News
FLUSHING MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER FOR 2022 SHOOTING NEAR JAMAICA BODEGA
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Damion Howell was convicted of murder and other crimes for the August 2022 shooting death of Julian Askew, 29, on Waltham Street in Jamaica. The defendant fled the United States after the victim died and was apprehended nine months later. District Attorney Katz said: “Damion Howell propositioned a…
EAST HAMPTON MAN INDICTED FOR FATAL NEW YEAR’S DAY HIT-AND-RUN COLLISION IN CORONA
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jonnathan Barbecho has been arraigned on indictment charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, assault and other offenses for a deadly hit-and-run collision in Corona that killed 27-year-old Darwin Adrian Malan Cargua and seriously injured another young man on New Year’s Day. The defendant fled to Ecuador after the…
BROOKLYN MAN CHARGED FOR FATAL STABBING IN LONG ISLAND CITY APARTMENT BUILDING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Bretford Brewer has been arraigned on murder and weapon possession charges for the stabbing death of Carlos Penzo, who was found in the bathtub of his Long Island City apartment with multiple stab wounds to his face, neck and torso. A large kitchen knife was found with the…
TWO FAR ROCKAWAY DEFENDANTS SENTENCED FOR KILLING LONG ISLAND MAN IN 2022
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Michael Williams has been sentenced to 22 years to life in prison and Kevon Johnson has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for killing 24-year-old Jabeon Bivins in August 2022. Johnson and Williams fired multiple shots in an open walkway at the Redfern Houses as…
QUEENS VILLAGE MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON FOR RAPING DAUGHTER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 60-year-old Queens Village man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for a pattern of persistent and escalating sexual abuse against his daughter including intercourse. The man initiated the sexual abuse with his then 10-year-old child during school break visits then increased the assaults once he…
FRESH MEADOWS MAN CHARGED WITH HATE CRIMES FOR DAMAGING PROPERTY OUTSIDE JEWISH-OWNED BAGEL SHOP THAT DISPLAYED ISRAELI FLAGS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Dawood Faisal was arraigned on hate crime charges for destroying property in May outside of a kosher bagel store on Union Turnpike in Fresh Meadows that displayed Israeli flags. Faisal allegedly knocked over multiple plant stands outside the shop on two separate occasions and, in one instance, hurled…
BROOKLYN MAN WHO CHASED WOMAN WITH HAMMER CHARGED WITH ASSAULT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Shaleek Brunson was arraigned on charges of assault, criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes for wielding a hammer and chasing a woman onto the grounds of the Jewish Institute of Queens in Rego Park. While there, Brunson pushed an 8-year-old boy into a fence and bit…
UNLICENSED SURGEON SENTENCED TO 5 TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR KILLING 31-YEAR-OLD WOMAN DURING OPERATION IN MAKESHIFT HOME CLINIC
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Felipe Hoyos Foronda has been sentenced to five to 15 years in prison for the death of 31-year-old Maria Penaloza. Penaloza suffered cardiac arrest inside the defendant’s Astoria apartment, which was set up as a makeshift surgical clinic. Hoyos Foronda, who was not a licensed physician in the…
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER CHARGED WITH OPERATING INTERNATIONAL STOLEN MERCHANDISE RING FROM EAST ELMHURST APARTMENT AND VALLEY STREAM HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced today that mother and daughter Maria Betances and Leslie Cruz were charged with criminal possession of stolen property, grand larceny, conspiracy and other crimes for allegedly operating a retail theft and fencing ring from a registered daycare. The duo allegedly…
GEORGIA MAN INDICTED FOR MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT AGAINST CORONA RESIDENT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Luis Belis was indicted for first-degree murder and other offenses for fatally shooting 37-year-old Jairo Vinces-Cobena in March on a Corona street. Belis allegedly contracted with a third-party contact in Ecuador to kill the victim, whom he did not know, for a promised $20,000 payment. District Attorney…
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