In a significant move by the Manhattan justice system, Christopher Velarde has been sentenced to 18 years in prison following a spree of unprovoked attacks in New York City. The 40-year-old was convicted of assaulting two men in separate incidents at a Midtown deli and subway station last year, as reported by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
The details of the assaults, which occurred in the early hours of May 4, 2024, highlight Velarde's alarming violence; his first victim, a 44-year-old man at the deli on 48 West 48th Street was thrown on the ground and had his face brutally stomped, according to testimony. Velarde fled with the man's backpack minutes later the assailant struck again in the 49th Street subway station, punching and throwing a 22-year-old man to the ground before making his escape on a downtown train, the prison term handed down on August 27, is the result of one count of Robbery in the Second Degree, two counts of Assault in the Second Degree and one count of Assault in the Third Degree after a jury verdict found Velarde guilty.
According to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, both victims incurred serious injuries, including multiple fractures, a concussion, and the need for surgery—one requiring facial reconstruction, the other having his jaw wired shut. In light of the attacks and the harm inflicted, District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. emphasized the importance of public safety, stating, "Manhattanites deserve to be safe both above and below ground, and I hope the resolution of this case provides a sense of justice to the victims and their loved ones."
Assistant D.A.s Kristen Freda and Geremia Adamo led the prosecution of the case under the supervision of other members of the D.A.'s office, Senior Investigative Analyst Eli Horton and the NYPD, including Officers Sorianyi Abreu and Ariel Marin, Detective Christopher Kissane, and others were recognized by D.A. Bragg for their contributions to the case. Velarde was arrested on May 25, 2024, at the Borough Hall subway station.
