News
BRONX MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR KILLING 59-YEAR-OLD MAN IN RANDOM SUBWAY STABBING ON THE J TRAIN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jyrell Thomas has been arraigned on murder and weapon possession charges for the fatal stabbing of 59-year-old Mesias Lojano on the subway Wednesday night. Thomas entered a busy subway car and stood alone until the northbound J train approached Woodhaven station, when he produced a knife and randomly…
THIRTEEN DEFENDANTS SENTENCED FOR ROLES IN ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT OPERATION THAT TARGETED HOME DEPOT LOCATIONS IN NINE STATES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that 13 defendants have pleaded guilty to felony charges and have been sentenced in connection with an organized theft operation that targeted Home Depot locations in New York and eight other states. Members of the Queens-based theft crew stole building supplies, power tools, smoke alarms and other goods…
DA KATZ WRITES TO STATE PAROLE BOARD TO OPPOSE RELEASE OF COP KILLER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has written to the state parole board to urge the body to keep David McClary behind bars for the 1988 assassination of New York City Police officer Edward Byrne. The rookie cop was murdered as he sat in his patrol car guarding the South Jamaica home of a witness in…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO THREE TO NINE YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEX TRAFFICKING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Leighton Jennings was sentenced to three to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking a 25-year-old woman. The defendant admitted that he intentionally advanced or profited from prostitution by making materially false statements or omissions to induce the woman to continue to engage in prostitution….
OAKLAND GARDENS WOMAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR RANDOM KNIFE ATTACK ON BAYSIDE MAN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Melissa Duran was arraigned on a complaint charging her with attempted murder, assault and other crimes for randomly attacking a man as he stood outside his home on 53rd Avenue. Duran pulled up in front of a 54-year-old Bayside man’s house Thursday morning and cut the stranger across…
ALLEGED SQUATTERS INDICTED FOR ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING BAYSIDE HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Vernon Glass and Lusascha Taylor have been indicted on charges of burglary, grand larceny and criminal trespass for illegally occupying a vacant Bayside home for more than two years. The prior owner of the home died in 2018 without heirs or a will. District Attorney Katz said: “As…
LONG ISLAND MAN INDICTED ON MURDER CHARGES FOR 2023 SHOOTING OUTSIDE ST. ALBANS NIGHTCLUB
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jhavaughn Pinnock was arraigned on an indictment charging him with murder and other crimes in connection with the April 2023 shooting death of 23-year-old Jevaughn Jeminson outside the Pure Lounge nightclub in St. Albans. Pinnock was apprehended in Florida and extradited to New York. District Attorney Katz…
FAR ROCKAWAY MAN SENTENCED TO 4 ½ YEARS IN PRISON FOR GANG ASSAULT DURING ILLEGAL MALBA CAR MEETUP
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Justin Aguilera was sentenced to 4½ years in prison for brutally attacking a Malba couple outside their home during an illegal car meetup in November 2025. Aguilera pleaded guilty last month to gang assault after attacking the male homeowner, who attempted to clear him and other trespassers from…
FORMER POSTAL WORKER CHARGED WITH CASHING STOLEN U.S. TREASURY CHECKS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Kasandra Perez was arrested for grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a forged instrument and other crimes for allegedly cashing United States Treasury checks intended for others while working as a clerk at the South Ozone Park post office. Perez is alleged to…
BROOKLYN MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS FOR CARJACKING THAT LED TO NYPD FRIENDLY FIRE INCIDENT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Kevin Dubuisson was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for robbery, assault and menacing for an August 2025 carjacking incident that preceded an NYPD detective being shot in the hand and leg in a friendly fire incident. An 87-year-old woman and her 59-year-daughter were injured when Dubuisson…
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