Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. announced on Aug. 23 the guilty plea of Lauren Pazienza, 27, for fatally pushing 87-year-old Barbara Gustern to the ground in Chelsea on March 10, 2022. Pazienza pleaded guilty in New York State Supreme Court to one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree. Under the terms of the plea, PAZIENZA will be sentenced to eight years in state prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. She will be sentenced on September 29, 2023.

“Lauren Pazienza aggressively shoved Barbara Gustern to the ground and walked away as the beloved New Yorker lay there bleeding. Today’s plea holds Pazienza accountable for her deadly actions,” said District Attorney Bragg. “We continue to mourn the loss of Barbara Gustern, a talented musical theater performer and vocal coach who touched so many in New York City and beyond.”

According to court records and as acknowledged by Pazienza’s guilty plea, at approximately 8:30 p.m. on March 10, 2023, Pazienza was walking from Chelsea Park when she crossed the street, shouted obscenities at Ms. Gustern and then intentionally shoved her to the ground. Ms. Gustern then fell in an arc directly on her head, causing a massive hemorrhage to the left side of her brain. Pazienza then walked away and left Ms. Gustern on the ground bleeding from her head. Eyewitnesses called EMS and Ms. Gustern was rushed to the hospital, where she became unconscious. She died five days later after she was removed from life support.

After the attack, Pazienza stayed in the area for approximately 20 minutes, before taking the subway back to her apartment in Astoria, Queens, with her fiancé. She made no mention of the assault until late that evening, when she disclosed to her fiancé that she had pushed someone. She deleted her social media accounts and took down her wedding website, and eventually fled to Long Island to stay with family.

Executive Assistant D.A. Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division) and Assistant D.A. Maria Luna handled the prosecution of the case. Investigative Analyst Janine Nassar and former Assistant D.A. Emily Farber assisted with the prosecution. D.A. Bragg thanked Detective Roger Ali of the 10th Precinct and Detective Teresa Cota of Manhattan South Homicide.

See more here.

Suffolk D.A.: Calverton man pleads guilty to burglary and assault

Police & Fire

by Press Release - August 22, 2023

0 752

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Aug. 21 that Guillermo Ayala Jr., 30, of Calverton, pleaded guilty to attacking and slashing his ex-girlfriend’s family after they attempted to deny him entry into their home in December 2022.

“This defendant was so determined to carry out violence against the mother of his children that he savagely attacked three of her family members that attempted to stop him,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Thankfully, this defendant now faces a significant prison sentence which will afford the victim and her family a sense of safety and security.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on December 2, 2022, Ayala and the mother of his children went shopping and out to dinner. Afterwards, Ayala drove around for hours demanding that the victim show him her cell phone so that he could see who she had been speaking to. At one point, Ayala pulled over into a desolate area of Riverhead and placed his hands around the victim’s neck to prevent her from breathing. Ayala also held a razor to her throat and threated to kill her if she didn’t give him her phone. Ultimately, the victim was able to convince Ayala to bring her home.

The next evening, the victim met with family members at her parents’ house to discuss her fear for herself and her children following the events of the night before. While the family was gathered, Ayala began knocking on the front door. When the victim’s stepmother answered the door and told Ayala to leave, Ayala pushed his way past her and entered the home. Family members who heard the commotion went to the front door. Ayala then punched the victim’s father and then slashed his face with a razor blade.

When the victim’s uncle attempted to pull Ayala off the victim’s father, Ayala slashed the uncle in the face with the razor, causing a deep, 4.5-inch laceration from the top of his forehead down to the bottom of his jaw and continuing behind his ear, resulting in permanent disfigurement to his face. As the struggle to subdue Ayala continued, Ayala bit both the father and the uncle on their arms. The victim’s aunt attempted to help, and Ayala slashed her arm with the razor blade.

During the altercation, the victim called 911 for help. Members of the Suffolk County Police Department arrived at the scene and saw the razor still in Ayala’s hand as the victim’s family held him on the ground. Ayala was then placed under arrest.

On August 21, 2023, Ayala pleaded guilty before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Timothy P. Mazzei, to the charges of one count of Burglary in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; one count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; and one count of Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, a Class A misdemeanor.