By The TimesLedger
ASTORIA — An Astoria man who pleaded guilty last month to repeatedly raping a 15-year-old girl over the summer has been sentenced to nine years in prison, the Queens District Attorney said.
Michael Montez, 35, of 25-91 38th Street in Astoria, was charged with rape in the first degree after repeatedly sexually assaulting the Massachusetts teenager, whom he held captive in his home from the morning of Aug. 7 until the evening of Aug. 8 .
Queens Supreme Court Justice Douglas Wong imposed the sentence, also slapping him with five years of post-release supervision, Queens D.A. spokeswoman Betsy Herzog said.
Montez pleaded guilty to the charges in a hearing before Acting Supreme Court Justice Deborah Stevens Modica on Oct. 30.
The girl allegedly had been kidnapped by a Long Island couple who “lent” her to Montez for two days, the D.A. said.
The couple is awaiting trial in Nassau County.
Man robs Flushing bank by passing note to teller
FLUSHING — A Roosevelt Avenue Citibank branch was robbed Friday afternoon by a man who gave a note to a teller demanding money, police said.
The robber, who police said was in his 60s, entered the bank at 136-35 Roosevelt Ave. at around 2:30 p.m. Friday, police said. He passed a note to the teller and fled with about $1,000, police said.
No one was hurt.
Police were investigating.
4 Jamaica jewelers pay fines for selling ‘fool’s gold’: State
JAMAICA — Four Jamaica jewelry retailers sold fraudulent gold jewelry, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer announced Monday.
The retailers were fined for selling jewelry products that were falsely portrayed as “10-karat gold,” Spitzer said. Under state law, jewelry that is less than 10 karats of gold cannot be represented as gold because it does not have gold’s ability to resist tarnish and corrosion, the attorney general said.
Spitzer identified the four Jamaica jewelers as Jakoby’s Jewelry, Jewelry Rama and Roman’s Jewelry, all located in the Colosseum Mall at 89-02 165th St; and King Lion Jewelry in the Jamaica Plaza Mall at 162-10 Jamaica Ave.
The attorney general said the retailers were selling “fool’s gold” and he levied fines on both the retailers of the jewelry and their distributors. The four Jamaica jewelers were part of a group of 18 statewide who will together pay nearly $50,000 in fines, Spitzer said.
The distributors, Alishaev Brothers and J&I Jewelry, both of Manhattan, agreed to halt shipments of “under-karated” products and pay $50,000 and $25,000 penalties, respectively.
The fines were imposed after the attorney general’s office, acting on a tip from a trade industry association, launched a year-long statewide investigation.
Man, 21, in serious condition after shot in back in Jamaica
JAMAICA — A 21-year-old man was shot once in the back early Saturday morning in front of 107-19 Sutphin Blvd., police said.
He was rushed to Mary Immaculate Hospital in serious condition after police found him at about 2:40 a.m.
No motive for the shooting was determined. Detectives from the 103rd Precinct were investigating.
Jackson Heights woman, 30, charged with passport fraud
JACKSON HEIGHTS — A Jackson Heights woman was indicted on charges of possessing and forging Canadian passports, identification papers and other documents, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced Friday.
Adriana Martinez, 30, of 21-19 76th St. was arrested Aug. 24 and charged with forgery. She faces a maximum prison term of seven years if convicted.
Martinez was found to be in possession of forged passports, Quebec driver’s licenses, certificates of Canadian citizenship and Canadian Social Insurance cards in the names of two male and one female resident of Montreal, the DA said.
Worker hurt in crane mishap at South Jamaica school site
SOUTH JAMAICA — A construction worker was injured Monday morning when a crane malfunctioned at the site of a law-enforcement high school being built on Guy Brewer Boulevard, police said.
The accident happened shortly before 11 a.m.; there was no word on the cause.
The man was taken to Jamaica Hospital with minor injuries, police said.
Corona man arrested in killing of neighbor
CORONA — A 36-year-old Corona man has been arrested for allegedly striking and killing a 20-year-old neighbor, police said.
James Washington of 97-15 Horace Harding Blvd. was arrested last week in the murder of Darreyl Pelle of 98-30 57th Ave., police said. Charges were pending.
Washington allegedly struck Pelle in the head with a baseball bat while they were in a dispute about 8 p.m. Nov. 2 in front of 97-07 57th Ave., police said.
Pelle was taken to St. Johns Hospital, where he died, police said.
Note with racial slurs taped to door in Rockaways
THE ROCKAWAYS — A note placed Monday on a door at a Shore Parkway home was being investigated by police as a bias incident.
The note, taped to the front door of a woman’s home, contained threatening racial slurs, police said.
Police were investigating.
Small fire starts atop LGA terminal
LAGUARDIA AIRPORT— A small vehicle fire broke out on the roof of a United Airlines terminal Tuesday morning, the Breaking News Network said.
The fire started around 7:30 a.m. near Gate 7 in Concourse “C” of the terminal, the network reported.
The Associated Press reported that the terminal was evacuated because of a heavy smoke condition in the area, but said the fire was put out within 10 minutes and there were no injuries.
There was no word on whether any flights were delayed.
