Press Releases
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…
JFK CONTRACTORS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING COPPER WIRE AT AIRPORT WORK SITE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Anildat Arnold and Vejai Ramsarup are charged with grand larceny, burglary and criminal possession of stolen property for stealing copper cable from a warehouse at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The defendants, who worked for an airport contractor, are alleged to have stolen approximately 1,100 feet of copper…
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…
CAMBRIA HEIGHTS MAN CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ABUSE FOR ASSAULTING AND THREATENING A 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN WOODHAVEN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that John Garrison was charged with sexual abuse in the first degree, forcible touching and other crimes after allegedly assaulting and threatening to kill a 10-year-old girl as she walked down the street Wednesday in Woodhaven. He is also accused exposing himself the next day on a busy commercial…
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….
DISTRICT ATTORNEY KATZ HOSTS 10TH ANNUAL MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION
The Queens District Attorney’s Office hosted its 10th Annual Mock Trial Competition this weekend in the recently upgraded court facilities of the Queens Criminal Court. The competition attracted students from 18 nationally ranked law schools to compete before senior prosecutors and members of the defense bar with New York Supreme and Criminal Court judges presiding…
RICHMOND HILL MAN INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF 8-YEAR-OLD STEPSON; BOY’S MOTHER INDICTED FOR ASSAULT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Davien Reid Sr. was indicted for attempted murder, assault, witness intimidation and other crimes for the brutal beating of his 8-year-stepson after the boy was accused of eating brownies intended for Reid. Reid allegedly hit the child, picked him up, threw him to the ground and then…
DEFENDANT CONVICTED OF MURDER FOR 2021 AMBUSH SHOOTING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Isaiah Stokes was convicted of murder following a jury trial 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 to have lunch at a nearby restaurant. The…
KEW GARDENS HILLS WOMAN CHARGED WITH GRAND LARCENY FOR SCAMMING ELDERLY VICTIMS OUT OF SAVINGS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Lise Rossopoulos has been charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property for scamming senior citizens out of more than $500,000 in a nationwide elder fraud scheme. The victims received phone calls from a co-conspirator who pretended to be a government official and convinced them…
QUEENS GANG LEADER SENTENCED TO 28 YEARS TO LIFE FOR MURDER IN SHOOTING DEATH OF BRONX MAN AT RUFUS KING PARK IN 2020
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Chance Goode was sentenced to 28 years to life in prison after being found guilty of murder in the second degree for the death of a 22-year-old Bronx man in October 2020. The broad daylight shooting in Rufus King Park stemmed from a marijuana deal gone wrong….
CYBERCRIME CREW CHARGED WITH STEALING AND RESELLING CONCERT TICKETS, INCLUDING FOR TAYLOR SWIFT’S ERAS TOUR
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that two individuals were arrested and arraigned for their role in the cybercrime theft of more than 900 concert tickets, the majority of which were for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The ticket URLs were allegedly stolen by two individuals working at a third-party contractor for StubHub in Kingston,…
DRIVER CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AND DWI FOR PRE-DAWN COLLISION THAT KILLED MOTORIST IN CORONA
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Michael Pena was arraigned on charges of manslaughter and related charges for allegedly driving at a high rate of speed and slamming his Mercedes-Benz into another motorist at the intersection of 107th Street and Northern Boulevard in East Elmhurst on Wednesday. The victim, 23-year-old Justin Diaz, was driving…
ASTORIA RESIDENT SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STRAY BULLET SLAY OF NYCHA WORKER IN 2020
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jerald Bethea has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty last month to manslaughter in the first degree. The defendant killed a 25-year-old NYCHA employee who was working on the grounds of the Astoria Houses when he was hit by a stray bullet fired…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR RAPE AND ATTEMPTED MURDER OF WOMAN ON ROOFTOP IN 2023
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jerson Vasquez was sentenced to 15 years in prison for rape, attempted murder and another charge for the violent sexual assault of a woman on a Jamaica rooftop in August 2023. The defendant answered an online prostitution advertisement and lured the victim to the location. District Attorney…
LONG ISLAND MAN WHO LURED TWO VICTIMS TO LOCATIONS FOR SEX FACES 20 YEARS IN PRISON
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Gil Iphael pleaded guilty to kidnapping, robbery and promoting prostitution for three incidents in which he enticed victims to go to a location for sex, then detained, assaulted and robbed them with the help of a female co-defendant. In one instance, he beat a victim and threatened…
DA KATZ APPEALS FOR INFORMATION IN COLD CASE MURDER OF NEW YORK CITY CORRECTION OFFICER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today the release of surveillance video in connection with the death of 28-year-old John Jeff, an off-duty New York City Correction Officer, who was shot and killed four years ago at the corner of Defoe and Ridgedale Streets in Springfield Gardens. The August 15, 2020, incident was caught on…
QUEENS MAN INDICTED AND IN CUSTODY FOR 2021 FATAL GUNPOINT ROBBERY IN ASTORIA
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jordan Hannah, an FDNY EMT, was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned on first-degree murder and other charges for the fatal gunpoint robbery of 22-year-old Kyle Griffin in April 2021. Griffin was seated in his white Range Rover near the corner of 41st Street and 30th…
SUNNYSIDE COUPLE SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF NEIGHBOR AFTER FIGHT OVER PARKING SPOT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that married couple Arturo Cuevas and Daisy Barrera have been sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder for the stabbing and baseball bat attack of their neighbor, a 28-year-old man, in March 2023. The assault stemmed from a previous dispute between the couple…
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