NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Frank Valencia, 19, of New Rochelle pleaded guilty to charges related to the shooting of a Yonkers Police Officer in Sept. 2017, and an unrelated case in New Rochelle.
He pleaded guilty before Westchester County Court Judge Barry Warhit to these specific charges: 2 counts of Attempted Aggravated Murder of a Police Officer, a class A felony and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony.
When sentenced, he could receive a maximum sentence of life in state prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb 8, 2019.
Indictments allege, Valencia was involved in the shooting of a Yonkers Police Officer. Around 8 p.m. Sept. 25, 2017, two police officers responded to reports of a suspicious parked car at Marshall Road and Ridge Drive in the Park Hill section of Yonkers. As officers exited their patrol car and approached the vehicle occupied by Valencia and Reyes, Valencia opened fire and one of the responding officers was struck in the jaw by a bullet. Backup arrived, and while officers returned fire, the injured police officer was rushed to a nearby trauma center. The officer was released from the hospital two days later.
Valencia was injured in the shootout with police and taken to Westchester Medical Center where he was arraigned on charges of Attempted Murder. Reyes was arrested at the scene and charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. A loaded Glock 40-caliber semi-automatic handgun, a high-capacity magazine and numerous bullets were recovered later at the scene where the shootout occurred.
A separate charge against co-defendant, Jerry Reyes, 23, is still pending.
In addition, Valencia pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, stemming from an incident Sept. 11, 2017, in New Rochelle where he fired a weapon multiple times at a vehicle occupied by several people. No one was injured.
Second District Attorney Perry Perrone, Chief of the Superior Court Trial Division, and ADA Nadine Nagler, Chief of the Narcotics and Firearms Bureau, are prosecuting the cases.