NEW ROCHELLE, NY (January 2, 2023) — Three defendants arrested following a police pursuit and manhunt last Thursday appeared Friday in New Rochelle City Court before Judge Eileen Songer McCarthy.
The Felony Complaint provided new information beyond the press statement by the New Rochelle Police Department. The vehicle was not stolen out of Connecticut.
The stolen vehicle, a 2016 Audi A7, is owned by a woman in East Newark, NJ. She told police she last saw the vehicle on Monday, December 26, 2022. The owner of the vehicle told police she purchased the Audi A7 for $34,000 in July 2020, that its physical condition was excellent, and its value was $34,000. She said the amount of unlawful damage to the vehicle was more than $5,000.
The time and location of the three arrests was 104 Seacord Road in New Rochelle, NY on December 29, 2022, at approximately 2:08 pm.
All of the weapons charges were moved from all three defendants to one defendant, Justin McKinney. None of the defendants was charged with Criminal Possession Stolen Property – 3rd, a D Felony, as listed in the initial NRPD Press Release. Instead, Clark and Velez were charged with Unauthorized Use Of A Vehicle—3rd, a class A misdemeanor.
Judge Songer McCarthy issued TOPs on behalf of the owner of the vehicle.
Clark and Velez were given a return date of Friday, January 20, 2023, then ROR’d.
Judge Songer McCarthy set bail for McKinney at $5,000 cash, $25,000 bond, $50,000 partially secured bond at 10%. He did not make bail and was remanded to Westchester County Jail.
Updated Charges:
Justin McKinney, age 18, from Kearny, NJ
- Criminal Possession of a Weapon – 2nd, a C Felony
- Criminal Possession of a Weapon – 3rd (Large Ammo Device), a D Felony
McKinney was found in possession of a loaded Glock 9 mm semiautomatic-handgun in his pants. He also possessed a large capacity ammunition feeding device, loaded with 29 9 mm bullets.
McKinney’s lawyer told Judge Songer McCarthy that her client told her the warrant out of New Jersey for armed carjacking, listed in the initial NRPD Press Release, had been resolved. Information on the warrant was not contained in the Felony Complaint.
Frank L.D. Clark, age 20, from Newark, NJ
- Unauthorized Use Of A Vehicle—3rd, a class A misdemeanor.
The charges of Criminal Possession Stolen Property – 3rd, Criminal Possession of a Weapon – 2nd and Criminal Possession of a Weapon – 3rd (Large Ammo Device), listed in the initial NRPD Press Release, were not part of the charging documents presented in court.
Eliezer Velez, age 19, of Newark, NJ
- Unauthorized Use Of A Vehicle—3rd, a class A misdemeanor.
The charges of Criminal Possession Stolen Property – 3rd, Criminal Possession of a Weapon – 2nd and Criminal Possession of a Weapon – 3rd (Large Ammo Device), listed in the initial NRPD Press Release, were not part of the charging documents presented in court.
NRPD Police narrative: On December 29th, 2022, at about 1:30pm, The Westchester County Real Time Crime Center advised New Rochelle Police that a stolen vehicle had entered New Rochelle after having been chased by Greenwich, CT Police and Westchester County Police on the Hutchinson River Parkway. New Rochelle Police and Westchester County Police began to search the area. New Rochelle Police located the vehicle, abandoned at the corner of North Ave and Bon Air Avenue. While continuing the search, New Rochelle Police observed four males walking on Seacord Road, a short distance away from the abandoned vehicle. The four males began to run behind homes on Bon Air Avenue once they saw the police approach. Two suspects were quickly apprehended behind a Bon Air Avenue home, and one of the suspects was found to be in possession of a loaded 9 mm Glock handgun with an extended magazine holding 29 rounds. A third suspect was caught running on Seacord Road. The fourth suspect was not found. One of the suspects was wanted out of New Jersey for an armed carjacking. The three suspects were brought to New Rochelle Police headquarters for further investigation and booking.
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