Prosecutors say the defendant struck a child playing outside and later bit off part of an off-duty NYPD sergeant’s finger during the incident.
Queens, NY – A Glendale man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for an unprovoked attack on a 9-year-old girl and an off-duty police sergeant who intervened, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.
The assault occurred in May 2025 while the child was playing outside in her Glendale neighborhood.
Key Points
• Glendale man sentenced to 17 years for assaulting a 9-year-old girl
• Off-duty police sergeant lost part of finger while intervening
• Defendant pleaded guilty to multiple assault charges and child endangerment
Child knocked to the ground
Prosecutors said the 32-year-old defendant approached the young girl and struck her with an open hand with enough force to knock her to the ground.
Authorities described the attack as unprovoked.
An off-duty police sergeant who witnessed the incident stepped in to stop the assault.
Officer injured during confrontation
During the confrontation, prosecutors said the defendant bit the officer on the knee, hand, and finger.
The bite severed the top segment of the officer’s right index finger. Doctors later determined the fingertip could not be reattached.
Guilty plea and sentencing
The defendant pleaded guilty in January to first-, second-, and third-degree assault, attempted second-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child.
He was sentenced this week to 17 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
District Attorney Katz said the case involved “senseless violence,” adding that attacks on children and law enforcement officers will not be tolerated.
Other recent Queens cases
In a separate case, a St. Albans man was sentenced to up to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking a 14-year-old girl and illegally possessing firearms discovered during a court-authorized search.
Authorities also announced charges against a 31-year-old Long Island man accused of manslaughter and driving under the influence following a February 2025 crash that killed his 27-year-old passenger.
In Astoria, a 36-year-old Woodside man faces first-degree assault charges after allegedly attacking two victims with a sharp object during an argument, while another Astoria resident has been charged with murder in the stabbing death of a 75-year-old neighbor.
