Community Corner

Crimes Nearby: Fatal Shooting, Celeb Attorney Charged, Bank Robbed with Fake Bomb

A weekly round-up of top crime, police and fire stories reported in neighboring communities.

Detectives Probe Homicide in Hempstead

A 20-year-old Hempstead man was shot and killed Saturday evening.

According to detectives, the victim, Quavis Ford, was in front of 100 Terrace Ave. when he was shot by a male black suspect around 4:23 p.m. Ford was taken to Nassau University Medical Center, where he was pronounced by hospital staff.

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No further description of the shooter is available. Detectives ask anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.  All callers will remain anonymous.

D.A. Rice: Garden City Attorney Tries to Extort $200K From Ex-Wife

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Dominic Barbara, a high profile attorney from Garden City who once represented Joey Buttafuoco and more recently Howard Stern, attempted to extort $200,000 from his ex-wife and destroy her reputation and career when she didn't meet his demands, D.A. Kathleen Rice said Tuesday.

Barbara, 67, threatened to file false police reports and a false order of protection against his ex-wife, Rice said, and was arrested Tuesday by D.A. investigators.

The celebrity divorce lawyer has been charged with grand larceny fourth degree, two counts of aggravated harassment second degree and two counts of stalking fourth degree. He could spend up to one year in jail if convicted.

Rice said that between March and September 2012, Barbara texted and called his ex-wife numerous times asking for $10,000 and upon her refusal, began a campaign of threatening calls and texts designed to destroy her reputation and career.

According to the district attorney's office, Barbara threatened to expose details of his ex-wife’s alleged sexual relationships, disclose compromising photos and videos and even hold a press conference about the men he claimed she had slept with.

Rice said Barbara soon upped his demanded payment to $200,000 and also threatened to file a false civil complaint and an order protection against his ex-wife.

During this time, Rice said, Barbara texted and called his ex-wife’s friends, clients and business partner in an attempt to get her to agree to his demands.

According to Rice, in a phone call to her employer, Barbara stated that he had photos of his ex-wife with a partner of the firm, and threatened to send those photos to the law partner’s wife. On another occasion, Rice said, Barbara confronted his ex-wife at a beauty salon, telling her that “things are going to get a lot worse.”

Barbara was also arrested in September in a separate case after he allegedly violated an order of protection by attempting to contact his ex-wife through a third party, according to the district attorney's office. That order of protection was filed in August.

Juveniles Arrested for Robberies, Grand Larceny

Two Hempstead teens were arrested Friday and charged with committing multiple robberies and grand larcenies that occurred in late November and early December.

According to detectives, on Wednesday, Nov.28 at 2:50 p.m., Curtis Williams, 15, and Teisean Kemp, 14, allegedly approached a 14-year-old male victim at Maple Avenue and Evans Avenue in Hempstead and forcibly removed his cell phone. They then fled on foot.

On Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 3 p.m., police say the pair approached a 15-year-old female victim on Peninsula Boulevard, grabbing a cell phone from her hand and fleeing on foot.

Then, while armed with a knife, Williams and Kemp allegedly demanded a cell phone from a 12-year-old male victim at Our Lady of Loretta Church, located at 104 Greenwich St. on Dec. 6 at 3:30 p.m., and fled the scene on foot.

On Friday, Dec. 7, at 9:30 a.m., the duo allegedly threatened a 20-year-old male victim as they attempted to take his cell phone while on Peninsula Boulevard. The victim fought off the suspects and they fled the scene on foot without any proceeds.  But at 1:10 P.M. that same say, Williams and Kemp  allegedly forcibly removed a cell phone from a 17-year-old male victim on Seabury Street and fled the scene. Hempstead police officers responded and located the pair on Peninsula Boulevard, where they were taken into custody. No injuries were reported as a result of these crimes.

Both defendants were charged with first-degree Robbery, three counts of second-degree Robbery and Grand Larceny. They were arraigned Saturday at First District Court in Hempstead. Detectives request anyone who feels they may have been a victim of these defendants to contact the Third Squad at (516) 573-6352.

Community National Bank Robbed With Fake Bomb

Community National Bank in Rockville Centre was robbed Friday morning after a suspect told the bank manager he had brought a "device" into the bank.

According to detectives, the suspect entered Community National Bank, located at 333 Merrick Road, around 11:50 a.m. and requested to speak to the bank manager.

Police said that after entering the manager’s office, the suspect placed a brown folder on the desk, told the manager it was a robbery and demanded money. The suspect also indicated that the folder contained a "device."

After obtaining an undetermined amount of cash, the suspect left the folder on the manager’s desk and fled the bank on foot heading westbound on Merrick Road, police said.

The arson/bomb squad responded to the scene and determined the folder to be non-hazardous.

Four employees and no customers were present in the bank at the time of the robbery, but no injuries were reported.

The subject is described as a white male, mid to late 50s, approximately 5-foot-9 to 6-feet tall, stocky build, wearing a dark gray overcoat.

Detectives ask anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remains anonymous.

Pair Assaults, Fire Shots at Valley Stream Man 

Police are searching for two men who assaulted a 28-year-old Valley Stream man Wednesday afternoon after knocking on his door. 

According to detectives, the victim was inside his Charles Street home on Dec. 5 when two men began banging on his door around 3 p.m.  The victim left his house and approached the men to ask why they were there. The first suspect, described as black, 5’ 7”, 160 lbs.  and wearing a black and red hooded sweatshirt, punched him in the face. The second suspect, described as black, in his 20’s, 5’ 9”, medium build, and wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, displayed a handgun and fired one shot at the victim as he ran back to his home. 

The suspects fled in a late model dark blue BMW 5 series driven by a third black male.  No injuries were reported.

Detectives ask anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.  All callers will remain anonymous.

Hempstead Man Arrested for Gunpoint Robbery

A Hempstead man was arrested on Dec. 4 for allegedly committing an armed robbery in September.

robbing a 31-year-old man was robbed in Hempstead he Third Squad reports the details of an Arrest for Robbery that occurred on Thursday, September 6, 2012 at 4:00 AM in Hempstead.

According to detectives, Jason Lovell, 25, robbed a 31-year-old man on Sept. 6 who was standing in front of 306 Main St. around 4 a.m.  He allegedly displayed a gun and demanded money.  The victim, in fear for his life, punched Lovell in the face and ran from the scene. 

After chasing the victim, the suspect was able to stop the victim and steal an unknown amount of cash and a cell phone.  He then fired one shot into the ground, causing the bullet and pebbles to ricochet onto the victim, and then fled the scene on foot. The victim refused medical assistance at the scene.  

After an investigation and identification through DNA evidence, on Dec. 4 at 3:50 PM,  Lovell was placed under arrest at his home.  He is being charged with Robbery 1st Degree, Criminal Use of a Firearm 1st Degree, Reckless Endangerment, Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd Degree and Assault 3rd Degree.  He was arraigned on Dec.5 at First District Court in Hempstead.

Teen Rite Aid Employee Punched, Kicked During Robbery

A masked man robbed the Rite Aid store in Valley Stream early Friday by punching a teen employee and demanding cash.

According to detectives, the 18-year-old male employee was working in the Rite Aid Pharmacy, located at 198 West Merrick Rd. on Dec. 7 when he was approached by an unknown male around 12:30 a.m.

The suspect, who was wearing a black jacket and black ski mask with a white design on the side, demanded to be taken to the safe and punched the victim. 

The victim complied and the suspect fled in an unknown direction with an undisclosed amount of money, after punching and kicking the victim several more times.  There were two other store employees and two customers in the store at the time of the incident who did not witness the crime.  No other injuries were reported.

Detectives ask anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 2-800-244-TIPS.  All callers will remain anonymous.

For more local crime, click on the following links:  Garden City, Rockville CentreFive Towns and Long Beach


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