L.E.S. man missing
Francisco Morales, 34, of 60 Baruch Drive, is reported missing, police said. He was last seen at his workplace on Tues., Aug. 11, around 6:30 a.m., at 136-20 38th Ave. in Flushing. He is 6-foot-1 and weighs 240 pounds. No clothing description was available.
Meanwhile, police said that Michael Thomas, a 46-year-old 61 Jane St. resident who was reported missing back in April is no longer missing. He had been reported missing on April 20, having last been seen that day at the Pennsylvania Hotel. But, after a nearly two-week absence, was located on May 1. More details were not immediately available.
Tricky travel agent
On Monday, Cy Vance, the Manhattan district attorney, announced the indictment of Vivian Cheng, 46, a Chinatown travel agent, for stealing roughly $45,000 from victims and defrauding others as part of a scheme. Cheng was charged with grand larceny in the third and fourth degrees, scheme to defraud in the first degree and petty larceny.
“As the peak summer travel season draws to a close, travelers are encouraged to remain on alert for fraud,” Vance said. “Victims of the alleged scheme — which included elderly individuals, adult children returning to China to visit sick parents, and families traveling together — were unable to go on their planned trips or stranded abroad with no way of returning home. Individuals are reminded to be vigilant against scams, obtain e-ticket numbers, and keep documentation of payment and financial transactions in order to avoid falling victim to fraud.”
According to the indictment and court documents, between February 2014 and May 2015, Cheng, the owner and proprietor of Bestway Travel (also known as “First Chamber” and “Broadview Logistics”), at 12 Pell St., stole from and defrauded numerous individuals through various alleged schemes. In several cases, she used credit cards belonging to other individuals to pay for plane tickets for which the defendant had been paid in cash by other travelers. In at least one instance, Cheng charged more than $60,000 in airline tickets unbeknownst to the cardholder.
As part of her scheme, the defendant also purchased one-way tickets for travelers who paid for roundtrip fare to Asia, leaving victims unable to board their return flights and stranded abroad. Many of these victims were elderly and were forced to pay additional fees, on top of what had been previously paid to the defendant, in order to return home.
In some cases, Cheng accepted payment for round-trip tickets and did not purchase tickets at all, instead providing her victims with receipts and itineraries to deceive them into believing that they possessed the necessary information and documents to travel.
Assistant District Attorney Rosemary Yu is handling the prosecution of the case.
For their assistance, Vance thanked Police Officer Chris Rong; the Fifth Precinct’s detective squad, community affairs and Chinatown Project; two Airlines Reporting Corporation Fraud investigators, Douglas Nass and Christine Hettich; the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association; and City Councilmember Margaret Chin and her staff.
Stroke of misfortune
Police said that a 17-year-old youth and a slightly older sidekick attacked another man with a golf club early on Sun., Aug. 23, near the southeast corner of E. 14th St. and University Place. In the incident, around 4:45 a.m., they hit the man multiple times in the face and back with the club.
The attackers then proceeded to snatch a $300 cell phone, $150 in cash and other items before fleeing — the older man on foot and the teenager on a bicycle. Police later searched the area and arrested Jamari Leacock, 20, and the teenager. They were both charged with felony robbery. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital for medical treatment.
Citi Busted
Police said that a 20-year-old woman had something to hide after she fled police on Sat., Aug. 22. She was riding a Citi Bike on the sidewalk until police stopped her in front of 75 Christopher St. shortly after 2 a.m. A foot chase then ensued but police soon apprehended Taylor Honeycutt.
A search of her person revealed a switchblade and a small amount of marijuana, according to cops. The bicycle had been reported missing by NYC Bike Share. Honeycutt was arrested and charged with criminal possession of stolen property, a felony.
Cutter and coke
An unknown person alerted police that a man was wielding a knife during an argument with another person in front of 848 Washington St. early on the morning of Sat., Aug. 22.
Police responded by around 2:55 a.m. They approached Keith Jones, 42, and allegedly found a small amount of cocaine in his shorts, as well as a knife. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
The report did not state whether the altercation had turned physical.
What a dope!
Marijuana hit the ground in front of 75 Christopher St. in what police said was a deliberate effort to sabotage an investigation early on Sat., Aug. 22. An officer approached a man at that address at 2 a.m. after reportedly observing him drinking alcohol on the street.
The man then reportedly threw to the ground a bag containing multiple smaller bags of weed — but this did not throw the cop, according to a police report.
Brady Lightfoot, 26, was arrested and charged with tampering with physical evidence, a felony.
Hookah kooka
Things got testy at the Falucka Lounge in the wee hours of Wed., Aug. 19. Two women got into an argument at about 2:15 a.m. inside the place, at 162 Bleecker St. A witness said he then observed one of the women spritz the other in the face with pepper spray.
Emergency medical service responders aided the 19-year-old victim, whose eyes were burning from the irritant. Police arrested Marquita Evans, 21, charging her with misdemeanor assault.
Subway Samsung swipe
On Mon., Aug. 10, 2015 at around 8:20 p.m., a 46-year-old man was on the southbound A train platform inside the W. Fourth St. station when he was approached and surrounded by three youths who proceeded to take his Samsung cell phone before fleeing.
Two of the suspects are described as being 18 to 20 years old, and the third 16 to 17 years old. The younger suspect wore a Nets baseball hat and red headphones.
— Zach Williams and Lincoln Anderson
