Court Cases
FIFTH INDICTED DEFENDANT APPREHENDED AND CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY IN MILLION DOLLAR LUXURY GOODS HEIST FROM JFK AIRPORT IN 2020
Crew Allegedly Stole Millions of Dollars in Gucci, Chanel and Prada Merchandise; Defendant Faces Up to 25 Years in Prison if Convicted
QUEENS COUPLE INDICTED ON SEX TRAFFICKING AND OTHER CHARGES FOR TRANSPORTING WOMEN FROM KOREA AND FORCING THEM INTO PROSTITUTION
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that Jung Ja Ornstein, 62, and Eric Ornstein, 49, have been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on sex trafficking charges and other crimes for allegedly bringing two female victims from Korea and coercing them to…
QUEENS COUNTY GRAND JURY INDICTS CAR WASH EMPLOYEE ON VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER AND DRUNK DRIVING CHARGES IN DEATH OF WOMAN STRUCK WHILE WALKING TO HER JUST-CLEANED AUTO
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a Queens County grand jury has indicted Edwin Vargas Tabares, 43, who was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on vehicular manslaughter and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol charges. The defendant was allegedly intoxicated while working at an Ozone Park car wash business and struck…
QUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY FILES JOINT MOTION WITH DEFENSE TO VACATE CONVICTIONS IN 1996 DOUBLE MURDER CASE BASED ON FAILURE TO DISCLOSE EXCULPATORY EVIDENCE
Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced the filing of a joint motion with defense counsel to vacate the convictions of George Bell, Gary Johnson, and Rohan Bolt, who were convicted of the December 21, 1996, murders of Ira “Mike” Epstein and NYPD Police Officer Charles Davis in the course of robbing Mr. Epstein’s…
GRAND JURY INDICTS QUEENS RESIDENT IN HIT AND RUN CRASH THAT KILLED GOOD SAMARITAN WHO STOPPED TO HELP MAN HAVING CAR TROUBLE
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Kevin Drawhorne, 27, has been indicted by a Queens County grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on criminally negligent homicide charges and other crimes for allegedly hitting and killing one man and injuring another on January 29, 2021. The victim was a Good Samaritan who had…
QUEENS HOME HEALTH AIDE CHARGED WITH STEALING NEARLY $100,000 FROM LEGALLY BLIND 89-YEAR-OLD WOMAN
Defendant Allegedly Duped Victim into Signing Checks That Greatly Exceeded Weekly Pay; Accused Faces Up to 15 Years in Prison if Convicted Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Sita Saunders, 61, has been charged with grand larceny, identity theft and other crimes for allegedly siphoning nearly $100,000 from her legally blind, 89-year-old patient’s…
MAN INDICTED ON ROBBERY AND ASSAULT CHARGES FOR PURSE SNATCHING THAT INJURED ELDERLY WOMAN IN FOREST HILLS
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Alhusene Danso, 20, has been arraigned in Supreme Court following a Queens County grand jury handing up an indictment charging the defendant with robbery and assault for a vicious attack on an octogenarian. The victim was attacked as she exited her parking garage in Forest Hills on…
CELEBRITY PERSONAL SHOPPER CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING COMEDIAN KEVIN HART OUT OF MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN FRAUDULENT CREDIT CARD PURCHASES
Queens County Grand Jury Indicts Defendant on Grand Larceny and Other Charges; Defendant Allegedly Used Comedian’s Credit Card to Purchase Luxury Items and Enrich Himself; Queens Man Faces Up to 25 Years in Prison if Convicted
QUEENS MAN INDICTED FOR MURDER IN STABBING DEATH OF HIS 72-YEAR-OLD FATHER
While in Custody, Defendant Allegedly Damaged Precinct Interview Room; Faces Up to 25 Years-to-Life in Prison if Convicted
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER IN STABBING DEATH
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that John Daves, 34, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter for the September 2018 stabbing death of a 25-year-old Long Island man. The two men had a heated dispute near a food cart in Jackson Heights, Queens. District Attorney Katz said,…
QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER IN STABBING DEATH
Defendant Killed Long Island Resident with Knife Snatched from Food Cart
CHURCH DEACON CHARGED WITH TRYING TO HAVE ORAL SEX WITH 14-YEAR-OLD BOY HE MET ON GRINDR APP
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Rogelio Vega, 50, has been charged with attempted use of a child in a sexual performance and other crimes for allegedly meeting a “teen” with the intent to engage in a sex act. District Attorney Katz said, “This defendant by all outward appearances is a church-going family…
SEPTUAGENARIAN WOMAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED ASSAULT FOR REPEATED POISONING OF HUSBAND
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Suncha Tinevra, 70, has been charged with attempted assault and other crimes for allegedly poisoning her husband with an ant and roach killer on more than one occasion inside the couple’s Oakland Gardens home. District Attorney Katz said, “Domestic violence is not limited to mental and physical…
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER IN STABBING DEATH OF HIS 72-YEAR-OLD FATHER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jaimie Walker, 30, has been charged with murder in the stabbing death of his 72-year-old father. The victim was found Thursday morning in the bathroom of his Queens Village home with multiple stab wounds to his neck. The defendant is additionally charged with criminal mischief for wrecking…
RETIRED POLICE OFFICER INDICTED BY QUEENS GRAND JURY ON ASSAULT CHARGES FOR FIRING WEAPON INSIDE HOWARD BEACH RESTAURANT
Defendant Allegedly Shot Bystander in the Back After Dispute; Faces 25 Years in Prison if Convicted
QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH STEALING IDENTITIES OF VICTIMS AND GOING ON CAR-BUYING SPREE
Defendant Allegedly Bought and Leased 11 Vehicles Under Victims’ Names And Received Bonus Pay for Brokering the Scam Deals; The Accused Faces Up to Seven Years in Prison if Convicted
BOSTON RESIDENT CHARGED WITH MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS; ALLEGEDLY PLANTED A “HOAX DEVICE” BOMB ON CAR IN QUEENS MALL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Louis Shenker, 22, has been charged with making terroristic threats and other felony charges for allegedly planting a fake bomb on top of a car at the Queens Place Mall in Elmhurst, Queens. District Attorney Katz said, “Sadly, we live in a world where terror attacks are…
TWO BUSINESS OWNERS CHARGED WITH $2.6 MILLION FRAUD AGAINST NEW YORK STATE INSURANCE FUND
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined by Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services Linda A. Lacewell and New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro, today announced that Manuel Sanchez and his business Lagos Construction have been charged with grand larceny and other crimes for allegedly failing to pay insurance premiums of…
TWO MEN INDICTED BY QUEENS COUNTY GRAND JURY ON KIDNAPPING CHARGES IN BOTCHED HOME INVASION IN RICHMOND HILL
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that defendants Tex Ortiz and Wilbert Wilson have been indicted and arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on a 15-count indictment charging them with kidnapping, burglary and other crimes for allegedly taking five people hostage at gunpoint – including a nine-month-old infant – during a botched home invasion in…
SECOND PERSON CHARGED IN HATE CRIME ASSAULT OF MUSLIM FAMILY IN REGO PARK IN NOVEMBER
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Eric Leon has been charged with assault as a hate crime and other charges for allegedly attacking a couple outside of their Rego Park home, in front of their two children, on November 6, 2020. District Attorney Katz said, “Perpetrators of hate crimes must be held accountable…
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