Posts by Renea Henry
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH SEX TRAFFICKING, RAPE AND STRANGULATION FOR SUBJECTING WOMAN TO MONTHS OF ABUSE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Leighton Jennings was arraigned on a seven-count indictment charging him with sex trafficking, promoting prostitution, strangulation and rape against a 25-year-old woman. Jennings allegedly hit the woman for not earning enough money for him and used violence, coercion and false promises to profit from her prostitution. After an…
Read MoreFLUSHING MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR VIOLENT ROBBERY OF QUEENS WOMAN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Michael Fan was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a violent attack on a Queens woman as she stood in front of her residence in 2022. Fan and his codefendants tied up the victim, held her at knifepoint and then burglarized her home. The defendant failed…
Read MoreDRIVER IN DEADLY MOTHER’S DAY CRASH SENTENCED TO 28 ½ YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Roosevelt Rose was sentenced today to 28 ½ years to life in prison for a hit-and-run crash on Mother’s Day in 2022 that resulted in the death of 49-year-old Florence Ngwu in front of her South Jamaica home. District Attorney Katz said: “The defendant behaved recklessly to the…
Read MoreBROOKLYN MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR KNIFING SUBWAY RIDER OVER PHONE CALL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Johnny Wood was charged with attempted murder, assault and weapon possession for stabbing a subway rider onboard an E train on Saturday. The 54-year-old victim confronted Wood about a noisy cellphone conversation, an argument ensued and then Wood allegedly stabbed the man in the ribcage. District Attorney…
Read MoreGLENDALE MAN SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN PRISON FOR MASPETH TAVERN KILLING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Marcin Pieciak was sentenced to 24 years in prison for fatally stabbing his girlfriend, Sarah McNally, in March 2024. The defendant pleaded guilty to manslaughter last month in satisfaction of the indictment against him. Pieciak cornered the victim while she worked at a Maspeth tavern, fatally attacked her,…
Read MoreREPEAT OFFENDER EXTRADITED FROM CALIFORNIA ON BAIL JUMPING CHARGES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Freddy Arias Zapata was extradited and arraigned on an indictment charging him with bail jumping, an E felony, in regard to three separate grand larcenies and a burglary that took place between May and November 2024. Zapata is accused of stealing luxury items, cash and other valuables from…
Read More32 REPUTED GANG MEMBERS INDICTED ON MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER AND CONSPIRACY CHARGES FOR FOUR-YEAR TURF WAR IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch announced today that 32 reputed members of the Bad-Co Ballout gang have been indicted following a year-long investigation into multiple shootings and homicides in Southeast Queens dating back to 2021. It was the largest single gang takedown in the history…
Read MoreBRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STEALING VICTIM’S CAR AND RUNNING OVER THE MAN WITH HIS OWN VEHICLE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Zahir Williams was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the death of Francisco Ortega in October 2023. The 50-year-old victim was viciously beaten by Williams and his cohorts and left lying in an Astoria intersection. Williams then stole the victim’s car and deliberately drove over Ortega’s unconscious…
Read MoreTRIO INDICTED FOR MORTGAGE FRAUD
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Daniel Fama, his wife, Marjorie Fama, and Benedetto Cupo were indicted by a grand jury and arraigned on charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and other crimes for falsifying employment verification documents to obtain a $550,000 mortgage for the Famas’ home on Staten Island. District…
Read MoreELMHURST MAN SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDERING MOTHER AND BROTHER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Roscoe Danielson was sentenced today to 50 years to life in prison for the murder of his mother and brother in July 2023. The defendant was convicted last month of murder and concealing his brother’s body in a garbage bag and dragging it from the family’s East Elmhurst…
Read MoreRICHMOND HILL MAN INDICTED FOR UNPROVOKED KNIFE ATTACK ON 7 TRAIN PASSENGER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Luis Pallchisaca 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 Corona in September. Pallchisaca approached a 25-year-old man as he boarded the subway, slashed the…
Read MoreFLUSHING DOCTOR CHARGED WITH GRAND LARCENY FOR STEALING STATE MONEY MEANT TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE FOR WOMEN
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James V. McDonald announced that Dr. QiLi Li was charged with grand larceny and other crimes for misusing nearly $300,000 in state grant money meant to expand access to abortion services at her Flushing practice. She allegedly used the funds to provide cosmetic…
Read MoreDRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS IN PRISON FOR POSSESSING TWO KILOGRAMS OF DEADLY FENTANYL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Dennis Carrol was sentenced to 18 years in prison after being convicted by a jury in March of criminal possession of a controlled substance. Approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl, with an estimated street value of $80,000, were recovered in the trunk of Carrol’s car in November 2022 during…
Read More16-YEAR-OLD INDICTED FOR MURDER OF 13-YEAR-OLD BOY OUTSIDE CAMBRIA HEIGHTS DUNKIN’ DONUTS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 16-year-old male was arraigned on an indictment charging him with murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon for the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy in Cambria Heights. The victim, Sanjay Samuel, was on his way to school when he was shot…
Read MoreQUEENS MAN INDICTED FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY AND ARSON FOR KILLING DOG
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Isaiah Gurley was indicted for animal cruelty, arson, criminal mischief and other crimes for allegedly killing a male pit bull before burning the body on a public street in South Ozone Park on July 24. The dog, named Square K, was a relative’s service animal. District Attorney Katz…
Read MoreDRIVER INDICTED FOR HIT-AND-RUN DEATH OF HIGHWAY WORKER ON NASSAU EXPRESSWAY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Daveanand Budhai was indicted for the death of Isabel Alvarez, who was the flag person in a construction zone on the Nassau Expressway when she was struck and killed on September 19. DA Katz said: “As alleged, Isabel Alvarez did not stand a chance when the defendant sped…
Read MoreSOUTH JAMAICA TEENAGER CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR SHOOTING DEATH OF 13-YEAR-OLD BOY IN DUNKIN’ DONUTS PARKING LOT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 16-year-old male was charged with murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon for the shooting death of a 13-year-old boy on his way to school. District Attorney Katz said: “Losing a 13-year-old to gun violence is tragic under any circumstance. As alleged,…
Read MoreMOTORIST CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AND LEAVING THE SCENE OF FATILITY FOR STRIKING WORKER ON NASSAU EXPRESSWAY
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Daveanand Budhai was arraigned on charges of manslaughter, assault, leaving the scene of a fatality, reckless driving and other charges for causing the death of a safety flag worker who was positioned inside a construction zone on the Nassau Expressway Friday morning. Budhai was allegedly driving at a…
Read MoreCARDOZO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CHARGED WITH GUN POSSESSION AND MAKING TERRORISTIC THREAT
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a 16-year-old high school student was charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, making a terroristic threat and other crimes for allegedly posting to social media on September 18 that he would “shoot the school up.” District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, a 16-year-old student…
Read MoreTHREE ARRESTED AT CORONA BOUTIQUE FOR POSSESSING STOLEN MERCHANDISE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the recovery of more than $50,000 in merchandise allegedly stolen from major retailers including Macy’s, Lululemon, Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle that was offered for sale at a steep discount at the Elegant Fashion boutique in Corona. Three defendants were charged with criminal possession of stolen property for…
Read More