News
TWENTY DEFENDANTS INDICTED IN VEHICLE THEFT RING DUBBED OPERATION HELLCAT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced today that 20 defendants have been indicted and variously charged in a wide-ranging scheme to steal cars — from Hondas to Dodge Hellcats to BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes and Land Rovers — throughout New…
JACKSON HEIGHTS MAN SENTENCED TO UP TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON FOR MONTHS-LONG BURGLARY SPREE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Juan Morales was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison after being convicted in a jury trial of burglary, attempted burglary and other charges for a three-month crime spree spanning 2022 and 2023. The defendant broke into homes across Queens County and stole tens of thousands…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR TRIPLE STABBING OF GIRLFRIEND, HER SON AND A COUSIN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Travis Blake was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2022 murders of his girlfriend, Karlene Barnett, and two of her family members, Dervon Brightly and Vashawna Malcolm. Blake was convicted by a jury last month of murder in the first degree and…
LONG ISLAND MAN WHO KIDNAPPED, BEAT AND TORTURED TWO MEN AFTER LURING THEM SEPARATELY TO LOCATIONS FOR SEX SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Gil Iphael has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping, robbery and promoting prostitution for three separate incidents. The defendant lured his victims to locations for sex with the help of a co-defendant, then the victims were detained, assaulted and robbed. In…
ALLEGED VANDAL INDICTED ON CRIMINAL CHARGES AFTER DESTROYING RELIGIOUS STATUE IN ASTORIA CATHOLIC CHURCH
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jose Rodriguez has been indicted on charges of burglary, attempted assault, hate crime of aggravated harassment and other related crimes for allegedly striking a statue of the baby Jesus in front of the altar at Immaculate Conception Church in Astoria on April 6. The statue fell to the…
TWO MEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR SHOOTING AN OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER DURING AN ATTEMPTED CARJACKING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Denzel Brown and Marvin Dankwah have been charged with attempted murder, attempted robbery, weapon possession and other related crimes for attempting to steal a green BMW from an off-duty police officer at gunpoint and shooting at the vehicle as the victim tried driving away. The shooting, which took…
FAKE PLASTIC SURGEON INDICTED ON MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES FOR PERFORMING PROCEDURE ON 31-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO DIED AFTER IMPLANT REMOVAL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Felipe Hoyos Foronda has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of manslaughter, assault and unauthorized practice of a profession for allegedly performing cosmetic surgery without a license in his Astoria home. The 31-year-old victim, Maria Penaloza, went into cardiac arrest and died 14 days later. District…
LONG ISLAND MAN INDICTED FOR MURDER OF MOTORCYCLIST IN FATAL ROAD RAGE INCIDENT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jordan Rosen was indicted by a grand jury and charged with murder in the second degree for the death of a 55-year-old Astoria man on April 5 during an alleged road rage incident that began on a Long Island Expressway exit ramp. Rosen pursued the other driver,…
NYPD OFFICER CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO DISSEMINATE INDECENT MATERIAL TO A MINOR
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Travis Desouza, a New York City police officer, was charged with attempted dissemination of indecent material to minors, official misconduct and other crimes for allegedly sending sexually explicit content via an online app to an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old. Desouza was assigned to a Brooklyn…
DA KATZ SHUTTERS ILLEGAL MOBILE CANNABIS DISPENSARY IN REGO PARK
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the closure of an unlicensed mobile cannabis dispensary that operated at Woodhaven Boulevard underneath the Long Island Expressway in Rego Park, near a school and park. In response to community complaints, the Queens District Attorney detective investigators conducted a series of undercover purchases at the van, which had…
Meet the DA
