A Fresh Meadows teenager found himself in handcuffs for allegedly phoning in a death threat to Councilman Rory Lancman and his family.
Ariel Gershkovich, 17, made “a series of specific, threatening calls to [Lancman’s] home phone” on Tuesday, according to the councilman’s office.
In a voice mail left for Lancman, Gershkovich demanded that Lancman call him back or he would “do a drive-by, old school on you and your family,” according to law enforcement sources.
The legislator was reportedly at home with his wife and three children when he received this voice mail. The 107th Precinct Detective Squad and the Queens District Attorney’s office launched an investigation.
During questioning, Gershkovich — who is known to Lancman’s son — allegedly claimed he made the threats over the councilman’s politics, according to published reports.
Gershkovich was arraigned Thursday in Queens Criminal Court on charges of second-degree harassment and second-degree aggravated harassment and was released without bail. He is scheduled to return to court on April 24 and faces up to a year behind bars if convicted, according to the Queens district attorney’s office.
“The police and district attorney’s office investigated with their usual professionalism and care, and an individual has been arrested and charged,” Lancman said in a statement to The Courier.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
