12 The QUEE NS Courier • juLY 21, 2016 FOR Breaking news visit www.qns.com police beat Compiled by Robert Pozarycki AND Angela Matua 108th Precinct Man attempts to rape woman in front of a Woodside apartment complex Police are looking for a man who attempted to rape a 24-year-old woman outside of a Woodside apartment complex last month. On June 9 at 10:30 p.m., the victim was standing in an outdoor lobby at 66-14 Woodside Ave. when the suspect approached her from behind, pushed her against the wall and pulled down her pants, police said. The victim yelled and the suspect Astoria man charged for threatening witness in his cousin’s murder case 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 ran in an unknown direction. Police describe the suspect as a Hispanic male, approximately 20 years old, 5 feet, 5 inches tall and about 160 pounds. The suspect also has a slim but muscular build and black spiky hair that is cut low on the sides, and he was last seen wearing black shorts and a striped tank top. Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or for Spanish 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are confidential. An Astoria man who tried to threaten a witness testifying against his cousin in a murder case is facing several charges, according to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown. Tyrone Ceruti, 39, of Astoria, and Samuel Ceruti, 37, of East New York, have been charged with second-, fourth- and fifth-degree conspiracy and third-degree tampering with a witness. Samuel Ceruti fatally shot Sean Overton, 42, at the Astoria Houses at 2-06 Astoria Blvd. on April 5, 2015. He has been held without bail since his arraignment on charges of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Ceruti faces up to 25 years to life in prison if he is convicted and is due back on court in Sept. 16. According to DNAinfo, Overton was a construction worker and father of a 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son. Between May 9, 2015, and June 28, 2016, the two cousins conspired to commit first-degree murder, according to the charges. Samuel Ceruti, who is currently being held on Rikers Island, hired three men to attack the witness. His cousin, Tyrone, approached the witness after the attack and told the witness not to testify. “Prospective witnesses must be protected from outside interference that might affect their testimony,” Brown said. “This office will not tolerate the intimidation of, or tampering with, witnesses and is committed to the vigorous prosecution of Photo via Google Maps Two cousins were charged with tampering with a witness in a murder case. those who engage in such conduct.” Samuel Ceruti is also charged with second-degree assault and second-degree tampering with a witness. If convicted, he faces up to 25 to life. Tyrone Ceruti, who is due back in court on Aug. 2 and ordered held on $1 million bail, faces up to 12 1/2 to 25 years in prison if convicted. Jail time and probation coming for Middle Village man arrested in online teen sex sting A Middle Village man pleaded guilty this week to charges that he tried to set up a sexual encounter with a teenage girl who turned out to be an undercover cop in an online chat room. Joseph R. Sylvester, 51, of 78th Street entered a guilty plea to one count of second-degree rape on Tuesday before Queens Supreme Court Justice Dorothy Chin-Brandt. He faces up to six months behind bars and 10 years of probation when he is sentenced on Sept. 7. Sylvester was arrested on Jan. 5 at an undisclosed location in Queens where he arranged to meet up with an individual whom he believed to be a 14-year-old girl but who was, in reality, an undercover NYPD detective. According to prosecutors, Sylvester and the detective first made contact in November 2015 in an AOL chat room. Using the screen name armystrongnyataol.com, law enforcement sources noted, Sylvester identified himself as a 50-year-old man and exchanged pictures with the undercover agent. They engaged in several chats and exchanged text messages numerous times between Nov. 24, 2015 and Jan. 5 of this year, many of which Sylvester initiated and were sexual in nature. After their first encounter, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said, Sylvester expressed a desire to meet with the girl. This led to the Jan. 5 meeting, whereupon Sylvester was taken into custody by members of the NYPD Vice Enforcement Major Case Unit. “This case underscores the crucial importance of internet surveillance by law enforcement to protect children from sexual predators,” Brown said in a statement. “This should serve as a warning to parents to closely monitor their children’s internet access and activities because sexual predators continue to relentlessly troll the internet for victims.” In addition to jail time and probation, Sylvester will also be required to enroll in the state’s sex offender registry and complete a sex offender reform program. View More Neighborhood News QNS.COM
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