Ex-con who’d boasted he’d be out 24 hours after arrest for NYC crime spree stays in custody

After boldly predicting he’d be out 24 hours after being caught for an alleged three-borough crime tour, an ex-con’s powers of prognostication have been confirmed false Wednesday.

Suspect Carlos Perez, 24, remained in custody following a Manhattan Federal Courtroom look after allegedly robbing 13 folks at gunpoint in the course of the wild rampage inside a stolen minivan.

“In 24 hours, I’ll be out on bail,” he’d boasted Tuesday night time.

Nevertheless, his lawyer didn’t ask for bail Wednesday and he remained in custody till not less than his subsequent courtroom date. His alleged accomplice Alvin Velez, 34, was set to be launched on a $75,000 bond. He’s to stay beneath home arrest at his brother’s Manhattan house all through the pendency of his case.

The 2 reputed drug sellers confronted federal Hobbs Act costs for theft, conspiracy to commit theft and a gun cost, in line with courtroom paperwork. Perez was additionally a member of the 280 Gang, a subset of the Crips, stated police, and each suspects have been free regardless of a number of arrests whereas on parole.

NYPD Chief of Detective James Essig stated the oft-arrested duo each had prolonged rap sheets, with a mixed 20 prior arrests. Velez was on parole for a 2013 tried homicide conviction, whereas Perez had 9 earlier bust together with his personal tried homicide cost.

“You see how violent they’re,” stated Essig. “They shouldn’t be out on the road, Been arrested quite a few occasions … Steal a automobile at gunpoint, trip by means of three boroughs pointing weapons at folks. Pistol-whipping folks.”

The case went to federal courtroom so regulation enforcement might get “the largest bang for the buck” with federal costs, and was unrelated to the suspect’s braggadocio about bail, stated Essig.

“You surprise why crime is at elevated ranges?” requested Essig. “Due to these things.”

Perez punched a 79-year-old man within the face simply two months in the past and Velez was arrested 5 occasions since his November 2021 parole, in line with police.

NYPD helicopter footage exhibits Perez and Velez crashing the minivan close to Cedar Ave. and W. 179th St. in College Heights within the Bronx round 4 a.m. on Tuesday.

Velez was arrested on the crash scene to finish a police manhunt for the pair, the video exhibits. Perez — a fast-paced black determine on the night-vision video — is seen operating down the block and hopping a fence. Cops chased him right into a constructing a couple of blocks away.

The gun used within the robberies was discovered within the van’s glove compartment, police stated.

The black-clad duo’s crime spree began in Queens simply earlier than 1 a.m. Tuesday once they rolled up in a white Toyota minivan and robbed two girls on Alstyne Ave. close to 104th St. in Corona, fleeing with two cell telephones and a necklace, police stated.

A short while later, the pair robbed two folks of their money and a mobile phone on the Woodside Motel on Queens Blvd. close to sixty fifth St., cops stated.

The crooks then drove to Brooklyn, the place they held up a person on N. eleventh St. and Wythe Ave. in Greenpoint at 1:45 a.m. earlier than going again to Queens and holding up six folks at an out of doors eating shed in Jackson Heights about 20 minutes later, cops stated.

Their final two heists have been in Manhattan, the place they robbed a employee in a meals truck outdoors Washington Sq. Park at 2:40 a.m., then snatched a bag with private property off a lady at Seaman Ave. and W. 204th St. in Inwood at 3:10 a.m., police stated.

Not one of the theft victims have been harm.

Investigators consider the duo have been robbing anybody they might discover on the road for fast money and valuables and have been planning to proceed their spree within the Bronx once they crashed, police stated.

“Nothing occurred. I didn’t do it,” Perez shouted to reporters as he was walked out of the a hundred and tenth Precinct stationhouse in Corona by cops late Tuesday. “Ya heard? Ya heard? I’m harmless.”

Velez twice made the identical declare of innocence.

Velez was paroled in November 2021 after serving seven years in state jail for an tried homicide in Manhattan, data present. Earlier than that, he was conditionally launched by parole in February 2013 after serving greater than a yr for a weapons conviction, additionally in Manhattan.

Between Feb. 4, 2022 and Jan. 9, 2023, Velez had been arrested six occasions, although Division of Correction and Neighborhood Supervision employees decided there was not sufficient proof to maneuver ahead with a parole listening to.

Perez, in line with data, was paroled in October 2020 after serving greater than a yr for a Bronx weapons conviction.

Regardless of arrests on Dec. 1 and Jan. 12 when Perez broke parole, he was additionally nonetheless roaming the streets.

A spokesperson for the DOCCS informed The Information no warrant was issued as a result of the assistant district lawyer assigned to his December case requested the company not use police or civilian witnesses at a parole listening to. After the arrest was submitted to the Board of Parole, they really useful no delinquency pending courtroom outcomes.

He has not confronted any parole motion for his January arrest as DOCCS employees work with the police to “collect the required data and proof for attainable warrant motion.”