Press Releases

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 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,…

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…

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…

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 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…

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…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Roscoe Danielson was convicted of murder in the second degree, concealment of a human body and multiple other charges for killing both his mother and brother in the East Elmhurst home they shared in July 2023. The defendant dragged a garbage bag concealing the body of his brother…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Luis Pallchisaca was arraigned on charges of attempted murder, assault and weapon possession for the unprovoked stabbing of a 25-year-old man inside a 7 train at the Mets-Willets Point station in Corona Sunday night. Pallchisaca, who was already inside the train, allegedly approached the victim as he entered…

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jeremy Fistel was indicted by a grand jury on September 4 and arraigned today on charges of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime and related crimes for voicemail and written messages left for New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. The messages began in June 2025 and…