By Carlotta Mohamed
A Bayside man who alongside his wife kidknapped and imprisoned their housekeeper was sentenced to prison time Tuesday after pleading guilty nearly a year ago, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Devanand Lachman, 35, and Ambar Lachman, 35, of 217th Street in Bayside pleaded guilty in September 2017 before Queens Supreme Court Justice Robert Kohm.
“The victim in this case was brutalized by the male defendant, who struck her several times and held her against her will. The female defendant aided her husband in this heinous crime,” said Brown. “The defendants suspected their housekeeper – who had been working for them for several months – had stolen from their home. But the real crime in this case occurred when the defendants decided to take the law into their own hands by abducting the woman.”
According to the DA, on Feb. 13, 2015 the victim, identified as Daisy Machuca, arrived at the Lachman home at about 8 a.m. to clean. At around 1 p.m., Devanand Lachman and another still unapprehended male entered the residence on 217th Street with knives and a firearm. Machuca’s phone and wallet were taken from her and she was punched several times by Lachman, who accused her of taking cash and a gold chain, the DA said.
Brown said Ambar Lachman returned to the home and watched the victim as she was struck repeatedly by Devanand Lachman and had her feet burned with a welding blow torch. Ambar Lachman told the victim they knew she had stolen from them and warned her she would be killed if she did not tell them where the money and jewelry were. Ambar Lachman then took the victim’s keys and went to her home in Long Island and searched for the money and chain, but did not find the items.
Devanand Lachman pleaded guilty to second-degree kidnapping, while Ambar Lachman entered a guilty plea to unlawful imprisonment in 2017.
Kohm sentenced Devanand Lachman to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years’ post release supervision. Ambar Lachman was sentenced to five years’ probation.
Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed by e-mail at cmoha
