(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the guilty plea of Christopher Cella, 20, for several hate crimes including Strangulation in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime and Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate crime.
“It is unconscionable that this defendant chose vulnerable individuals looking for work to terrorize them and assault them,” said District Attorney Tierney. “We protect everyone in Suffolk County regardless of ethnicity, race, national origin or immigration status. We will continue to fight to keep all Suffolk residents safe.”
Cella, 20, also pleaded guilty to:
• Two counts of Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree as a Hate crime;
• One count of Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree as a Hate crime;
• Two counts of Criminal Obstruction of Breathing; and
• Two counts of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree.
According to court documents and the defendant’s plea, on September 17, 2021, Cella picked up a day laborer at a deli in Farmingville with promises of work. The defendant brought Victim 1 to a remote location, had him get out of the car and attacked him – forcibly kissing him and putting him in a chokehold. Victim 1 broke free and managed to escape.
The defendant returned home and switched vehicles. He later told police that he did not want to be recognized because, “all those Spanish people know each other.” Cella then headed to a 7-Eleven in Medford, where Victim 2, was waiting for work. Cella picked him up with promises of work, drove him to an isolated location, locked him in his car, and began to strangle him. After approximately five to six minutes, Victim 2 struggled to breathe and lost vision and consciousness. The defendant fled after a civilian came to Victim 2’s assistance.
The next day, Cella returned to the same 7-Eleven and picked up another day laborer, Victim 3 with promises of work. When Victim 3 got into the defendant’s car, Cella sped off and drove erratically. Despite Victim 3’s pleas for Cella to stop, Cella increased his speed until Victim 3 was able to grab the gear shift, throw the car into park and jump out of the moving vehicle. Cella then attempted to hit Victim 3 with his vehicle, before getting out of the car and chasing him on foot, all of which was caught on surveillance video.
This video evidence, which features the vehicles the defendant used for these crimes, and matched the descriptions of that same vehicle provided by the victims, ultimately led to the defendant’s arrest. In addition to video, the defendant was identified in photo arrays by all three victims. Additionally, the defendant provided a voluntary written confession in which he detailed his crimes.
This plea was heard before the Honorable Steven Pilewski on August 17, 2022. Cella is due back in court for sentencing on September 21, 2022. He is being represented by Christopher Gioe, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sheetal Shetty of the Major Crimes Bureau.