Press Releases
DEFENDANT SENTENCED FOR STABBING MAN AFTER VICTIM’S GIRLFRIEND REFUSED HIS ADVANCES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Rahlik Pinnock was sentenced to 10 years in prison for stabbing a man in the backyard of the victim’s home in Jamaica in February 2022. Responding officers found the disoriented victim with stab wounds to his chest and arm, which required extensive medical intervention. The altercation took place…
QUEENS MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER FOR KILLING 29-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN HIS FLUSHING APARTMENT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Quiming Wan has been convicted by a jury of murder, sexual abuse and related charges for the November 2021 death of 29-year-old Jiaomei Zhou, whose body he carried from his apartment to the building lobby before being interrupted by other residents. District Attorney Katz said: “This defendant brutally…
CORONA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SEX TRAFFICKING OF MIGRANT TEENAGER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Alfredo Morocho pleaded guilty yesterday to sex trafficking charges for targeting and exploiting a migrant teenager into prostitution and paying her for sex. For months, Morocho brokered sex encounters between customers and the teen at locations around Queens, then pocketed money from the encounters. District Attorney Katz said:…
REPUTED GANG MEMBER CHARGED WITH MURDER OF TEEN OUTSIDE FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT IN SPRINGFIELD GARDENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Rayvon Phillip, 18, has been charged with murder for allegedly firing multiple gunshots at a car, killing 18-year-old Akim Cisse, outside a fast-food restaurant on September 27 along South Conduit Avenue in Springfield Gardens. District Attorney Katz said, “My office is committed to the prosecution and conviction…
MANHATTAN MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER IN STRANGULATION DEATH OF TRANSGENDER WOMAN IN 2010
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Rasheen Everett has been convicted of murder and tampering with physical evidence for the 2010 killing of a transgender woman inside the victim’s apartment in Glendale. Everett strangled the victim and proceeded to pour bleach over her body in an attempt to hide evidence before stealing her…
FIVE INDICTED FOR SELLING NARCOTICS IN ASTORIA HOUSES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that five defendants have been variously indicted on conspiracy, criminal sale of a controlled substance and gun sale charges following an 18-month-long undercover operation that resulted in the seizure of more than 750 Percocet and ecstasy pills – most laced with either fentanyl or methamphetamine – and a large…
QUEENS WOMAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR FATALLY STABBING IMMIGRATION LAWYER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Xiaoning Zhang was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison for the stabbing death of 66-year-old immigration lawyer Jim Li, who dropped the woman as a client days before the killing. The victim was well known for his legal work and activism during the Tiananmen…
DA KATZ INTRODUCES FACILITY DOG NAMED KIMI TO ASSIST IN SPECIAL VICTIM AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Kimi, a 2-year-old golden retriever/Labrador retriever mix, has been appointed to the District Attorney’s Office as a facility dog to provide comfort and companionship to crime victims and witnesses. The service animal was provided free of charge by Canine Companions and is the only facility dog working…
SQUATTER WHO ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED JAMAICA HOME AND PROVIDED FORGED DOCUMENTS TO AUTHORITIES PLEADS GUILTY
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…
THREE MEN INDICTED FOR DOUGLASTON HOME INVASION BURGLARY AND KIDNAPPING
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 MAN INDICTED ON PREDATORY SEXUAL ASSAULT, RAPE, KIDNAPPING AND OTHER CHARGES FOR HORRIFIC ATTACK ON 13-YEAR-OLD IN KISSENA PARK
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…
HUSBAND INDICTED FOR FATALLY STABBING WIFE INSIDE FLUSHING SPA WHERE SHE WORKED
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…
DA KATZ AND NYPD TAKE 76 GUNS OFF THE STREETS AT JAMAICA BUYBACK EVENT
Photo courtesy of the NYPD Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that 76 guns were collected Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica during a gun buyback event. The weapons were exchanged for bank cards and Food Bazaar gift cards, no questions asked. The buyback is the 10th of DA Katz’s administration and a…
QUEENS WOMAN CONVICTED OF MURDER IN STABBING DEATH OF IMMIGRATION LAWYER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Xiaoning Zhang, 27, has been convicted of murder, criminal possession of a weapon and other charges for the killing of her immigration lawyer, Jim Li, who had dropped her as a client shortly before the incident. The victim was renowned for his legal work and was an…
APPROXIMATELY $10 MILLION WORTH OF ILLEGAL CANNABIS PRODUCT SEIZED FROM WAREHOUSE IN FLORAL PARK; TWO DEFENDANTS ARRAIGNED ON DRUG CHARGES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the seizure of approximately four tons of illegal cannabis and cannabis product from a storage facility in Floral Park following the execution of a search warrant at the location on Tuesday, September 17, in partnership with the NYPD and the NYC Sheriff’s Office. A smaller quantity of crystal meth…
TEENAGE GANG MEMBER CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR SHOOTING DEATH OF QUEENS MOTORIST
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 WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO KILLING MAN FOUND DEAD IN HER BED; VICTIM WAS FOUND WITH GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD IN 2021
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…
BROOKLYN MAN INDICTED FOR FIRST-DEGREE ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER HITTING NYPD OFFICER WITH STOLEN CAR
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…
DA KATZ SWEARS IN 52 NEW ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the appointment of 52 new assistant district attorneys to join the Queens District Attorney’s Office. The members of this new class represent 20 different law schools from New York state and across the country. District Attorney Katz said: “I am proud to welcome this group of talented professionals into…
SOUTH OZONE PARK MAN SENTENCED TO ONE TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON AND MUST PAY $335,256 FOR DEED FRAUD SCHEME TO STEAL HOMES IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that her office prevailed in a hearing to restore eight deeds associated with five properties to their rightful owners after they had been stolen by Justin Joseph of South Ozone Park in a deed fraud scheme. The statute utilized by the District Attorney’s office in Tuesday’s hearing before…
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