Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. today announced the sentencing of MANUEL MORALES, 43, to 2-to-4 years in state prison for threatening a 37-year-old Asian man with a pair of scissors, after making anti-Asian remarks, in Chinatown in March 2020. A New York State Supreme Court jury found MORALES guilty of one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree and one count of Menacing in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime. He was sentenced on September 12, 2025. 

“Manuel Morales will serve a state prison term for targeting, threatening and hurling offensive remarks at a man driven by his own hateful beliefs and biases,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Although the victim did not suffer any physical injuries, this kind of hate-driven conduct and racist vitriol contributed to an atmosphere of fear for not only the victim but other members of the AAPI community during the height of the COVID pandemic. In Manhattan, everyone should feel that they belong, and I hope the imposed sentence offers the victim a sense of justice.”  

As proven at trial, on March 29, 2020, at approximately 12:10 p.m., a group of individuals of Asian descent, including the victim, was standing in line waiting for food outside of a Chinese restaurant at 300 Grant Street. MORALES crossed the street, walked towards the group, and began cursing and shouting racist remarks at them.  

Eventually, the victim tried to get MORALES to leave. MORALES approached the victim and made xenophobic remarks, including stating, in substance, “Go back to your country,” multiple times. MORALES pulled out a pair of scissors from his pants pocket and began approaching the victim. As MORALES did so, he threatened to harm the victim with the scissors.  

Several eyewitnesses called 911 to report the incident. Within minutes, police officers arrested MORALES approximately a block away, and recovered the pair of scissors from his left pants pocket.   

Assistant D.A.s Zachary Kaplan and Cara O’Connor (Trial Bureau 30) handled the prosecution of these cases, under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Constantine Coritsidis (Deputy Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit), Hannah Yu (Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit), Erin Tierney (Chief of Trial Bureau 30) and Executive D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Trial Preparation Assistant Caroline Schwanewede and Investigative Analyst Karen Niremberg provided invaluable assistance.  

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly members of the NYPD 5th Precinct, including Police Officer Kwabena Fraser and Police Officer Edwin Duran, and members of the Hate Crimes Task Force.  

Convicted:

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony, one count
• Menacing in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, a class E felony, one count

Sentenced:

• 2-to-4 years in state prison 

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