Coming on the heels of the shooting of Councilman James Davis in City Hall by a political rival, police arrested a Corona man for making threats to Councilman Hiram Monserrate and three other men affiliated with the politician.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said Julio Abreu, 53, who volunteered for Luis Jimenez, a candidate competing against Monserrate in the upcoming Democratic primary, was charged with making a terroristic threat, aggravated harassment in the second degree, and harassment in the second degree. If convicted, he faces up to seven years.
"After the tragedy that took the life of my friend and colleague Councilmember James Davis, it is clearly necessary to take all threatening behavior seriously," said Councilman Monserrate, in a statement, after the arrest on Friday, July 25. "I am relieved to know that the NYPD has apprehended the suspect and look forward to resolving this matter and continuing my work on behalf of the community."
Detectives from 115th Precinct Detective Squad in Jackson Heights arrested the defendant at his home, after receiving complaints from Monserrates office saying the man had threatened the councilman, two of his aides Juan Gomez and Luis Lugo and Bolivar Veras, president of Partido Revolucion Dominicana (PRD), a local political party based in Corona.
In a released statement, Jimenez, who is running in the District 21 primary, did not comment on whether the charges against Abreu were true, but he did say that Monserrate made false allegations about the defendants relationship to his campaign.
"He [the councilman] has stated to the media that Mr. Julio Abreu was hired with pay of $250 per week by me," said the candidate from Corona. "On the contrary, Mr. Julio Abreu, a night shift employee at JFK Airport and a judicial delegate alternate in A.D. 39 for the Queens Democratic Party, not only volunteered his limited spare time to assist my campaign, but also donated money to my campaign." Jimenez added that, due to Abreus night-time employment, he only came to his campaign office three times. He said that the incident would not deter the continuance of his campaign.
According to the district attorney, a criminal complaint charged that on June 25 the defendant telephoned Gomez and accused the aide of tearing down fliers that he had put up in support of Jimenez. During the phone call, Abreu referred to himself as a federal employee and threatened to shoot Gomez and Monserrate.
Another criminal complaint charged that on July 9 the defendant telephoned Lugo, this time referring to himself as a federal agent. He told Lugo that he had a gun with 14 bullets in it and vowed that he was not afraid to use it. In addition, the July 9 complaint said Abreu met with Lugo at a grocery store on Junction Boulevard and again made threats toward the aide and the councilman.
A final complaint alleges that on July 24 the defendant called Bolivar Veras and accused the PRD party president of turning the police against him. Abreu added he was not afraid to take Veras head off.
The campaign volunteers arrest came two days after Councilman Davis of Brooklyn was killed in City Hall by a would-be political rival, Othniel Askew, 31. The assailant had accompanied Davis to Council sessions, while in possession of a gun, on July 23. Since Askew entered City Hall with the councilman, he was allowed to bypass a metal detector. During the Councils opening ceremony, he shot the councilman twice in the chest, before police officer Richard Burt shot Askew dead. A day after the tragedy, Mayor Michael Bloomberg promoted Burt, a Queens resident, to detective, calling him "truly one of New Yorks Finest."
Askew had intended to compete against Davis in the upcoming primaries, but had failed to acquire the needed signatures to run. Those close to Davis said Askew was an unstable man who frequently came to the councilmans office insisting on sitting in on meetings. Askew apparently pledged support to Davis before the tragedy.
Councilman Davis funeral services took place July 28 and 29 at Elam International Church in Brooklyn. He was also allowed the rare honor of lying in state in City Hall on Sunday.
Abreu is employed at JFK Airport and lives in Corona on 37th Avenue. He was arraigned shortly after midnight on Saturday, July 26, before Queens Criminal Court Judge Barry Kron. Bail was set at $100,000. The judge also issued four temporary orders of protection, directing the defendant to have no contact with the four men.
