WHITE PLAINS, NY (March 23, 2023) — The Virginia man charged with murder of Andres Valenzuela, a New Rochelle taxi driver, on October 14, 2021 made a brief but combative appearance in Westchester County Criminal Court in White Plains, NY.
Percell Lamont Ross, 53, of Covington, Virginia, currently in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn, was brought to Westchester Criminal Court this morning by United States Marshals. He made a brief appearance before Judge Thomas A. McCarty.
This reporter made an application to record the proceedings. There was a brief hearing on the application. The ADA had no position on the application. Ross’s attorney objected to the application, saying there has already been a good deal of media coverage of the case and more media coverage might taint a jury pool. Judge McCarty granted the application. Ross became agitated and turned his back to this reporter and the judge. A court officer ordered Ross to turn around and face the judge. When Ross did not move, the court officer’s attempted to use an arm bar to turn Ross around. Ross resisted and a brief shouting match ensued before Judge McCarty allowed Ross to face away from him.
Ross’s attorney told the Judge the two sides are still awaiting Genomic Summary Results and DNA Results which she said she expects at the end of May. Judge McCarty gave Ross/Blakely a return date of June 15, 2023. Ross/Blakely was then taken back to Brooklyn MDC by the U.S. Marshals. The entire appearance lasted less than five minutes.
On December 15, 2022, Federal Defenders representing Ross/Blakely told United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan of the Eastern District of New York, the parties are in the process of negotiating a potential global resolution of this case that would not only resolve the federal matter in Brooklyn but Ross/Blakely’s pending state case in New York as well as additional charges in state court in Connecticut and Virginia.
The federal courts list Ross/Blakely as Percell Lamont Ross while the state courts list him as Percell Ross Blakely. Ross or Blakely or Blakeny or Blakeney, the defendant goes my many names and used many dates of birth. According to a report from the FBI’s National Crime Information Center, Percell Lamont Ross has used multiple aliases (Blakemy, Percell; Blakeney, P; Blakeney, Percel L; Blakeney, Percell l; Blakeny, Percel; Blakeny, Percell; Blakeny, Percell Lament; Blakeny, Ross; Blakney, Percell; Kendall, Jerome; Percell, Ross Lamont; Robinson, Teamo; Ross, Percell and dates of birth (1969/0908; 1967/0907; 1967/0908; 1968/0908; 1969/0808; 1969/0909; 1972/1013).
Whatever his name, the Defendant has a warrant out of New Haven, CT dated October 16, 2021 for Aggravated Assault – 1 (assault with a weapon). He also has a warrant out of Covington,VA for Sex Trafficking.
Ross was taken into custody on the morning of October 17, 2021 after a wild shootout with FBI Agents and New Rochelle Police in the vicinity of 330 Hudson Walk in Brooklyn, NY. Ross is alleged to have opened fire on members of a joint local and FBI Safe Streets Task Force attempting to apprehend Ross on the New Haven warrant. Members of the New Rochelle Police Department were of the Task Force looking for Ross in connection with the Taxi Cab murder in New Rochelle on October 14, 2021.
Prior Criminal History Of Percell Lamont Ross
Ross failed in an appeal of drug charges, related to robbery and weapons charges filed in 2006.
On November 26, 2008, in the United States District Court Northem District of Ohio, Percell Lamont Ross was convicted of being a Felon in Possession in of a Firearm, a crime punishable by a term of one year or more, for which he was sentenced to 65 months’ federal incarceration.
On November 14, 2014, Percell Lamont Ross was convicted of the Felony of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer in the Allegheny County Court of Virginia and sentenced to a term of 1 year incarceration.
On March 20, 2017, in the Switzerland County Court of Indiana, the defendant was convicted of the felony of Robbery and sentenced to a term of 5 years’ incarceration.
RELATED:
Percell Ross Returned to New Rochelle for Booking, Indicted in Westchester Court for Taxi Cab Murder (6/3/2022)
Federal Judge Grants Motions Allowing New Rochelle Taxi Murder Defendant to Act as a “Jailhouse Lawyer” (5/27/2022)
New Rochelle Police Involved in Brooklyn Shootout with Suspect in Taxi Driver Killing (10/17/2021)
Early Morning Murder of Taxi Driver in Downtown New Rochelle Parking Lot (10/11/2021)