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QC06122014

12 THE QUEENS COURIER • JUNE 12, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com s police beat COMPILED BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA Exotic dancers, Flushing strip club manager arrested in scheme to drug men, run up credit cards Wet Basement? CALL ARTIE Basement Water Proofing Specialist Serving Queens for 35 Years For more information contact Artie DiBiase Mason Contractor 718.767.0072 Licensed #08097 and Insured Pet Adoption Month Continues! Hundreds of pets available for adoption! Join us each weekend for special promotions to help you find your new best friend! Visit AnimalLeague.org to see special promotions! 25 Davis Avenue, Port Washington, NY AnimalLeague.org • 516.883.7575 Presenting Sponsor: 110TH PRECINCT Corona and Elmhurst Bicyclist struck and killed near Citi Field A bicyclist was fatally hit by a minivan near Citi Field, cops said. The victim, who as of press time had yet to be identifi ed by police, was riding his bike westbound on Roosevelt Avenue around 126th Street at about 12:50 p.m. on June 10 when he was struck by a Mercury Villager that was driving in the same direction, offi cials said. The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the driver remained at the scene of the accident and, as of press time, the NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad was investigating. 112TH PRECINCT Forest Hills and Rego Park Suspect sexually abuses woman in Forest Hills apartment building: cops Photos courtesy of NYPD Police are searching for a man who sexually abused a woman after following the 47-year-old into her Forest Hills apartment building. The attack happened about 6:55 p.m. on June 3 near Queens Boulevard and 76th Road, cops said. The suspect followed the woman into her building, where he grabbed the victim from behind and sexually abused her, then threw her to the ground before fl eeing, police said. The victim suffered minor injuries to her right arm and knee, and was treated at Elmhurst Hospital. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (8477). 114TH PRECINCT Astoria, Long Island City, Woodside and Jackson Heights Man charged with attempted rape in Astoria elevator attack A man wanted in the attempted sexual assault of a 53-year-old woman in an Astoria elevator has been charged in the attack, offi cials said. Elvis McKenzie, 27, who police have been seeking since last week, was arrested on June 8 and arraigned the following day in Queens Criminal Court on charges of attempted rape, assault and criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, according to cops and prosecutors. McKenzie, a Flushing resident, is accused of following the victim into her building’s elevator at about 11:30 a.m. on June 2, where he put his hand in his pants and rubbed his genitals before punching her in the face several times and choking the woman, District Attorney Richard Brown said. He then allegedly exposed himself to the victim and attempted to pull down her pants. At that point, the elevator doors opened on one of the floors, and the victim was able to use her leg to prevent the doors from closing, according to the district attorney. She then began screaming for help and McKenzie fled. “The defendant is accused of following his victim like a predator and waiting until she was isolated and trapped inside an elevator before attempting to sexually assault her. The fact that the alleged attack took place in her own residence must have only added to the victim’s frightening ordeal,” Brown said. McKenzie served three years in state prison after being convicted in 2007 for sexually abusing a 26-yearold woman in White Plains, according to state public records and published reports. He also has several other prior arrests for assault, gang assault, robbery, theft of service, criminal possession of stolen property and attempted robbery, ABC New York reported. McKenzie faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. He was ordered held on $200,000 bail and to return to court on June 23. A manager of a Flushing strip club and four adult entertainers were arrested in a plot to drug wealthy men and run up costly bills at topless establishments, offi cials said. The exotic dancers are accused of slipping the drugs, which included cocaine, ketamine and Molly, into the victims’ drinks and taking them to Roadhouse NYC Gentlemen’s Club in Flushing and Scores in Manhattan, according to the Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Offi ce. During the scheme, between September and December 2013, around $200,000 was charged to the men’s credit cards. Working together the women would allegedly prey on the four victims, who included medical, legal and fi nancial professionals, in upscale New York area bars and restaurants. After they were drugged, the men would then be taken to the strip clubs, where unauthorized charges were made on their cards, authorities said. The men reported having little to no memory of their ordeals and when they would try to reverse the charges, they would receive threatening text messages. Authorities arrested the four entertainers, Samantha Barbash, Roselyn Keo, Marsi Rosen and Karina Pasucci, earlier this week. All of the women were charged with conspiracy, grand larceny and forgery. Barbash, Keo and Rosen were also charged with assault, according to the Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Offi ce. A manager at the Roadhouse NYC Gentleman’s Club, Carmine Vitolo, who was arrested the morning of June 11, was charged with conspiracy, grand larceny and tampering with physical evidence, offi cials said. Barbash, Keo and Rosen were arraigned in Manhattan Supreme Court on June 10. As of press time, Pasucci and Vitolo were expected to be arraigned on June 11. Roadhouse NYC Gentleman’s Club could not be immediately reached for comment. Photo courtesy of NYPD


QC06122014
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