Long Island Man Charged Under NY's Hate Crimes Law: Police

Patchogue NY

19 September, 2021

9:32 PM

Description

SELDEN, NY — A 19-year-old Long Island man, who targeted Hispanic men and then brought them to remote locations where he attacked them, has been charged under New York's Hate Crimes Law, Suffolk police said. Christopher Cella, 19, of Selden, drove near La Placita in Farmingville, and picked up a 52-year-old Holbrook man at about 8:15 a.m. Friday, and brought him to "an abandoned construction site" on Blue Point Road in Farmingville, where he attacked him, police said. Cella then left the site and drove near 7-Eleven in Farmingville and picked up a 60-year-old Medford man just after 9 a.m., police said, adding, that he brought him to the Blue Ridge Condominium Complex in Medford where he "attacked and choked him before the man was able to escape." At about 8 a.m. the next morning, Cella went back to 7-Eleven and picked up a third man, this time a 47-year-old Brentwood resident, and attempted to bring him to an unknown location, but "the man became suspicious and was able to get out of the vehicle," police said. Hate Crimes Unit detectives, in coordination with the 6th Squad detectives and Crime Section officers, arrested Cella "without incident at his home" at about 10:15 a.m. on Sunday. He was charged with two counts of second-degree unlawful imprisonment and one count of first-degree reckless endangerment under the Hate Crimes Law, both felonies. He was additionally charged with two counts of second-degree aggravated harassment and two counts of criminal obstruction of breathing, which are both misdemeanors. Police did not release any further information about the attacks. Cella is being held overnight at the 6th Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Sept. 20. The investigation is continuing, police said. Anyone who believes they may be a victim of Cella is asked to contact Hate Crimes Unit detectives at 631-852-6553.