A Queens grand jury indicted a fourth Cambria Heights man in connection to a Douglaston home invasion in August.
Oneil Thompson, 45, was arraigned on Friday in Queens Supreme Court on a 41-count indictment charging him with seven counts of kidnapping and a slew of other crimes, including robbery, burglary, assault, and endangering the welfare of a child.
Thompson allegedly acted as a getaway driver for three men — Jone Smith and brothers Ryan and Brandon Dash — who were indicted and arraigned last month for allegedly strong-arming their way into a residence and holding a family hostage.
According to the indictment and investigation, at around 2:15 a.m. on Aug. 17, video surveillance showed three masked men arriving in a large white van driven by Thompson to the home on 247th Street in Douglaston. Thompson stayed behind in the vehicle while Smith and the Dash brothers entered the home and awakened two adults at gunpoint. The homeowners were sleeping in the bedroom with their 1-year-old child.
Around 2:30 a.m., video surveillance depicted the white van’s lights flickering on and off and Thompson exiting the driver’s side door while the three co-defendants remained inside the home. The trio allegedly physically restrained the occupants of the home and demanded to know the location of any money in the house. One of the men allegedly brandished a gun, while two others displayed a hammer and a crowbar. More than $20,000 in cash was taken from the homeowners.
A mother escaped the home with her infant through a bathroom window and immediately placed a 911 call. Responding police officers from the 11th Precinct in Bayside and 109th Precinct in Flushing determined that three men, as well as four adult hostages and two children, remained inside the house. The masked trio were then seen climbing out of a window.
Police arrested the three men following an extensive manhunt in the vicinity of the house. Two of the hostages were taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries. The stolen money and a loaded firearm were recovered after the arrests.
A later search warrant of the white van revealed that the vehicle was registered to Thompson. He allegedly fled the scene and returned to Cambria Heights. After an extensive investigation by the Queens County District Attorney’s Office and New York City Police Department, cell site records placed Thompson in the vicinity during the commission of the crime and showed him communicating with one of the defendants inside the home. Det. Savvas Tjortjoglou apprehended Thompson on Thursday, Oct. 24. He was booked at the 111th Precinct in Bayside.
“As alleged, this defendant knowingly and willingly participated in a deeply alarming home invasion that resulted in a family being held hostage with a loaded gun and two other weapons,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “Thanks to the courageous actions of a young mother, this incident did not end in tragedy.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Yavinsky remanded Thompson into custody without bail and ordered him to return to court on Nov. 20. If convicted on the top count, Thompson faces a potential maximum of 25 years in prison. Smith and the Dash brothers face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
“All those involved have now been apprehended and face justice in our courts for this attack,” Katz said.
