A Southeast Queens taxi cab driver was charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime and other related crimes for vandalizing a religious statue at a Fresh Meadows church late last month just hours before Sunday mass.
Jamshaid Choudhry, 44, of 186th Street in Hollis, was arraigned Friday in Queens Criminal Court for allegedly smashing the head of a marble statue of the Child Jesus in front of the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, causing thousands of dollars in damage on June 30.
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force took Choudhry into custody on Thursday, and he now faces 5-15 years in prison if convicted.
According to the charges, at approximately 5:30 a.m. on June 30, Choudhry was seen on video surveillance parking his yellow taxi SUV in front of the church, located at 175-20 74th Ave., and walking straight to the Holy Family statues depicting Jesus, Mary and Joseph, which have stood in front of the church for more than 42 years.
Once he was next to the statues, Choudhry could be seen taking off his shoe and then spitting on and striking the statue repeatedly with his footwear. The vandalism caused the head of the Jesus statue to break off completely, and the damage caused by the attack is estimated at $3,000.
Church leaders found the white marble head of the Child Jesus on the ground near the statue, and police from the 107th Precinct in Fresh Meadows responded to the location and later classified the vandalism as a hate crime.
“We will not tolerate unprovoked attacks, especially those driven by hate,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
In addition to criminal mischief as a hate crime, Choudhry was also charged with several other counts of criminal mischief and aggravated harassment in the first degree. If convicted of the top count, Choudhry faces a potential maximum sentence of 5-15 years in prison.
“Queens stands as a beacon of diversity and inclusivity, where freedom of religion and expression are celebrated as fundamental pillars of our democracy,” Katz said. “Thanks to my Hate Crimes Bureau and the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force, this individual has been apprehended.”
Choudhry pleaded not guilty at his arraignment, and Queens Criminal Court Judge Srividya Pappachan ordered Choudhry to return to court on Aug. 1.
