By The TimesLedger
ELMHURST — New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced the arrests last week of three people on charges that included criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar’s tools and failure to report sales tax for allegedly selling contraband clothes and jewelry.
Cecilia Aguilera, 42, Maria Valle, 41, and Alvara Valencia, 44, were taken into custody after authorities received tips they were allegedly selling authentic, name-brand merchandise at heavy discounts from their two-bedroom apartment at 42-25 80th St., police said. Brown said the suspects face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Detectives gathered evidence on the three and executed a search warrant Feb. 6 for the residence, where they found large amounts of clothing, jewelry and perfume worth between $750,000 and $1 million, police said.
Queens Village shooter convicted in 2000 slaying
QUEENS VILLAGE — A Queens Village man was convicted of murder Tuesday for a May 2000 shooting outside a deli, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Comfort Pickney, 22, of 89-47 220th St. in Queens Village, was found guilty of shooting Michael Hammonds after the two got into an argument outside an all-night deli just before 2:30 a.m. May 6, 2000, Brown said. Testimony during the two-week trial revealed that Pickney arrived at the store and began fighting with three men standing outside the deli. Pickney walked to his car and returned with a 9mm handgun and shot Hammonds in the face.
He was arrested three days later when he arrived at the courthouse in connection with a case involving his brother, Brown said.
Pickney faces a prison term of 25 years to life, and was scheduled to be sentenced on March 10.
2 NY parole officers arrested in sting while posing as cops
KEW GARDENS — Two New York state parole officers were arrested after a long-term investigation revealed the pair had, on several occasions, allegedly acted as agents for a retail rental chain and recovered overdue property, police said.
Both Sandra Sutherland, 45, and Maurice Quidley, 41, were charged with criminal impersonation of a police officer and official misconduct, police said. The NYPD, New York State Inspector General’s Office and Queens district attorney conducted the sting that revealed the two suspects were posing as police officers in attempts to recover the rented property, cops said.
Swastika found drawn in snow at Fresh Meadows residence
FRESH MEADOWS — A swastika was found etched in the snow about 9:40 p.m. Monday in front of a private house, police said. There were no reported injuries or arrests police said. The investigation was continuing and the cops said they are treating the incident as a possible bias crime.
Cops arrest S. Jamaica man on S.I. after high-speed chase
STATEN ISLAND — A South Jamaica man was charged with reckless endangerment, theft of service and resisting arrest by New York authorities at the foot of the Goethals Bridge last Thursday morning after leading city and New Jersey state cops on a chase in his white 2002 Ford Mustang, police said.
The suspect was identified as Robert Shepherd, 46, of 111-32 147th St., police said. NYPD highway units joined the pursuit that ended when they stopped the car at Bee Court and Gauldy Street in Staten Island.
Unidentified man robs bank in Holliswood, then flees
HOLLISWOOD — An unidentified man robbed a bank at 205-19 Hillside Ave. in the 107th Precinct after he passed a note to a teller and demanded money, police said. The man fled the scene and cops said there were no injuries or arrests made. The investigation continues.
Sanitation worker arrested on DWI, fleeing scene charges
KEW GARDENS HILLS — A New York City Department of Sanitation employee was arrested and charged Friday with a DWI and leaving the scene of an accident related to an on-duty incident, police said. Cops said they took John Breslin, 58, of 86-25 Midland Pkwy. in Jamaica, into custody at 73rd Avenue and 150th Street at 4:34 p.m.
Anti-Semitic message found at Flushing location
FLUSHING — Police discovered anti-Semitic remarks written on a stairway wall Monday afternoon, cops said. No arrests were reported and police are investigating the crime as a possible bias incident.
Male suspect attempts to rob St Albans check-cashing store
ST. ALBANS — A man in his 20s walked into Sunrise Check Cashing at 205-21 Linden Blvd. last Thursday morning wearing a black mask and splashed an unidentified flammable substance on the clerk’s Plexiglas window in an attempted robbery, police said. The man then lit the substance and ran from the scene by kicking out the exit door window, police said. Cops said there have been no arrests in the continuing investigation.
Jury convicts LIC man who assaulted woman with his car
KEW GARDENS — A jury convicted 53-year-old Mathew Bradley of 40-15 in Long Island City for assaulting a woman after the two were involved in an auto accident in July 2001, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Bradley faces up to 25 years in prison for hitting the unidentified victim with his car, then driving for more than four blocks as she held onto the windshield wipers, eventually slamming on his brakes and throwing the victim to the ground, the district attorney said. Brown said the victim sustained two broken legs and a shattered ankle after the incident.
Bradley, who had a previous criminal record, was convicted of assault, reckless endangerment and other felony charges before Queens Supreme Court Judge Robert McDonald, the district attorney said.
Man hit by vehicle on BQE in Woodside, condition criticalWOODSIDE — An unidentified 33-year-old man was struck by an unknown vehicle as he was walking along the southbound shoulder of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Sunday morning, police said. The man was hit at 41st Avenue and was removed to Elmhurst Hospital where he was listed in critical condition, cops said. There have been no arrests made in the ongoing investigation, police said.
