Manhattan D.A. Bragg yesterday announced the indictment of two men for an alleged assault and robbery spree in the East Village
on Jan. 31, whose victims included Ray Alvarez, the 90-year-old owner of Ray's Candy Store at 113 Avenue A.
Luis Peroza, 39, and Gerald Barth, 55, were charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment (see below for specific charges).
Said Bragg in
a statement: "Ray's Candy Store is a beloved staple in the East Village community, and the attack on its owner is deeply upsetting to everyone who has ever visited this local institution. In addition to this alleged assault, these defendants are also charged with attacking two other strangers on the street within mere hours."
As we first reported, Ray and his employee Gabe Thorne were attacked outside Ray's Candy Store around 3 a.m. on Jan. 31 when the pair went outside for some fresh air. A man, who police later identified as Peroza, struck Ray with a belt with a rock attached, causing a black eye and gash on Ray's temple. Gabe was hit across the chest.
The suspect threatened to kill Ray, per the police report. All this apparently happened because Ray and Gabe declined an offer to buy seltzer water from Peroza and his accomplice, later named as Barth.
According to the NYPD and media reports, after the assault at Ray's, Peroza and Barth showed up outside a deli on Avenue C, where they allegedly attacked a second victim. Per the Post: They blocked their second victim's path and demanded, "Give me your money!" authorities said.
That's when Peroza hit the victim with "an unknown object, causing a deep, bleeding laceration" to his head and "a broken orbital bone, and substantial pain," according to the complaint filed by Manhattan prosecutors ...
Later on Jan. 31, Barth allegedly struck a 51-year-old in the head on Avenue B with an unknown object after the man declined his request for a cigarette. Barth
reportedly then left with the victim's smartphone. The victim suffered several fractured facial bones and had a tooth knocked out.
This EVG
post has a timeline of the events leading up to the suspects' arrest.
Both defendants remain in custody at Rikers. Peroza is due back in court on May 10; Barth on March 6, according to public records.
Luis Peroza, charged:
- Assault in the First Degree, a class B felony, three counts
- Robbery in the First Degree, a class B felony, two counts
- Attempted Robbery in the First Degree, a class C felony, two counts
- Robbery in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count
- Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
- Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
Gerald Barth, charged:
- Assault in the First Degree, a class B felony, three counts
- Robbery in the First Degree, a class B felony, two counts
- Attempted Robbery in the First Degree, a class C felony, two counts
- Robbery in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count
- Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
- Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
