as he walked with his family on July 15, 2021. District Attorney Katz said,…
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT IN HIT AND RUN OF FOUR-YEAR-OLD STRUCK IN FLUSHING MEADOWS-CORONA PARK
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Argenis Rivas, 29, has been charged with felony assault, endangering the welfare of a child and other crimes for striking a 4-year-old-child in a parking lot in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park while riding a motorized scooter on Sunday, July 18. The defendant allegedly hit the child with the…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO 19 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STABBING DEATH OF HALF-BROTHER IN 2020
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today Wkorasky Voltaire, 30, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for the May 2020 stabbing death of his half-brother in Queens Village, Queens. District Attorney Katz said, “The sentence of the Court provides a measure of justice and punishes this defendant for ending his 22-year-old brother’s life…
EIGHT PEOPLE INDICTED AND CHARGED WITH GRAND LARCENY FOR CASHING IN ON STOLEN AND/OR FORGED CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined by the United States Postal Inspector in Charge Philip R. Barnett, announced today that Davonte Sconiers, Allejo Walters and six other individuals have been charged in seven different indictments by a Queens County grand jury after an 18-month-long investigation. The defendants have been arraigned in Supreme Court on grand…
