QUEENS, NY — Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has announced charges against a local liquor store owner and two individuals following a series of events leading to violence outside a liquor store in Queens.
On the evening of May 20, Edwin Poaquiza and Kevin Pullatasi allegedly stole two bottles of liquor from Franja Wine and Liquors on Wyckoff Avenue. Store owner Francisco Valerio and his brother, Luis Valerio, confronted the individuals inside the store, leading to a confrontation that spilled onto the sidewalk.
The video shows one of the two men violently charging Valerio. Valerio swung his pistol at the man and the gun accidentally discharged. He now faces 7 years in prison.
As the altercation escalated, Francisco Valerio, who has a concealed carry permit, reportedly attempted to use his firearm to strike Pullatasi but instead discharged it, shooting Pullatasi in the abdomen.
Pullatasi was later hospitalized with internal bleeding and is currently receiving treatment. Francisco Valerio was taken into custody and a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol was recovered at the scene.
Francisco Valerio, 53, of Brooklyn, has been arraigned on charges including assault in the second and third degrees, reckless endangerment in the first degree, and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. He could face up to seven years in prison if convicted of the top charge. His court date is set for July 29.
Edwin Poaquiza, 20, also from Brooklyn, faces a charge of petit larceny with a potential sentence of up to 364 days in jail. His arraignment occurred last night, with a return to court scheduled for July 24.
The incident is still under investigation by Detective Paul Palminteri of the NYPD’s 104th Precinct, with the case being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Hugh McCann of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau.
- Bronx Man Arrested for Deadly February Attack
Alejandro Gonzalez, a 23-year-old male from 1158 Boynton Avenue, Bronx, has been arrested on multiple charges including first-degree manslaughter and assault. Gonzalez is accused of assault with the intent to cause serious and less severe physical injuries with a weapon, alongside criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
The incident leading to these charges occurred early on Saturday, February 17, at approximately 4:41 AM, in front of 1206 Stratford Avenue. Police responded to a 911 assault call and discovered that emergency medical services had already transported the victim, a 46-year-old male, to NYC Health and Hospitals/Jacobi in a critical state. The victim, identified as Jesus Garcia-Desiderio of 1104 Manor Avenue, Bronx, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday, February 20.
The investigation into this fatal incident remains ongoing as authorities work to piece together the events that led to Garcia-Desiderio's death.
- Body Of Woman Found by Police in Brooklyn
On Saturday at approximately 5:05 AM, police were dispatched to 175 Minna Street in Brooklyn following a 911 call reporting an unconscious woman. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 27-year-old female, unconscious and unresponsive with signs of bodily trauma. Emergency medical services declared the woman deceased at the scene.
The cause of death is pending determination by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Authorities are currently conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident.
The identity of the deceased has not been released, pending notification of her family.
- Littleton Resident Wins $400,000 in Second-Chance Lottery Drawing
LITTLETON, CO — Calvin Fitts of Littleton struck it big by winning the $400,000 grand prize in the 2024 Multiply The Cash Second Chance drawing. Fitts received an email notification from the lottery on June 5, informing him of his top prize win among more than 50.5 million entries.
Fitts visited lottery headquarters on Thursday to claim his prize. After mandatory state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $286,000.
Players can participate in the Multiply the Cash Second Chance drawing by scanning their scratch-off tickets into their lottery accounts, automatically entering them into the draw. Besides the $400,000 grand prize, the recent drawing awarded four $20,000 prizes and ten $500 prizes. The next drawing is scheduled for October 9.
- $3.0 Million Pick-6 Jackpot Won in Burlington County
TRENTON, NJ — The New Jersey Lottery has announced that a single ticket has won the $3.0 million Pick-6 jackpot in Burlington County. The winning ticket was purchased at Masonville News & Food Store, located at 241 Masonville Rd. in Mount Laurel. As a bonus for selling the winning ticket, the retailer will receive $10,000.
“Congratulations to our latest Pick-6 winner! This marks the second huge jackpot this week,” said Executive Director James Carey. “Earlier this week, a Camden County ticket won over $200 million, making this an excellent week for South Jersey players!”
The winning numbers for the Thursday, June 13, drawing were: 12, 14, 25, 29, 33, and 36. The jackpot will reset to $2 million for the next drawing, scheduled for Monday, June 17.
Double Play Results
Players who added Double Play for an extra $1.00 had a chance to win up to $250,000 in cash. The Double Play drawing results for Thursday, June 13, were: 01, 15, 18, 25, 26, and 40.
- $100,000 Powerball Ticket Sold in Philadelphia
MIDDLETOWN, PA — The Pennsylvania Lottery has announced that a player from Philadelphia has won a $100,000 prize in the Powerball with Power Play drawing held on Wednesday, June 12. The winning ticket, purchased online, matched four of the five white balls (19-30-31-61-62) and the red Powerball (21). The addition of the $1 Power Play option doubled the prize from $50,000 to $100,000, as the Power Play multiplier for that drawing was two.
Winners are not identified until prizes are claimed and tickets are validated. Pennsylvania Lottery Powerball winners have one year from the drawing date to claim their prizes. Players who purchased winning tickets at a retailer should sign the back of their tickets immediately. For online purchases, winnings automatically appear in the player’s account once the claim is processed. More information on how to file a claim can be found at palottery.com.
In addition to the top prize, more than 19,000 other Pennsylvania Lottery Powerball tickets won prizes in the same drawing. This includes over 3,900 tickets purchased with Power Play and more than 2,600 tickets purchased with Double Play®. Players are encouraged to check every ticket, every time.
- Jackpot Lottery Ticket Sold in Mount Vernon
MOUNT VERNON, NY — The New York Lottery has announced that a top-prize winning ticket for the June 13 TAKE 5 EVENING drawing was sold in Mount Vernon. The lucky ticket, worth $34,782, was purchased at 114 Plaza Deli, located at 114 E Prospect Ave.
TAKE 5 numbers are selected from a pool ranging from 1 to 39, with drawings held twice daily at 2:30 PM and 10:30 PM. Winners have up to one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prize.
Congratulations to the winner and the 114 Plaza Deli for selling the winning ticket! Be sure to check your tickets and claim any prizes within the specified time frame.