An alleged prostitute from Queens has been arrested for her alleged role in causing three fatal drug overdoses throughout the borough this summer — including the death of an Elmhurst chef who went missing last week.
Angelina Barini, 41, was charged on Aug. 26 with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one or more substances containing fentanyl. She was arraigned on Monday at U.S. District Court in Brooklyn and remanded to custody.
Law enforcement agents had tied Barini — who sources familiar with the investigation say her last known residence is in Rego Park — to three lethal drug overdoses that occurred in Queens hotel rooms between July and August of this year. During the investigation, they established that Barini allegedly worked with others to distribute narcotics to multiple clients and would occasionally rob the victims after they were incapacitated by the drugs.
Barini is allegedly linked to the death of Andrea Zamperoni, 33, who was found inside the Kamway Lodge, located at 40-36 77th St. in Elmhurst, on Aug. 21. Zamperoni had been officially reported missing on Aug. 19.
Federal prosecutors said that Barini and her associates seemed willing to go to great lengths to try and cover up Zamperoni’s death. When investigators entered the hotel room where he was found, they discovered bedsheets drenched in bleach, a power saw and an empty suitcase.
The first death occurred at the Airway Inn at LaGuardia, located at 82-20 Astoria Blvd., where a man was found dead in a room at around 11:30 a.m. on July 4. The medical examiner determined that the victim’s cause of death was acute intoxication due to the combined effects of alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl.
Video surveillance footage allegedly shows a woman, who appeared to be Barini, enter the premises at 9:34 a.m. that day, federal prosecutors said.
The second death occurred on July 11 at the Crown Motor Inn, located at 74-01 Queens Blvd., where a man was found dead inside of a room. Video surveillance footage allegedly shows Barini enter the motel prior to the victim’s death. The medical examiner found the the victim’s death was caused by fentanyl intoxication.
Regarding the Zamperoni case, police went to the Kamway Lodge at 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 21 and knocked on the door, where Barini allegedly opened the door and shut it quickly.
According to federal prosecutors, police allegedly heard what sounded like moving around and, when Barini opened the door, smelled the odors of burning incense and human decay.
Once inside the room, law enforcement sources said, officers observed bedsheets stuffed inside a garbage can, and a human foot sticking out of the bed linens. Barini allegedly told police that she did not do it, and blamed her pimp.
Medical personnel entered the room and found Zamperoni and declared him dead at the scene. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.
While in the room, the NYPD found cellphones, clothing, a glass pipe and a credit card with Zamperoni’s name on it.
Video surveillance from the Kamway Lodge allegedly shows Barini entered the establishment with a man matching Zamperoni’s description at 4:58 a.m. on Aug. 18. Barini was seen leaving the Kamway Lodge at 1:30 p.m. that day to retrieve a garbage can, and was seen coming and going with other individuals between Aug. 18 and Aug. 21, however the victim was not seen leaving.
Barini was interviewed by police on Aug. 21, where she allegedly admitted to being a prostitute and that Zamperoni had paid for her services on Aug. 18. She allegedly told police that Zamperoni did not wake up and was bleeding from his nose and mouth, and that her pimp would not let her call police.
She initially denied that she or her pimp gave the victim drugs, but later, she allegedly admitted that her pimp gave the victim liquid ecstasy.
A search of the room later found a purple liquid in a glass with powder at the top of the liquid and around the rim, glass pipes for smoking narcotics, bottles of bleach and bleach-covered towels, electronics, a power saw and an empty suitcase.
Barini allegedly told investigators that she had heard her pimp and several associates discuss cutting Zamperoni’s body up.
Finally, Barini allegedly admitted to participating in the July 11 death, stating in sum and substance that she gave the victim cocaine, and that he did two or three lines of the drug.
Updated at 4:50 p.m.
