News
FIVE INDICTED FOR IDENTITY THEFT AND MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEME IN FLUSHING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that five defendants were indicted by a grand jury and variously charged with mortgage fraud, identity theft, forgery and other crimes for falsifying documents to obtain a “cash-out” mortgage of more than $688,000 on a Flushing home that they did not own. The scheme was allegedly orchestrated by a…
NEW JERSEY MAN INDICTED ON VEHICULAR ASSAULT CHARGES FOR HIT-AND-RUN COLLISION THAT SERIOUSLY INJURED ELDERLY WOMAN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Anthony Lanno was indicted on assault, vehicular assault, leaving the scene and other charges for a hit-and-run collision that seriously injured a 71-year-old pedestrian in College Point in January. District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant was speeding in his car while impaired by drugs when he…
QUEENS RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY FOR FATAL SHOOTING IN FRONT OF JAMAICA CHURCH DURING FUNERAL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Joseph Gilbert Stevens has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree for fatally shooting Richard Carter outside a Jamaica church while a funeral was taking place inside in April. District Attorney Katz said: “A sorrowful day turned even more tragic when this defendant made the cruel decision…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR 1993 MURDER OF ESTRANGED WIFE AFTER RETRIAL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Michael Robinson was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the 1993 stabbing death of his estranged wife, 29-year-old Gwendolyn Samuels. Robinson went to the Bayside home where Samuels worked as a housekeeper and then attacked the pregnant woman, stabbing her multiple times. In 2023,…
DRIVER PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER FOR COLLISION THAT KILLED 23-YEAR-OLD MOTORIST ON NORTHERN BOULEVARD
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that former FDNY firefighter Michael Pena pleaded guilty to manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter for driving while intoxicated and slamming his Mercedes-Benz into another motorist at the intersection of 107th Street and Northern Boulevard in East Elmhurst on February 26, 2025. The victim, 23-year-old Justin Diaz, was driving northbound on…
22 REPUTED GANG MEMBERS INDICTED FOR 11 SHOOTINGS IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Governor Kathy Hochul, together with New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, announced today that 22 reputed members of the Blitz Gang 4 gang have been indicted following a long-term investigation into multiple shootings in Southeast Queens dating back to 2023. The defendants are variously charged in…
FIVE REPUTED GANG MEMBERS INDICTED FOR SPATE OF GUN VIOLENCE IN THE ROCKAWAYS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that five reputed gang members have been indicted for their roles in a shooting spree in the Rockaways that wounded two people in March and April. The defendants are variously indicted on charges of conspiracy, attempted murder, robbery, weapon possession and other crimes. District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged,…
TEN DEFENDANTS INDICTED FOR LARGE SCALE DRUG TRAFFICKING OPERATION BASED IN JAMAICA
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that 10 individuals have been indicted following a long-term investigation into a drug trafficking operation based in Jamaica that reached into Nassau County. The defendants allegedly sold cocaine, heroin and fentanyl at a Jamaica social club and other locations. The investigation, called “Operation Bell Tower,” included a series of…
FORMER CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE CHARGED WITH FORGERY FOR DISSEMINATING ALTERED POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS AND PHONY NEWS REPORTS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jonathan Rinaldi has been charged with forgery and criminal possession of a forged instrument for allegedly creating and distributing false political endorsements and fake news articles using artificial intelligence during his 2025 campaign for City Council in District 29. As alleged, the forged graphics included a legitimate endorsement…
DRIVER OF CAR INVOLVED IN SHOOTING DEATH OF DETECTIVE JONATHAN DILLER PLEADS GUILTY TO TOP-COUNT WEAPON CHARGE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Lindy Jones pleaded guilty today to the top count of the indictment against him, a weapon-possession charge, for a loaded 9 mm firearm that was found in the glove box of his car as the result of a search warrant. Jones was behind the wheel of the car…
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