PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 27, 2006

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

Indictment Filed in 1/19 “Home Invasion” Shooting in Mariner’s Harbor
***Hector Cardona, 18, Named in 19-Count Indictment for Shooting Which Critically Injured Ricky Rodriguez, 36, of Mariner’s Harbor***

STATEN ISLAND, NY – Richmond County District Attorney Daniel M Donovan, Jr. announced today the indictment of Hector Cardona, 18, of 34 Renfrew Place, Staten Island, on charges related to a January 19th “home invasion” robbery at 42 Lake Avenue, which resulted in the shooting of a resident of the home. Cardona’s two accomplices in the incident remain un-apprehended.

Cardona has been indicted on 19 counts, including: seven counts of Robbery in the 1st Degree, two counts each of Robbery in the 2nd and 3rd Degrees, seven counts of Burglary in the 1st Degree, and one count of Assault in the 1st Degree. The defendant faces multiple Class B Violent Felonies which each carry a maximum of up to 25 years in prison.

It is alleged that in the early afternoon of January 19th, the defendant, accompanied by two others, entered the victim’s home and held the victim’s 16 year old daughter at gunpoint and proceeded to steal jewelry from her. While the defendant and others were rummaging through the house, they recovered a safe from inside the residence. While the defendant and his accomplices were attempting to leave the scene, Mr. Rodriguez arrived home and was shot twice in the head.

The defendant was arrested on charges related to the incident on January 21, 2006. He was arraigned the following day in Staten Island Criminal Court and is being held on $150,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment, Wednesday, February 1st, 2006 in State Supreme Court in St. George.

Assistant District Attorney Raja Rajeswari of the Supreme Court Bureau will be prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Paul A. Capofari, Deputy Chief of the Supreme Court Bureau and Executive Assistant District Attorney Timothy J. Koller. The defendant is represented by Mark Geisser, Esq.

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.

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