Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Bobby Gadsen has been indicted for robbery, assault and other crimes for stealing cellphones from two victims in Forest Hills earlier this month, one a 92-year-old man walking with the assistance of a cane. Gadsen was arrested three days later, after a second cellphone snatching that targeted a 51-year-old woman.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant picked at risk targets for his robberies. He walked up behind a 92-year-old man who was using a cane and manhandled the senior to steal his phone. Just three days later, he grabbed a phone from a 51-year-old woman on the same street. We are grateful that this defendant was swiftly apprehended by the NYPD.”

Gadsen, 49, of Corona, was arraigned yesterday on a six-count indictment charging him with robbery in the second degree, assault in the second degree, two counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree and two counts of criminal possession of a stolen property in the fifth degree. Acting Queens Supreme Court Justice Diego Freire ordered the defendant to return to court on November 6. He faces up to 19 years in prison, if convicted.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, on September 3, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Gadsen approached a 92-year-old man from behind on 108^th Street in Forest Hills. Gadsen grabbed the waistband of his pants and reached into the victim’s pocket and took his cellphone. Gadsen pulled the victim, who was walking with a cane, to the ground and ran off with his cellphone.

The victim sustained a laceration to his elbow and substantial pain from the incident.

Still images generated from video footage of the incident were used to generate a “wanted” flyer of Gadsen.

Three days later, on September 6, at approximately 3 p.m., Gadsen approached a 51-year-old woman near the intersection of 108^th Street and 63^rd Avenue. He allegedly took an iPhone from her hand and fled on foot. Police responded to the scene and arrested Gadsen with the woman’s cellphone in his pants pocket.

The investigation was conducted by Police Officer Marta Mendez of the 112^th Detective Squad and Police Officers Ashley Rodriguez, Dennis Cobic and Brian Rodriguez of the 112^th Precinct.

Assistant District Attorney Alexia Campoverde of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Cases Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief, and Timothy Regan, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Chief Assistant District Attorney Shawn Clark.