PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:

December 30, 2004

Contact: William J. Smith (718) 556-7150

NYPD Transit Officer Indicted on Charge of Reckless Endangerment
***Jonathan Lugo, 36, Indicted for July 28th Shooting Incident at Nightclub***

STATEN ISLAND, NY – Richmond County District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. today announced that Jonathan Lugo, 36, of West Brighton, has been indicted by a Staten Island Grand Jury on the charge of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, a “Class D” Felony (PL 120.25).

On July 28, 2004, at approximately 11:20 PM, Lugo is alleged to have fired approximately twelve shots from his Glock service pistol in the vestibule of the Curves "adult" nightclub at 2945 Arthur Kill Road in the Charleston section of the Borough. No one was injured as a result of the shooting. Following an investigation by the NYPD and Richmond County District Attorney’s Office, Lugo was arrested at his home on August 5th and arraigned the following day in Stapleton Criminal Court.

Assistant District Attorney Rick Pasacreta, Chief of the Special Case Unit will be prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Mario Mattei, Chief of the Investigations Bureau. If convicted of the charge in the indictment, Lugo faces a maximum of 7 years in prison.

Lugo is a 15 year veteran of the NYPD, assigned to Transit District 32 in Brooklyn. He is scheduled to be arraigned next Wednesday, January 5th, 2005 in State Supreme Court in St. George.

The public is reminded than an indictment is merely an accusation, and that a defendant is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

-end-