February 25, 2022
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Earlier this week, my Office announced the indictment of two defendants on sex trafficking and other charges for allegedly forcing a homeless woman into sex work in various hotels and other locations throughout Queens County.

This is the 24th indictment (against a total of 39 alleged traffickers and sexual exploiters) since I created the Human Trafficking Bureau shortly after becoming District Attorney. The bureau aggressively prosecutes sex trafficking crimes and connects victims with meaningful services, support and tools to enable them to safely escape their situations.

The problem is national in scope and US Attorney General Merrick Garland recently pledged the “full force” of the US Justice Department to combat human trafficking across the country.

Here in Queens, as elsewhere, traffickers use psychological or physical coercion, violence, threats, forced drug use and fear to compel adults and children to engage in acts of prostitution. They can also exploit their victims with threats of deportation.

Let me be clear: My Office is a safe haven for all victims of human trafficking regardless of social, economic or immigration status.

If you or anyone you know may be a victim of trafficking or would like to be connected to social, legal or immigration services or simply need information, we want to help.

For more information, email HumanTrafficking@queensda.org or call 718-286-6548.
In Friendship,

Melinda Katz
Queens District Attorney
In The Courts
  • Queens man pleads guilty to manslaughter for stabbing to death son-in-law in 2019
  • Queens man charged with threatening to kill wife at Cohen Children's Medical Center and possessing "ghost guns"
Respect for All and National No One Eats Alone Day
Last week the PS 360Q school community invited my office to be part of its Respect for All Week. Members of my Youth Empowerment Unit visited the St. Albans school on Monday, February 14th, to talk directly to our youngsters about respect. We met with both 4th and 5th grade students and shared lessons on how to stop a bully and ways to stay safe on the internet.

We were happy to work with the NYPD's Options Program and with Community Affairs Officers from the NYPD's 113th Precinct, who joined us for the PS 360Q visit.

Last Friday we went back to school - this time to PS 178Q and PS 221Q, in Holliswood and Little Neck respectively. We visited and passed out healthy snacks in honor of National No One Eats Alone Day and shared a message of inclusivity. My Youth Empowerment Unit was joined by the Amazin' Mets Foundation and none other than Mr. Met and Mrs. Met.
LGA Job Seekers at Corona Elmcor Center
The Queens District Attorney's Office teamed up with the LGA Redevelopment Outreach Team, the Council for Airport Opportunity and several other sponsors and elected officials yesterday to host a hiring event for LGA Terminal C at the Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities Center in Corona yesterday.

Job seekers submitted resumes and applications to fill 250 positions including CDL drivers, security staff, airline agents and other job opportunities at the Delta Airlines headquarters. LaGuardia Airport is a vital hub for transportation and an important employer in our community.
113th Precinct Community Council Meeting
This week, I had the opportunity to attend the 113th Precinct's monthly Community Council meeting.

This forum is open for consideration of topics ranging from quality of life issues to concerns about major crime in several neighborhoods in Southeast Queens including St. Albans, Hollis, Springfield Gardens, Locust Manor and Addisleigh Park.

Maintaining open lines of communication between neighborhood residents, law enforcement officers and our Office is crucial holding the line on public safety.
Little Bangladesh Avenue Street Naming

Last Sunday, I had the honor of joining Councilmember Jim Gennaro and members of the Jamaica Bangladeshi-American community for a street co-naming ceremony at the corner of Hillside Avenue and Homelawn Street.

This intersection is now co-named "Little Bangladesh Avenue" in honor of the residents and business owners of this vibrant community. The event coincided with International Mother Language Day and also marked the hard-fought efforts of community members on behalf of Bengali speakers in the neighborhood.
Information Wanted
The 1994 shooting death of Cleopatra Barlow in Rosedale, Queens, remains an active investigation.

As part of our weekly call for help, we are asking for any information regarding this case. Please contact NYPD Crimestoppers by calling 800-577-TIPS or submitting an online form.