A Springfield Gardens man was arrested on board an MTA Q113 bus in Far Rockaway on Saturday morning after an MTA inspector informed police that the suspect entered through a rear door to avoid paying the fare.
Dennis Espinal, 42, of 230th Street, was taken into custody just after 8 a.m. at the intersection of Virginia Street and Central Avenue.
After Espinal was removed from the bus, officers searched him and found a loaded handgun that he was carrying illegally and discovered he was a wanted felon, police said.
“We appreciate the NYPD’s partnership in enforcing fare evasion across transit,” Interim NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said following the arrest. “Events this morning once again demonstrate that when criminals enter the transit system, they do not pay the fare in almost every case.”
“Vigilant NYPD officers stopped a fare evader who not only had an active arrest warrant but was also carrying a loaded gun,” Crichlow said. “Enforcement like this ensures that the transit system is safer and feels safer — which is exactly what NYPD’s crime statistics are telling us.”
Espinal was booked at the 101st Precinct in Far Rockaway, where he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and firearm. He was also charged with criminal possession of stolen property and fare evasion. Espinal is awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court.
