Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Feliz Enrique pleaded guilty to multiple assault charges for attacking a 9-year-old girl who was playing on a Glendale street. The defendant forcefully struck the child with his hand on May 10. When a nearby off-duty police sergeant intervened to apprehend him, Enrique bit off the top segment of the man’s right index finger.

District Attorney Katz said: “This defendant approached a 9-year-old girl, asked her name and then viciously slapped her to the ground in an unprovoked attack. Brave bystanders – including an off-duty police sergeant – saw the incident and attempted to detain Feliz Enrique. During the tussle, the defendant bit the sergeant on multiple parts of his body and severed a portion of his right index finger. This was a truly senseless act of violence, and this defendant deserves every day of the sentence he will receive.”

Enrique, 31, of Glendale, pleaded guilty Wednesday to assault in the first, second degree and third degrees, attempted assault in the second degree and endangering the welfare of a child. Queens Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino indicated that she would sentence the defendant to 17 years in prison on February 2.

DA Katz said that, according to the charges, on May 10, between 4:10 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Enrique approached a 9-year-old girl near the intersection of 67^th Place and Central Avenue in Glendale and engaged the child in conversation by asking her name. When the child responded, Enrique forcefully struck her in the face with his hand causing her to fall to the ground.

Immediately after the incident, off-duty Sergeant Sebastian Hajder, who was nearby, and two good Samaritans attempted to apprehend the defendant. In the ensuing struggle, Enrique bit the sergeant on the knee, hand and finger. The defendant bit off the top portion of the officer’s right index finger.

The girl was treated at a local hospital and sustained bruising to her arm and back, bleeding to her lip and arm, loose teeth as well as substantial pain.

Sergeant Hajder was also treated at a local hospital and sustained bite marks to his hand and leg and abrasions to his arm and leg. As a result of the defendant’s actions, doctors were unable to reattach the officer’s fingertip.

Assistant District Attorney Erin Mullins, of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief, Roni C. Piplani and Timothy Regan, Deputy Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.