14 THE QUEENS COURIER • APRIL 5, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com / @robbpoz
The State Liquor Authority (SLA) suspended
a Richmond Hill bar’s liquor license over a
recent history of violence at the premises.
During a special meeting on March 28, the
SLA announced it had pulled the license of
Zen lounge, operated by Nikka Lounge Inc.,
located at 117-15 101st Ave. The suspension
occurred 16 days after a shooting outside the
lounge injured three male patrons.
At about 3:40 a.m. on March 12, police said,
a 32-year-old man from Brooklyn fired multiple
shots at a crowd. Bullets struck a 29-yearold
man in the leg; a 30-year-old man in the
hip; and a 26-year-old man in the torso and
arm. All three injured victims were treated at
a local hospital; their injuries were not considered
life-threatening.
Cops apprehended the alleged gunman —
identified by police as Travis Laroc — a short
time later; he’s now facing charges of attempted
murder, assault and criminal possession of
a weapon.
It wasn’t the first violent episode at Zen
lounge, according to the SLA, which reported
that the NYPD responded to 137 calls for
assistance at the club last year. Two episodes
occurred on the same day, Aug. 19, 2017, in
which an individual slashed a patron in the
arm and abdomen with a glass bottle as the
victim was exiting the club.
In a separate incident that same day, an
unknown assailant punched a patron from
behind, sparking a mass exodus from the club
that resulted in “a stampede of disorderly people
in the street,” the SLA noted.
While investigating the March 12 shooting,
the SLA stated, police contacted the liquor
license holder —identified in the SLA database
as Ann Narine — to obtain security camera
footage, but she refused to comply with the
request. Days later, police were provided with
a redacted video from the club that proved
“worthless to the investigation.”
Narine had allegedly also refused to cooperate
with police when asked for video following
the Aug. 19, 2017, incidents.
The SLA also learned, through a social media
investigation, that Zen lounge hosted numerous
events organized by a promoter, in violation
of the terms of the existing liquor license.
Zen’s Facebook page feed features photo galleries
Photo via Google Map
of “Champagne Saturdays” held there at
the club as well as advertisements — some of
which feature lingerie-clad models — for various
music events.
The NYPD and SLA conducted joint inspections
of Zen on Sept. 1, 2017, and March
17 of this year, issuing a combined 73 summonses
for various infractions. SLA inspectors
charged Zen on March 22 with 32 violations
of the state’s ABC Law, including “becoming
a focal point for police attention, failure to
supervise, disorderly premises and for making
unauthorized alterations.”
“This licensee has not only ignored the conditions
imposed upon her license and failed to
adequately supervise her premises, but she has
also refused to cooperate with the police on
multiple occasions,” SLA Counsel Christopher
R. Riano said. “Today, the authority has
shown that any establishment that continues
to ignore the law and strain police resources
will be shut down immediately.”
It was noted that the licensee can request an
administrative law hearing, and the suspension
remains in effect until such time as the
court reviews the license, or the SLA modifies
it accordingly.
Second perp
now in a cell
for murder in
Jackson Hts.
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com
/ @robbpoz
Detectives arrested a second
individual in connection
with a murder at a Jackson
Heights grocery store earlier
this month.
Fabian DeJesus-Garcia, 28,
of Corona faces murder and
weapons possession charges
in connection with the March
22 murder of Saferino Flores
Pineda, 31, of Jackson Heights
inside the 5 de Mayo shop
located at 81-06 Roosevelt
Ave. Law enforcement sources
reported that the shooting may
be connected to gang activity.
According to a criminal
complaint that the Queens
District Attorney’s office provided,
Gamaliel Desiderio-
Sanchez, 28, of the Bronx
allegedly provided a handgun
to DeJesus-Garcia before the
shooting, which occurred at
about 8:15 p.m. on March 22
inside of the grocery store at
81-06 Roosevelt Ave.
Authorities allege that
Desiderio-Sanchez engaged
Pineda in conversation when
Flores-Garcia approached
from behind and shot Pineda
three times. The two men
then fled the scene.
Officers from the 110th
Precinct and EMS units rushed
to the scene. Paramedics
brought Pineda to Elmhurst
Hospital, where he died.
The 110th Precinct
Detective Squad tracked
down Desiderio-Sanchez on
March 26 and charged him
for his role in the homicide.
He is currently being held
without bail.
Detectives charged DeJesus-
Garcia during the early morning
hours of March 30; he was
ordered held without bail following
his arraignment later
that day in Queens Criminal
Court.
“Last Thursday one of
our resident (sic) was shot
dead inside of a deli on 82
Street and Roosevelt Ave.,”
Captain Nicola Ventre, commander
of the 110th Precinct,
announced on the precinct’s
Twitter account on
March 30. “Because of the
great work of our detectives
@NYPDDetectives and our
Joint Task Force, both individuals
who are responsible
are now in custody.
Queens rents continue decline as home prices soar: report
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
The real estate market in Queens continues
to be favorable for renters, according to
a new report.
Researchers at real estate site StreetEasy
determined that in the month of February,
rental prices in the borough fell 1.9 percent
year over year to an average of $2,064. This
is the largest annual decline recorded for
the borough since the site started tracking
approximately 13 years ago.
Even the borough’s priciest sub-market
— northwest Queens — saw a substantial
drop: prices fell 3.3 percent year over year
to $2,148, translating to an average savings
of $72 a month. Eastward neighborhoods
Flushing, Elmhurst, Kew Gardens and Rego
Park also saw substantial decreases in median
asking rents.
On the opposite end, Woodhaven saw the
highest increase in median asking rent at
nearly 34 percent. Jamaica Estates saw the
second highest increase at 9 percent.
Meanwhile, home prices continue to rise,
with researchers reporting price indices
climbing to an all-time high of $516,148
since the site started tracking. When taking
neighborhoods in Queens, Manhattan
and Brooklyn into account, Jamaica saw the
highest median asking price increase at 987
percent. Homes in this neighborhood sold
for an average of $1,245,000.
Malba, Howard Beach, Corona and south
Ozone Park also saw substantial home price
increases. Meanwhile, Oakland Gardens and
Douglaston saw the highest decreases.
Still, researchers noted the share of homes
with a price cut grew across the borough.
The amount of price cuts offered on Queens
homes rose 1.1 percent to 5.9 percent in
February. South Queens was the only area
where price cuts declined.
The report illustrates continued trends outlined
in an assessment released by the site
last month, where falling rents and climbing
home sales prices were also reported.
Data included in the calculation of rent
indices comes from listings submitted to
StreetEasy by brokerages, property managers
and individual landlords. Home sales
calculations include data on condos, co-ops,
townhouses and single-family homes and are
sourced from the New York City Department
of Finance and StreetEasy listings.
Zen lounge on 101st Avenue in Richmond Hill.
Zen club in
Richmond Hill
loses license
over violence
Photo via Shutterstock
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