Tavaughn Thompson, 26, faces two counts of third-degree assault as a hate crime and one count of aggravated harassment in the second degree in connection with the Dec. 29, 2023, attack at the 125th Street subway station in West Harlem, prosecutors said.
Jason Sargeant, 29, received the promised sentence in exchange for pleading guilty to first-degree assault on April 16, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“New Yorkers deserve to be safe using our transit system without fear of violence, discrimination or harassment,” said District Attorney Bragg. “As alleged, Tavaughn Thompson targeted a stranger because of their perceived sexual orientation in an unprovoked, bias-motivated attack. Our Hate Crimes Unit is committed to protecting the safety and dignity of Manhattanites by holding accountable those responsible for these harmful acts, and I urge anyone who has been a victim or witness to a hate crime to report by calling 212-335-3100.”
“Jason Sargeant committed a brutal attack without provocation at Grand Central on Christmas Eve,” said District Attorney Bragg. “No New Yorker should fear for their safety while using New York’s subways. I hope today’s prison sentence can give the victims a sense of closure as they continue to heal.”
On a mild winter Wednesday evening in January 2023, 74-year-old Upper West Sider Maria Hernandez returned to her home on West 83rd Street after attending a matinee performance of “Funny Girl” with her sister, using tickets provided by a nearby senior center.
