A Yonkers man accused of threatening to crucify police officers and kill the city's mayor has struck a deal with federal prosecutors that lets him avoid prosecution entirely if he follows a strict set of conditions for one year. Ridon Kola entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors on October 29, and the deal was filed in federal court the following day. Under its terms, Kola faces a complete ban on social media, restrictions on internet use, location monitoring, a curfew, a ban on contact with Yonkers police, mandatory outpatient mental health treatment, a prohibition on possessing weapons, and ongoing supervision by the U.S. Pretrial Services Office.
What the Agreement Requires
The arrangement means Kola can avoid further federal prosecution if he follows the agreement's conditions for a full year, according to News 12 Long Island. The station reports that the conditions include staying off social media entirely and having no contact with Yonkers police unless he needs help during a first-responder emergency. Kola and his attorney agreed to the conditions, and the deferred prosecution agreement was signed by Kola, his attorney James Roth, and federal prosecutors, with the deal approved by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel.
Importantly, the agreement is not a conviction or a dismissal of the underlying charge. If he follows all conditions for the full year, prosecutors say there will be no further prosecution — but if Kola violates the agreement, federal prosecutors could move forward with the case, and the U.S. Attorney's Office retains authority to resume prosecution if necessary.
How the Case Began
Kola was arrested after allegedly threatening Yonkers police officers and Mayor Mike Spano in March 2023, accused of transmitting threatening interstate communications. According to the federal complaint in U.S. v. Kola, the alleged threats stretched from around November 19, 2021, through March 14, 2023. Prosecutors say Kola first posted a message in Albanian on a Yonkers Police Department social media account threatening to kill officers in November 2021, then followed in December 2021 with another post threatening to kill Yonkers officers and threatening Spano. Yonkers detectives visited Kola's home after the December 2021 messages, and he acknowledged making the posts but denied having any plans to harm anyone, according to federal authorities.
The complaint quotes several of the alleged messages, including one reading, “I am going to slaughter you little girls,” and another stating, “Starting tomorrow I will start killing your officers.” Beginning in early 2023, prosecutors say Kola escalated his threats against Yonkers police and other government officials while also posting messages expressing support for violent extremism, according to NBC New York.
Threats Tied to the St. Patrick's Day Parade
On March 9, 2023, Kola allegedly sent a message threatening to crucify Yonkers cops and their bosses along McLean Avenue, writing, “I will crucify Yonkers cops and their bosses all along McLean ave.” McLean Avenue was part of the route for the Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade, scheduled for March 18, 2023, with police officers expected to be stationed near that route. Kola lived near the parade route at the time.
Kola was arrested in March 2023. Daily Voice reported he was 32 when arrested. News 12, in a report published on November 2, 2026, called him 35 while saying he was arrested in 2023. A federal grand jury indicted Kola on a charge of transmitting threatening interstate communications on April 11, 2023.
Competency Proceedings Preceded the Deal
Before the deferred prosecution agreement was reached, Kola was found mentally incompetent to stand trial in connection with the federal charges, according to News 12 Hudson Valley. The station reported that he would be hospitalized for treatment at a suitable facility for up to four months, as the case shifted from arrest and federal charges toward competency proceedings and psychiatric treatment before landing on the current agreement.
