Press Releases
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…
EIGHT INDICTED FOR STEALING DEATH BENEFITS FROM UNION MEMBERS AND THEIR NEXT OF KIN
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 MAN SENTENCED FOR DEADLY RICHMOND HILL CRASH THAT KILLED TWO NEIGHBORS FROM SOUTH OZONE PARK
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Tamir Khan was sentenced today to seven to 21 years in prison for a drunk driving crash that killed Inderdeo John and Charles Harris, two neighbors from South Ozone Park, in June 2023. John was driving Harris to his job as a custodian at a nearby public school…
DA KATZ AWARDS GRANTS TO 34 RECIPIENTS FOR THE QUEENS COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced $2.75 million in grant funding to 34 community-based organizations for the second phase of her office’s Community Youth Development and Crime Prevention Project (CYDCPP). The District Attorney’s initiative, originally launched in July 2021, aims to provide youth activities and wraparound services to help prevent crime and keep young people…
JAMAICA MAN INDICTED FOR FATAL SHOOTING OF PARTY PROMOTER OUTSIDE WOODHAVEN TAVERN IN 2018
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Johnathan Rice was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned on one charge of murder in the second degree for the 2018 shooting death of 35-year-old Frank Synder, a rapper and party promoter known as “Hollywood Play.” Synder was fatally struck outside the Tavern Lounge in Woodhaven,…
ROCKAWAY BEACH MAN INDICTED ON FIRST-DEGREE ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE FOR SHOOTING AT NYPD OFFICERS IN EDGEMERE
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 MAN INDICTED ON MURDER CHARGE FOR BEATING 39-YEAR-OLD TO DEATH WITH CHAIR
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Rahmel Tedder was arraigned today on murder and other grand jury indictment charges for the July beating death of Michael Tobon, whom Tedder allegedly attacked with a chair while the victim was on the ground. District Attorney Katz said: “The defendant allegedly attacked the victim while he lay…
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION OFFICER CHARGED WITH RAPE OF WOMAN HE LURED TO HIS APARTMENT WITH PROMISE OF ACTING JOB
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 MAN CHARGED WITH STEALING TORAH FROM FAR ROCKAWAY SCHOOL
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…
DRIVER ARRAIGNED FOR 2019 CHRISTMAS DAY CRASH THAT KILLED FATHER OF FOUR FROM LONG ISLAND
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Ravindra Dharamjit was indicted on manslaughter, reckless driving and other charges for killing a 67-year-old pedestrian on Christmas Day 2019. The defendant was allegedly speeding at nearly three times the posted speed limit when he killed the father of four, who was leaving a Christmas dinner at his…
BRONX MAN INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF 23-YEAR-OLD SUBWAY COMMUTER WHO WAS STABBED WHILE EXITING STATION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Randol Contreras was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned today on charges of attempted murder, assault and other crimes for the stabbing of a 23-year-old woman who was attacked while leaving the Jamaica-Van Wyck subway station in July. A good Samaritan distracted Contreras, stopping the assault, while…
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