Nassau man, Brooklyn woman face third case on kidnapping, assault charges, Queens DA says
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday the indictment of a Valley Stream man and a Brooklyn woman on kidnapping and assault charges stemming from an attack on a 23-year-old man in Richmond Hills, Queens, in August. Credit: Charles Eckert
A Nassau County man and Brooklyn woman have been indicted for a third time on charges of kidnapping and assault, the latest stemming from an Aug. 14 attack in Richmond Hill, Queens, on a 23-year-old man who answered an online prostitution ad, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.
The pair — Gil Iphael, 22, of Valley Stream, and Destiny Lebron, 19, of Fort Greene, Brooklyn — were arraigned Thursday before Queens Supreme Court Justice Peter Vallone after being cited in a 14-count indictment, charging them with second-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery, second-degree and third-degree assault, first-degree and second-degree unlawful imprisonment, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and petit larceny.
They were remanded and ordered to appear again Nov. 17, Katz said.
"These defendants, who are thankfully off the streets, are accused of a spree of assault, kidnapping and robbery charges for their own financial benefit," Katz said in a statement.
According to the district attorney's office, the couple placed an ad online for prostitution services — answered by the victim. Upon arrival at the location, officials said, Lebron entered the room, removed the victim's shoes and socks — only to have Iphael then enter, threaten the victim, repeatedly punching him in "the face, head and body." Officials said the couple then "applied a numbing agent to the victim's toe" and demanded he make transfers from a CASH APP account.
When the victim refused, the district attorney's office said, Iphael "used a tool and began to cut the victim's toe" — threatening to cut it off if the man didn't comply.
The victim then complied, Katz said.
Officials said Iphael took the victim's keys, giving them to Lebron, who removed the man's wallet from his car. The couple then secured the victim's PIN code, making cash withdrawals, then forced the victim to make a recording "stating that he was at the location to engage in sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl" — threatening to post the recording to the internet if he contacted police.
The victim later sought treatment at an urgent care facility, receiving eight stitches in his toe, then reported the incident to police.
Iphael and Lebron face up to 25 years in prison if convicted on this latest indictment, the district attorney's office said. The previous two cases were not immediately detailed.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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