An East Rockaway man was sentenced Friday in Queens Supreme Court to seven years in prison for pulling a gun at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in Glen Oaks and threatening to kill his wife as she held their 2-year-old, who had just been discharged from surgery in 2022.
Thomas Saxton, 36, of Baisley Avenue, pleaded guilty in October to criminal possession of a weapon after NYPD officers recovered two loaded ghost guns, ammunition and cocaine from Saxton at the scene.
According to the charges, on Feb. 17, 2022, shortly after noon, Saxton arrived at the medical facility and confronted his 37-year-old wife as she held their toddler in her arms. Saxton was to pick them up after the child’s surgery.
Saxton pointed a gun at his wife and said that he would kill her in front of everyone present. When she yelled for help, Saxton hid the firearm and left.
Minutes later, Saxton called his wife’s cell phone. She put the call on speaker with hospital staff present when Saxton threatened to kill her as she slept. Police were called to the scene.
Responding officers found Saxton sitting in his car in the hospital parking lot with two loaded ghost guns — a 10mm pistol and a 9mm handgun — ammunition for both firearms, a loaded magazine and a bag of cocaine. Saxton was taken into custody at the scene.
Additional firearms were recovered from his home, for which Saxton is being prosecuted by the Nassau County District Attorney.
“Armed and angry, the defendant turned a place of healing and hope into one of fear and despair,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “Families need to trust that a children’s hospital is a safe haven. We will not relent in our efforts to get illegal guns and those who use them off our streets.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice David Kirschner sentenced Saxton to seven years in prison to be followed by four years post-release supervision.
