Posts by ASokol@queensda.org
MANHATTAN MAN CHARGED FOR UNPROVOKED ASSAULT OF TWO STRAPHANGERS ON SUBWAY PLATFORM IN KEW GARDENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Tyquan Manassa was arraigned late last night on charges of assault and weapon possession for an unprovoked attack on two commuters inside the Union Turnpike-Kew Gardens train station on Wednesday. Both victims were slashed in the face while waiting for the train to arrive. District Attorney Katz said:…
Read MoreJOHN DOE DEFENDANT SENTENCED FOR STEALING THREE QUEENS COUNTY HOMES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a John Doe defendant – who has used multiple aliases – was sentenced to 4 ½ years to nine years in prison for stealing three homes in Queens. The defendant was arrested in March under the name of Carl Avinger for his role in an ongoing deed fraud…
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – November 7, 2025
We announced criminal charges against a Rosedale man after an investigation led to the recovery of eight guns, including seven ghost guns and more than 100 rounds of ammunition, at the defendant’s home. The guns were allegedly made on a 3D printer inside the defendant’s residence and include two assault weapons… (continued)
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – October 31, 2025
We hosted the first Missing Persons Day in Queens recently, in partnership with the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner and U.S. Rep. Grace Meng… (continued)
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – October 24, 2025
A train rider was indicted on charges of attempted murder, assault and weapon possession for a violent knife attack against another subway passenger on board the 7 train at the Mets-Willetts Point station in September… (continued)
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – October 24, 2025
We announced criminal charges against a Bayside woman recently for allegedly stealing approximately $2.1 million from 17 victims across the country through what is known as a “pig butchering scam.” (continued)
Read MoreFAR ROCKAWAY WOMAN SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STRIKING MAN ON SIDEWALK IN FATAL HIT-AND-RUN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Kiani Phoenix was sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter for the death of 59-year-old Milton Storch in Far Rockaway in 2022. Phoenix, who had been arguing with another woman outside a deli, entered her car and accelerated toward the woman but instead hit…
Read MoreROSEDALE MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF GHOST GUN CACHE FOUND AT HIS HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Lianu Luis Brown Delgado has been charged with weapons possession and other crimes after an investigation led to the recovery of eight guns, including seven ghost guns and more than 100 rounds of ammunition, at the defendant’s Rosedale home. The guns were allegedly made on a 3D printer…
Read MoreGLENDALE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DEADLY STABBING AT MASPETH TAVERN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Marcin Pieciak pleaded guilty today to manslaughter in the first degree for fatally stabbing his girlfriend, Sarah McNally, at a Maspeth tavern in March 2024. McNally was working as a bartender when Pieciak stabbed her then slit his own throat. District Attorney Katz said: “Marcin Pieciak walked into…
Read MoreFORMER CORRECTION OFFICER CHARGED WITH FILING PHONY DOCUMENTATION FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber announced that Equanna Escalera was arraigned on charges of grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing for submitting documentation falsely claiming that she had been treated by a doctor and physical therapists 29 times in 2022 to…
Read MoreHIT-AND-RUN DRIVER INDICTED FOR MANSLAUGHTER IN DEATH OF HIGHWAY WORKER ON NASSAU EXPRESSWAY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Daveanand Budhai was arraigned on an indictment charging him with manslaughter, assault, leaving the scene and other crimes for the death of Isabel Alvarez, a construction zone flag person working on the Nassau Expressway in September who was allegedly struck and killed by the defendant. Budhai is…
Read MoreDA KATZ HOSTS FIRST MISSING PERSONS DAY IN QUEENS WITH NYC OCME AND US REP GRACE MENG
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the first Queens Missing Persons Day, hosted in partnership with the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) and U.S. Rep. Grace Meng on October 24. The free event provided one-on-one assistance for families of loved ones who have been missing for 60 days or more. Attendees…
Read MoreQUEENS VILLAGE MAN INDICTED FOR LABOR TRAFFICKING, GRAND LARCENY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Rippon Uddin was indicted by a grand jury on charges of labor trafficking, grand larceny and other crimes for stealing approximately $18,000 from a Bangladeshi man — in the United States on a student visa — by falsely telling him he would hire an immigration attorney on his…
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – October 17, 2025
We announced criminal charges against a Bayside woman recently for allegedly stealing approximately $2.1 million from 17 victims across the country through what is known as a “pig butchering scam.” (continued)
Read MoreGEORGIA MAN ARRESTED FOR RAPING FIVE VICTIMS IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS IN THE 1990s
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Michael Benjamin was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree, sexual assault in the first degree, burglary in the first degree and other crimes for allegedly raping five women from 1995 to 1997. The defendant was originally…
Read MoreFORMER SCHOOL STAFFER CHARGED WITH STEALING MORE THAN $400,000 FROM FLUSHING SCHOOL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Abi Corbin was arraigned on a grand jury indictment charging her with grand larceny and identity theft for stealing $415,000 from the East-West School of International Studies (P.S. 281Q) where she worked as a community associate. Her role included processing work orders and the stolen money was meant…
Read MoreBRONX MAN INDICTED FOR FIRST-DEGREE MURDER, KIDNAPPING AND ARSON FOR KILLING ELDERLY COUPLE IN THEIR BELLEROSE HOME
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jamel McGriff was arraigned on a grand jury indictment charging him with 13 counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, kidnapping, arson, burglary and other crimes for the violent home invasion and murder of Frank and Maureen Olton. The defendant allegedly forced his way into the…
Read MoreYour Weekly Update – October 10, 2025
Two defendants were indicted recently for grand larceny, identity theft and other charges for allegedly stealing approximately $835,000 in unemployment insurance funds meant to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic… (continued)
Read MoreBAYSIDE WOMAN CHARGED WITH RUNNING PIG BUTCHERING SCAM ON VICTIMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Tiffany Yang was arraigned on charges of grand larceny in the first degree, criminal possession of stolen property and related crimes for allegedly stealing approximately $2.1 million from 17 victims across the country through what is known as a “pig butchering scam.” These schemes involve scammers who develop…
Read MoreOZONE PARK WOMAN INDICTED ON VEHICULAR ASSAULT, DRUNK DRIVING CHARGES AFTER COLLISION SERIOUSLY INJURED HER YOUNG CHILDREN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Mariam Alli was indicted by a grand jury for aggravated vehicular assault, aggravated driving while intoxicated, endangering the welfare of a child and other crimes for speeding through a red light and slamming into another vehicle, seriously injuring her 3-year-old son, 2-year-old daughter and another passenger in her…
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