By Madina Toure
Two Long Island brothers and a New Jersey man have been charged with breaking into a Jamaica Estates home in April, changing the locks and holding the house hostage from the owner, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
Brown identified the defendants as Brandon Sestoso, 33; his brother Chas Sestoso, 31, both of McAllester Avenue in Hicksville, L.I., and Jesse Kusinow, 32, of Howell, N.J., who allegedly claimed to work for a bank holding the mortgage for the home, located on Grand Central Parkway.
“In a truly bizarre case, the defendants are accused of breaking into a Queens residence and locking the true owners out, then forcing them to negotiate with the defendants if they wanted to gain access to their own home,” Brown said. “If convicted, the defendants face lengthy time behind bars.”
On April 29, Anita Chan, the homeowner’s wife, left her home in the morning to go to work and when she returned home at about 8 p.m., she discovered that the locks on her house had been changed, according to the criminal complaints filed by the Queens DA.
She allegedly saw Brandon and Chas Sestoso and Kusinow at her home, who told her they were working with the bank and that she could not enter her home until she signed documents related to the house, according to the complaints.
She told them she could not sign the documents because her husband, Wah Chan, is the owner and was in China at the time, the complaint said.
Wah allegedly signed and emailed several documents, but did not sign or send a deed transfer for the property, the court paper said.
As a result, Wah received numerous text message and emails from the defendants requesting the signed deed transfer.
The next day, Anita Chan was given 10 minutes to retrieve belongings from the first floor of the house, when she discovered that the inside of her home had been ransacked.
Wah Chan returned home May 16 with a locksmith and removed all of the locks the defendants placed on the residence. He also discovered the house to be in disarray and missing items, including jewelry, knives, cash and the deed and documents pertaining to the ownership of his home, the DA said.
The defendants have been charged with burglary, criminal mischief, unlawful eviction and criminal trespass, according to Brown. Kusinow has also been charged with grand larceny. If convicted, they each face 15 years in prison.
Brandon Sestoso is awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court. Kusinow was arraigned June 10 and has been held in jail in lieu of $75,000 bail since his arraignment. His next court date was scheduled for Aug. 11. Chas Sestoso was arraigned May 26 and was released on $10,000 bail and ordered to return to court Sept. 15.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
