Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Justin Aguilera was indicted by a grand jury on charges of gang assault, riot and other related crimes in connection with an illegal car meetup in November in Malba which devolved into a violent assault. Aguilera allegedly attacked a homeowner and his wife as the couple attempted to clear trespassers from their property.

District Attorney Katz said: “This defendant has been indicted for gang assault in the first degree, assault, riot and other crimes following an illegal street takeover of a quiet residential street in Malba by dozens of individuals. He allegedly joined in a gang assault, kicked and stomped a homeowner who tried to disperse the crowd, and then punched the man’s wife in the face. Such lawlessness will not be tolerated. A grand jury has indicted the defendant on serious charges as the investigation into other unapprehended assailants remains ongoing.”

Aguilera, 19, of Far Rockaway, was arraigned today on a 11-count indictment charging him with gang assault in the first degree, assault in the first degree, gang assault in the second degree, two counts of assault in the second degree, assault in the third degree, riot in the second degree, trespass, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree, operating or driving a motor vehicle without a  license and operating, driving or parking a motor vehicle without proper license plates.

Queens Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino ordered the defendant to return to court January 16. If convicted of the top charge, Aguilera faces up to 25 years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the indictment, on November 23, 2025, at approximately 12:40 a.m., a homeowner heard a loud commotion outside his home on 11th Avenue in Malba and observed multiple motor vehicles spinning their tires and creating smoke in front of the corner property.

A group of at least 10 people, including defendant Aguilera, were assembled near the man’s property. He went outside holding a baseball bat and asked the group to leave. He was accompanied by his wife.

At that time, approximately six to eight individuals in the group advanced onto the man’s lawn and one of them threatened to kill the homeowner saying, “I’ll pop you. I’ll put you six feet under. You’re not hard.”

One person in the group headed toward the front door of the victim’s residence and the homeowner stepped in front of him. That individual punched the victim, causing him to fall. The victim was then surrounded by a group of at least six to seven individuals, including Aguilera, who allegedly punched, kicked and stomped on him while he was on the ground.

The victim’s wife attempted to intervene and push the individuals away from her husband. Aguilera allegedly punched her in the mouth.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where he received treatment for multiple rib fractures on the left side of his body, a fracture of the glenoid cavity and neck of his right scapula, a fracture of his thyroid cartilage, a fracture of his nasal bone and swelling to the back of his head.

The defendant and the other unapprehended individuals then fled the area.

Approximately three hours later, at 3:53 a.m. that morning, near the intersection of Union Turnpike and Utopia Parkway, a police officer observed Aguilera driving a white Chevy Silverado with an obstructed license plate and taillights that were not illuminated. The defendant wore a black hooded sweatshirt with a white-colored speedometer and the words ‘Fastlane Fashion’ on the clothing, and wore distinctive white, black and silver-colored sneakers. This clothing allegedly matched the clothing the defendant was wearing during the assault. The defendant’s license was determined to be suspended, and he was placed under arrest for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The defendant was given a desk appearance ticket for that incident.

After an extensive review of video footage from the scene of the assault, the defendant was identified as one of the individuals who attacked the homeowner.

Aguilera was apprehended in Far Rockaway on December 4 by members of the NYPD.

Assistant District Attorneys Dylan Nesturrick and Hugh McCann, of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau, are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief, Roni C. Piplani and Timothy Regan, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.