Press Releases
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…
FIREFIGHTER INDICTED ON AGGRAVATED VEHICULAR HOMICIDE CHARGES IN THE DEATH OF MOTORIST KILLED IN DRUNK DRIVING CRASH
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that FDNY firefighter John DaSilva, 31, has been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter and other crimes. The defendant is accused of being drunk when he drove and slammed into a vehicle, killing the…
ACTOR INDICTED BY QUEENS GRAND JURY FOR MURDER IN JAMAICA SHOOTING DEATH
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Isaiah Stokes, 41, has been indicted by a Queens grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court for murder and other crimes for the fatal shooting of a Queens Village man who sat in a parked vehicle in Jamaica, Queens this past February 2021. District Attorney Katz said,…
QUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY MELINDA KATZ: BORO-WIDE OVERDOSE DEATHS SURGED DURING PANDEMIC
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today said drug overdose deaths in Queens County surged during the Covid pandemic, echoing recently-released national data. DA Katz said, “In 2020, there were 391 overdose deaths, a 45.5 percent increase over 2019, when there were 268 overdose deaths. There is no question that the pandemic, which fueled a national…
BRONX MAN CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME FOR ASSAULT AFTER USING HOMOPHOBIC AND RACIAL SLURS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Ramon Castro, 55, has been charged with assault as a hate crime and other charges for slashing a man in the face after using homophobic and racial slurs. The incident took place on July 6, 2021 near a subway train station in Flushing, Queens. District Attorney Katz…
QUEENS MAN INDICTED BY GRAND JURY ON MURDER CHARGES IN SHOOTING DEATH OF 10-YEAR-OLD FAR ROCKAWAY BOY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jovan Young, 29, has been indicted by a Queens grand jury on murder and other charges for the shooting death of a 10-year-old boy and the non-fatal shooting of another man. The shootings took place on June 5, 2021, in Far Rockaway, Queens. District Attorney Katz said,…
SECOND DEFENDANT INDICTED BY GRAND JURY ON MURDER CHARGES IN SHOOTING DEATH OF MAN IN LONG ISLAND CITY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Khalik Berry has been indicted by a Queens grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court for murder and other crimes in the shooting death of a 33-year-old Queens man near the Queensbridge Houses on May 10, 2021. A co-defendant was arraigned last week. District Attorney Katz said,…
QUEENS MAN INDICTED FOR STASH OF FIREARMS FOUND IN FAR ROCKAWAY HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Ashram Lochan has been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on weapon charges. As alleged, after the execution of a search warrant, police found several illegal firearms in his Edgemere, Queens, home. District Attorney Katz said, “This defendant is alleged to…