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The three defendants allegedly caused more than $100,000 in damage at the cemetery.
By Forum Staff
Three Queens men have been charged with burglary, criminal trespass and criminal mischief as hate crimes for vandalizing nearly 100 headstones, as well as mausoleums and monuments, in Cypress Hills Cemetery three months ago, causing more than $100,000 in damage. District Attorney Brown said, “Even in their eternal rest the dead of Queens County cannot escape from the bigotry and hatred that brews in some people’s hearts. Fortunately, working jointly with our police partners – the New York City Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force – we were able to bring to justice those accused of this heinous desecration. In Queens County, the most culturally diverse county in the nation, crimes of hate will never be tolerated and we will do all in our power to root out those responsible for such hate and prejudice.”
The defendants were identified as A. Barrancos, 21, of Forest Hills, Bruno Camacho, 21, of Elmhurst, and Edward Evseev, 21, of Richmond Hill.
The three defendants were on a criminal complaint charging each of them with third-degree burglary as a hate crime, second-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime, first-degree cemetery desecration, first-degree aggravated harassment and third-degree criminal trespass as a hate crime.
Bail was set at $100,000 bond/$70,000 cash and the defendants were ordered to return to court on November 15. If convicted, the defendants each face up to 15 years in prison.
The three defendants trespassed in a section of Cypress Hills Cemetery sometime between 6:00 p.m. on August 14th and 6:15 a.m. the following day.
They caused serious damage to cemetery property, including:
• Inside the Memorial Abbey Mausoleum, in which approximately 15 vaults were damaged with at least two marble enclosures cracked and more than ten marble enclosures damaged by paint. In addition, three stained glass windows were broken, three statutes were knocked over and broken, and at least two bases for these statutes were also knocked over and broken;
• Within the cemetery’s Parkside subdivision, which is near the Memorial Abbey Mausoleum, approximately 72 headstones were knocked over and approximately 48 headstones were damaged with paint, which included, “God LOL” and the “N”word;
and • On the Gee Poy Kup Association’s monument and the Sze Kong Mutual Benevolent Association’s arch were spray painted the words “Ching Chong”. In addition, on an Asian headstone, “F— Jackie Chan” was spray painted and there appeared to be human feces on it.
