A black 2019 Infiniti with “dark tinted” windows was found on Laurel Avenue by Hempstead, Long Island police after a man reported that four men in a black vehicle had “assaulted” him over the phone on Thursday night.
Four highly anxious teenage lads, according to the police, were in the car. Officers stopped the vehicle and gave the children the order to exit.
According to Hempstead officers Officer Nkeico Green’s sworn deposition, when officers arrived on the scene, they saw that the four suspects were “shaking” from fear.
According to Green, one of his partners was looking through the glass into the Infiniti while they frisked the young men “for weapons.” P.O. Green reports that he noticed something protruding from the front seat pocket on the passenger side.
Turned out to be a rifle. Upon closer examination, Green notes that this was “a fully loaded Ruger LC9” with “a high capacity magazine.”
According to Green, the authorities also found out that this loaded rifle was taken in Mississippi. The four teens, who included 18-year-old Cordell Rowe riding in the rear seat, 18-year-old Kareem Maraga in the front seat, and their two younger companions who could not be named due to their ages, were placed under arrest and placed in detention.
The next day, at their arraignments, Rowe’s attorney informed the judge that his adolescent clients were still enrolled in high school. According to Maraga’s attorney, his young client attends Manhattan Community College. The purpose of presenting the evidence to Judge Geoffrey Prime was to convince him that the children weren’t a flight danger and that they couldn’t pay bail.
However, these accusations carry weight. Very, very serious. This is not a ticket for speeding. All four face charges of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, Ammo Clip under PL 265.02.08, and Possession of a Loaded Gun under New York Penal Laws 265.03.03 and 265.01.B. These felonies are quite serious.
Oddly enough, none of the teenage defendants appear to have been charged with the initial claimed assault that led to the 911 call. It appears that no one received a traffic citation for having tinted windows either.
The assistant district attorney brought up the fact that Rowe, a senior in high school, appeared to be a resident of Florida during his arraignment. (Florida and Mississippi are adjacent. A gun was taken in Mississippi.
The judge was explained Rowe’s Florida address by criminal defense attorney Joseph Megale. Megale mentioned that Rowe’s mom resides in Florida. Megale stated that the young man genuinely resides in Elmhurst with his family, which includes his anxious aunt and grandmother who were silently observing the court proceedings from a nearby location. Megale revealed that Young Rowe works a part-time job at a nearby hotel’s front desk. (Your Honor, he has a work ethic.) Megale assured the judge that his young client has family support, doesn’t pose a flight risk, and will be back to face these accusations.
Judge Geoffrey Prime did not budge. In these two cases, Judge Prime set the bond at $50,000. Perhaps as much as $1 million. because Rowe and Maraga, the two teenagers, are both incarcerated in the county jail.
Judge Tammy Robbins arraigned their two 17-year-old companions who were detained alongside Rowe and Maraga in the Youth Part of Mineola, Long Island. Judge Robbins released both of them to their parents without setting a bond for them.
