Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Brayahan Agudelo was indicted for burglary, strangulation, stalking and menacing and other crimes for attacking his ex-girlfriend and then enlisting an undercover police officer to harm her. Agudelo is accused of asking the officer, who was investigating the defendant on another case, to make his ex-girlfriend “a paraplegic.” Agudelo’s mother, Maria Cruz, was indicted for allegedly entering the ex-girlfriend’s residence on her son’s behest to intimidate the woman.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, Brayahan Agudelo subjected his former partner to multiple acts of domestic violence which escalated in severity. The defendant then approached an undercover officer and asked the officer to paralyze the woman. Working together with the NYPD, the suspect was quickly arrested, and the woman and her family were moved to safety. After his arrest, the defendant allegedly enlisted his mother to break into the ex-girlfriend’s home and continue the pattern of harassment. We will do everything in our power to protect survivors of intimate partner violence.”

Agudelo, 31, of 34^th Avenue in Jackson Heights, was arraigned yesterday on a 22-count indictment charging him with two counts of burglary in the first degree, strangulation in the second degree, menacing in the second degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, stalking in the first degree, three counts of stalking in the third degree, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, two counts of conspiracy in the fourth degree, criminal solicitation in the fourth degree, two counts of burglary in the second degree, two counts of criminal contempt in the second degree, criminal contempt in the first degree and tampering with a witness in the fourth degree.

Maria Cruz, 52, of 34^th Avenue in Jackson Heights was arraigned yesterday on an indictment charging her with on two counts of burglary in the second degree, conspiracy in the fourth degree, tampering with a witness in the fourth degree and stalking in the fourth degree.

Agudelo faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Supreme Court Justice Michael Yavinsky ordered him to return to court on July 29.

Cruz faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Justice Yavinsky ordered her to return to court on July 29..

DA Katz said that, according to the indictment and investigation into domestic violence conduct, on April 10, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Agudelo put his arms around the neck of his ex-girlfriend at her home and applied pressure, causing her to lose consciousness. The 2-year-old daughter of the victim and Agudelo was present at the time. When police arrived, Agudelo had left. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The ex-girlfriend called 911 on April 14, April 16, April 22 and April 25 to report Agudelo standing outside her apartment door. The defendant fled each time before police responded.

On April 24, at approximately 12:17 a.m., Agudelo allegedly entered his former girlfriend’s residence through a bedroom window, brandished a knife and threatened her. When she attempted to run from the apartment, Agudelo allegedly pulled her by the hair to prevent her from leaving and took her cell phone.

The victim managed to break away and opened her front door to scream for assistance. When police arrived, Agudelo had fled the apartment. The victim was observed to have bruise marks and indicated her arm was in pain.

On April 24, Agudelo engaged in a conversation with an undercover police officer investigating auto thefts as part of Operation Hellcat. The defendant allegedly asked the undercover if he could “make his wife a paraplegic,” referring to Agudelo’s former girlfriend. The defendant allegedly told the undercover in a conversation the next day that he wanted her hit in the back and physically disabled. Agudelo and the undercover detective agreed on compensation and a date the attack was to take place.

Police arrested Agudelo on April 25.

On April 28 and April 29, Agudelo made phone calls from jail to his mother, Maria Cruz, and directed her to go to his ex-girlfriend’s home and to her grandchildren’s school to convince the victim not to testify against him. During one conversation, the defendant allegedly provided his mother with a security code to access his former girlfriend’s apartment building and gave her specific instructions to evade security cameras. Agudelo told his mother confront the former girlfriend with the defendant’s brother so that one could restrain and beat the woman while the other talked to her. This violated an order of protection issued against Agudelo.

Cruz allegedly reported back to her son that she followed his instructions, but the victim was not at home at the time. Video surveillance obtained during the investigation allegedly showed Cruz inside the building and outside the victim’s apartment door on April 28 and 29.

The Queens District Attorney’s Office, working with law enforcement partners, arranged for safe housing for the victim and her family.

Agudelo was among 20 defendants indicted last month as part of an investigation dubbed Operation Hellcat into the theft of vehicles throughout New York City and its suburbs. He was charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the second, third and fourth degrees, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree and conspiracy in the fourth and fifth degrees. He faces up to 15 years in prison on the auto theft case, if convicted.

The current investigation was conducted by Police Officer Yaejee Ha of the NYPD’s 112^thPrecinct Detective Squad.

Assistant District Attorney Paige Nyer, supervisor in the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau is prosecuting the case, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Mary Kate Quinn, Bureau Chief, Audra Beerman, Tara Coughlin and Howard McCallum, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Special Prosecutions Joyce A. Smith.