FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 18, 2018 • THE QUEENS COURIER 19
Reputed MS-13
members charged
with brutal
Jamaica stabbing
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
edavenport@qns.com / @QNS
Two alleged gang members from
Jamaica face attempted murder charges
in a violent knife attack on a teenage boy
at the Jamaica LIRR station this summer,
prosecutors announced on Monday.
Dani Cruz, 25, of Princeton Street, and
Maxwell Martinez, 24, of 164th Street,
both of whom are alleged members of
the MS-13 street gang, were in custody
on Oct. 15 and arraigned on charges
of second-degree attempted murder and
and fi rst- and second-degree assault. Both
defendants are currently being held on
$75,000 bond or $50,000 cash bail and are
due to return to court on Oct. 31.
If convicted, both Cruz and Martinez
face up to 25 years in prison, according
to Queens District Attorney Richard A.
Brown.
According to charges, at 10:25 p.m. on
Aug. 31, Cruz and Martinez approached
an unidentifi ed 17-year-old boy, who was
riding his bike, in the vicinity of Sutphin
Boulevard and 94th Avenue. Th e defendants
proceeded to hit the teen with an
unknown object, causing the boy to fall to
the ground.
Prosecutors said that Cruz and Martinez
allegedly continued to beat the victim and
then pulled out a knife and stabbed the
teen multiple times in the back, torso and
arm before fl eeing the scene.
Offi cers from the 103rd Precinct
responded to the incident. Th e victim was
taken to an area hospital for treatment and
ultimately suff ered extensive nerve damage
to his arm and required surgery.
Cops located Cruz and Martinez soon
aft er the attack, several blocks away at
a bodega located at 143-09 95th Ave.
Th ey were arrested on unrelated charges.
According to the criminal complaint, Cruz
was found inside the store while Martinez
was located behind the building trying to
gain access through the basement.
In arresting the pair, cops noticed that
Cruz and Martinez’s clothing and shoes
had been smeared with fresh blood. Th e
clothing was taken to the Offi ce of the
Medical Examiner for DNA testing, where
it was determined that the blood matched
the victim’s blood.
Even so, Cruz and Martinez made statements
to police denying that they took
part in the heinous crime.
Th e criminal complaint indicates that
Cruz stated in sum and substance at the
time of his arrest that he “was in the deli
the entire time. I never left ,” and allegedly
admitted that he was a member of the
MS-13 gang. Cruz allegedly added that he
was “drinking and did not remember what
happened that night.”
Martinez, who also allegedly admitted to
being a member of the MS-13 gang, stated
that said “the blood on my pants are from
cuts I have. I had one construction accident
… I did not stab anyone.”
Financial probe at Howard Beach nonprofi t
BY NAEISHA ROSE
nrose@cnglocal.com
@QNS
A Howard Beach nonprofi t agency fi nds
itself in the middle of an investigation
over apparent fi nancial improprieties.
QNS reported on Monday, citing sources
speaking on the condition of anonymity,
that law enforcement agents raided
on Oct. 12 the NYFAC Foundation (New
York Families for Autistic Children),
located at 164-14 Cross Bay Blvd. Th ey
also reportedly searched the home of its
founder and CEO, Andrew Baumann.
However, the FBI has neither confi
rmed nor denied that this action took
place. Th e U.S. Attorney’s Offi ce of
the Eastern District of New York also
declined to confi rm or deny that an investigation
is underway. Representatives of
NYFAC also vehemently denied that any
law enforcement operation occurred.
“Th e board of directors had their concerns
and it is their duty to due compliance,”
said Jerry Solomon, the lawyer
hired by NYFAC’s board of directors to
represent them. “We have also brought
in an accounting fi rm to assist us in the
investigation – it is an internal investigation
that is being done by the board.”
Solomon would not comment about
whom the investigation was into or what
was being investigated.
“We don’t know whether the investigation
is going to be substantiated or not,”
said Solomon. “We are going to do a professional
investigation and we’ve gone in
with an open mind and we are going to
evaluate what we fi nd and try to make a
quick determination.”
Th e board of directors at NYFAC has
hired Steven Freeman, who has experience
working at other nonprofi ts for the
disabled, as an interim director and CEO,
according to Solomon.
“We want to make sure that there is a
continuity of services to their vulnerable
clients that they serve,” said Solomon.
“We want to make sure that goes on
uninterrupted and that their records are
preserved and that their privacy is preserved.”
Solomon said that the proper agencies
that need to know about the investigation
have been informed, but there is not
a law enforcement investigation going at
NYFAC.
Solomon estimates that the investigation
could go on for another week.
“We want it to be done quickly to protect
everybody’s interests,” said Solomon.
Joe Mure, an attorney for Baumann,
said that there was no raid at the former
CEO’s home and that investigators were
simply doing an audit at the facility.
“Th ey are doing an audit at the facility
to check to see what is going on,” said
Photo via Facebook/Robert Stridiron
Mure. “Th ey are looking over his paperwork.”
Mure said that Baumann has not been
charged with money laundering or any
other crime by any agency.
When asked as to why was Bauman specifi
cally was investigated, Mure said, “I
don’t know.”
According to Mure, Bauman is cooperating
fully with the agency that is conducting
the agency.
“He has been asked to stay away,” said
Mure. “He is doing everything he is to
do.”
NYFAC was founded in 1998 and supports
individuals diagnosed with the
disorder on the autism spectrum with
educational, recreational and socialization
programs, according to NYFAC’s
website. Th e organization was said to
have 150 employees providing services
through over 20 diff erent programs; in
2013, more than 30,000 families visited its
offi ces, according to the website.
Leader of Whitestone school bus
company honored by City Council
City Councilman Paul Vallone recognized
a number of prominent Italian-
Americans across Queens during his
celebration of Italian Heritage at City
Hall on Oct. 10. Among the honorees
was Bayside’s Linda DeSabato, who
owns and operates Vallo Transportation
of Whitestone.
Born in Brooklyn, DeSabato and
her family have roots in Sicily and
Naples; she’s been in the transportation
business for more than 50 years.
In 2013, DeSabato expanded her
company’s mission of safety to include
an anti-bullying campaign; to date, the
eff ort has reached more than 20,000
students, parents and educators.
Vallone noted that Vallo
Transportation has donated its service
for many events in his district,
including the annual Fort Totten
Independence Day celebration, and
has sponsored a free movie night in
Whitestone this summer.
Among those pictured at the award
presentation are City Councilman
Justin Brannan, former City Council
Speaker Peter Vallone Sr., DeSabato,
Councilman Vallone and City
Councilman Mark Gjonaj.
The headquarters of NYFAC in Howard Beach
Photo courtesy of City Councilman Paul Vallone
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