Press Releases
HOWARD BEACH MAN SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATAL OZONE PARK SHOOTING OF TAROT CARD READER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Giuseppe Canzani was sentenced to 23 years in prison for fatally shooting 51-year-old Anna Torres shortly after she opened the door to her Ozone Park home in May 2022. The victim was a tarot card reader and Canzani believed she was a witch who had put a curse…
OPERATION SELF CHECKOUT: THIRTEEN DEFENDANTS INDICTED FOR STEALING MORE THAN $2.2 MILLION IN MERCHANDISE FROM HOME DEPOT LOCATIONS IN NINE STATES
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that 13 defendants were charged in a 780-count indictment with grand larceny, conspiracy and criminal possession of stolen property for operating a stolen goods and fencing ring that targeted Home Depot locations in New York and eight other states. Members of the Queens-based theft…
JURY CONVICTS ASTORIA MAN OF ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR SHOVING HIS MOTHER OUT OF THIRD FLOOR WINDOW
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that George Tsintzelis was convicted of attempted murder, assault and other crimes for shoving his 64-year-old mother¸ Paraskevi Tsintzelis, out of their third-floor apartment window in 2024. District Attorney Katz said: “Paraskevi Tsintzelis was seriously injured but fortunately survived the fall and then made the difficult decision to testify…
FAR ROCKAWAY MAN CHARGED WITH GANG ASSAULT AND RIOT FOR BEATING MALBA HOMEOWNER AT VIOLENT CAR MEETUP; FACES UP TO 25 YEARS IF CONVICTED
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Justin Aguilera was arraigned today on charges of gang assault, riot and other related charges for attacking a Malba man and his wife after the victims told the defendant and a group of others to disperse from in front of their property. The incident took place during a…
QUEENS UNCLE WHO KILLED NEPHEW AT FAMILY BARBECUE CONVICTED OF MURDER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Durran Morgan was convicted of murder in the shooting death of his 25-year-old nephew during a family barbecue in St. Albans during Memorial Day weekend in 2023. Morgan argued with his nephew, 25-year-old Chevaughn Millings, over payment for the chicken served at the gathering. The defendant was also…
JOHN 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…
FAR 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…
ROSEDALE 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…
DA 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…
GEORGIA 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…
FORMER 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…
BRONX 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…
BAYSIDE 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…
OZONE 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…
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER, ARSON IN DOUBLE STABBING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Wei Sheng Chen was arraigned on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, attempted murder, assault, arson and weapon possession for killing his 50-year-old mother-in-law and stabbing his 17-year-old brother-in-law multiple times in a violent attack at their family home in Flushing on Thursday. DA Katz said: “As alleged,…
UNIONDALE MAN INDICTED FOR MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR INTENTIONALLY DRIVING INTO TEEN AND FAMILY ON ROOSEVELT AVENUE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Edwin Cruz Gomez was indicted for murder, attempted murder, assault, driving under the influence and other crimes for intentionally aiming his vehicle at a 16-year-old girl and her family on Roosevelt Avenue in Elmhurst and killing the teen. The defendant sexually propositioned the girl and her mother just…
SOUTH OZONE PARK MAN SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS FOR CAR THEFT THAT LED TO VICTIM’S DEATH
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Mahindra Hansraj was sentenced to 18 years in prison for a February 2023 collision that severely injured and eventually killed Tauree Thompson of Richmond Hill. Thompson jumped onto the roof of his car as Hansraj stole the vehicle, sped off on Lefferts Boulevard then crashed into a fire…
TWO DEFENDANTS INDICTED FOR STEALING MORE THAN $800,000 IN UNEMPLOYMENT AND COVID-19 BENEFITS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Kareem Reeves and Michael Robertson were indicted on charges of grand larceny in the second degree, identity theft and criminal possession of stolen property for allegedly stealing approximately $835,000 in unemployment insurance funds meant to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Robertson was also separately charged in a…
QUEENS 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…
THREE DEFENDANTS INDICTED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIM IN FLUSHING
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Kwai Ling Chan and Bobby Chen, a married couple, and Tashi Chimchu were indicted on sex trafficking charges for forcing a Colombian woman to engage in sex for money inside an alleged brothel on Union Street in Flushing. The woman was told she had to work off a…
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