’93 rape arrest
A man who was linked by his DNA to a December 1993 rape of a 16-year-old girl in the Eldridge St. building where she lived was arraigned in Criminal Court Mon., Sept. 20, on charges of first-degree rape, robbery and burglary.
Alberto Barriera, 46, was charged with taking money and jewelry from the victim, then choking her with her scarf and raping her 17 years ago as she entered her building at 2:30 a.m. Dec. 13. Barriera was muttering to himself and not responding to questions when his lawyer entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf on Monday. He was being held pending a Sept. 28 court appearance, said a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr.
DNA from a rape kit taken at the time of the crime was analyzed in 2002 and a grand jury handed up a “John Doe” indictment with the suspect’s DNA profile in 2003, just before the 10-year limit on felony prosecution ended. After Barriera was convicted on drug charges in Virginia Beach, his DNA was entered in a national database this February and matched to the “John Doe” DNA in March. He was extradited from Virginia to New York last week.
Martha Bashford, the assistant district attorney prosecuting the case, said Barriera had been arrested in New York on misdemeanor drug charges in 1999 and 2004, as well as a felony gun charge in 1986, but no DNA was collected on those occasions.
Vance issued a statement after Barriera’s arrest, reaffirming his support of legislation that would expand DNA collection from suspects for the state database. DNA is “crucial in identifying suspects, especially in homicides and sexual assaults,” Vance said. “DNA from all penal law convictions would keep predators off our streets, prevent violent crime and bring justice for victims,” Vance said.
Motorcyclist killed
An East Village man was killed Sun., Sept. 19, when a hit-and-run driver knocked him off his motorcycle at Canal and West Sts. around 5 p.m., police said. Ronen Katz, 27, of 222 E. 12th St., president of an investment company, was riding his 2009 Ducati north on West St. when the driver, making an illegal left turn onto Canal St., hit him and continued on her way. Naisha Sutton, 25, who had her 22-month-old baby in the back seat and was driving with only a learner’s permit, which requires a licensed driver to be in the car, surrendered to police in Brooklyn where she lives. Her lawyer said she had stopped, asked someone to phone 911 but then drove away, according to a New York Post item. She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a license. Sutton was being held in lieu of $5,000 bail pending a Sept. 27 court appearance.
Greenhouse larceny
A busboy at Greenhouse, the club at 150 Varick St., spotted a man in the men’s room rifling through a woman’s handbag during the early hours of Tues., Sept. 21, police said. The suspect, Trevor Nash, 19, was arrested and charged with grand larceny for stealing the bag from a woman patron, 19, a visitor from Vilnius, Lithuania. When Nash was arrested, the victim’s Nikon camera and her cigarettes fell out of his pants leg, police said.
Pier 40 chokehold
A Hempstead, L.I., man, 20, was in a public restroom in the sports section of Pier 40 at Houston St. in Hudson River Park at 4:30 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 16, when a stranger struck up a conversation and then put a chokehold on him and grabbed his cell phone, MP3 player and shoulder bag with books, police said. The victim notified Parks Enforcement Patrol, and a PEP officer arrested Charles Dehart, 32, and charged him with robbery.
Papaya punch
A man who was waiting on the queue at Gray’s Papaya on the northeast corner of Sixth Ave. and W. Eighth St. around 8:12 p.m. Sat., Sept. 18, was startled when the man in front of him turned and yelled, “Back off of me, son,” and threw a punch when the victim was moving away, police said. The victim, 35, fell to the floor when the punch caught him in the face but the suspect continued hitting him. Police arrived and arrested Leonard Johnson, 28, who kicked out the left rear window of the patrol car during transportation to the Sixth Precinct police station. Johnson was charged with assault and criminal mischief.
Peddler arrest
Police recently arrested a man who was first apprehended back in January selling counterfeit merchandise on the northwest corner of West Broadway and Canal St. The suspect grappled with the arresting officer, both fell to the pavement and the suspect, Ceesay Mahamadon, 44, fled. He was recently arrested and charged with resisting arrest and assault.
Albert Amateau
