Officials indicted a man for pushing a subway rider into a turnstile at a Chelsea subway station last month for not swiping him in, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced Wednesday.
CHELSEA, Manhattan (PIX11) — A man is accused of pushing a straphanger into a revolving door turnstile when he refused to open the security gate for him in a Manhattan subway station, authorities said.
“This alleged abuse is extremely disturbing and no employee should have to endure this at their place of work,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Our thorough investigation has led to upgraded charges against this defendant, as he is now charged with two serious felonies, demonstrating how abhorrent the allegations are and how seriously we are taking this matter.”
“Our transit system is the heart of our city, and safety underground is paramount. While transit crime continues to trend downward in Manhattan, there is still more work to be done. We will utilize all the tools at our disposal to keep straphangers and transit workers safe, and I wish the victim a speedy recovery,” said District Attorney Bragg.
“Jonathan Ruiz ran a violent sex trafficking operation that spanned from Massachusetts to Delaware,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Even while incarcerated, he continued to harm a trafficking survivor by hiding her from law enforcement and continuing to use her to make a profit. We want survivors to know that this is a safe place to seek help. Please call us at 212-335-3400.”
