Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. today announced the indictment of JONATHAN FRIAS, 28, for striking an MTA contract worker with a metal pipe while she worked on a Lower Manhattan subway platform last month. FRIAS is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with Assault in the Second Degree and Assault in the Third Degree. [1]

“The subway is the backbone of our city. Everyone deserves to feel safe on the subway and this is especially true for the men and women who work so hard to keep the subway and this city running. As alleged, this defendant attacked a New Yorker doing her job. We wish her a speedy recovery and will hold this defendant accountable,” said District Attorney Bragg.

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, at approximately 6:45 a.m. on November 4, 2022, FRIAS allegedly struck the victim’s head with a pipe while she was cleaning the E Train platform at Chambers Street. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital with bruising and swelling on the left side of her face and injury to her left eye.

The victim’s coworker saw the incident and followed FRIAS to the street level and into another subway station at Park Place and Broadway, where he took a picture of FRIAS on his cell phone. On November 13, 2022, another coworker of the victim recognized FRIAS from the picture and noticed he was carrying a metal pipe wrapped in multi-colored elastic bands and plastic. Officers arrested FRIAS and recovered from his bag the pipe believed to be the weapon used on November 4, 2022.

Assistant D.A. Allyson Rivard is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Jeffrey Levinson (Chief of Trial Bureau 80), Jung Park and Maxine Rosenthal (Deputy Chiefs of Trial Bureau 80) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division) with the assistance of Assistant D.A. Andrea Castaño and Trial Preparation Assistant Alexandra Schwartz. 

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly members of the Manhattan Robbery Squad and Transit District 2.

 
Defendant:
JONATHAN FRIAS
New York, NY
Charges:

• Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
• Assault in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count

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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.