Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Shahab Usman was charged with rape, assault and robbery for a crime spree targeting spas in South Richmond Hill that left a patron paralyzed from a gunshot.

District Attorney Katz said: “We will be prosecuting the man we believe to be the violent predator responsible for a string of robberies, assaults and sex crimes. The NYPD’s investigation of these crimes fortunately led to the defendant’s arrest and we can now work to hold him accountable in court.”

Usman, 40, of 118^th Street, South Ozone Park, Queens, was arraigned last night on two separate complaints charging him with three counts of robbery in the first degree, five counts of robbery in the second degree, assault in the first degree, rape in the first degree, attempted rape in the first degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, attempted sexual abuse in the first degree and menacing in the second degree. If convicted, Usman faces 25 years in prison on multiple counts. Queens Criminal Court Judge Earle-Gargan ordered him to return to court on December 8.

According to the charges:

• On December 2, Usman entered a spa on Liberty Avenue, displayed a firearm, beat an employee, and stole cash and personal property.
• On December 4, Usman entered a spa on Jamaica Avenue where he raped an employee at gunpoint. He then brandished the gun and stole cash from her and other employees before fleeing.
• Later that same day, Usman entered another spa on Jamaica Avenue where he held a gun to an employee while attempting to rape her. During the attack, he discharged his gun and the bullet struck a patron in another room. The patron sustained a gunshot wound and is paralyzed from the waist down.

Assistant District Attorney Gabriella Malfi of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Eric Rosenbaum, Bureau Chief, Debra Lynn Pomodore, Senior Deputy Chief, and Brian Hughes, Deputy Chief under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Special Prosecutions Joyce A. Smith.