(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that defendant Christopher Cella, age 20, was sentenced to three and one-half years in prison for committing several hate crimes targeting day laborers, including Strangulation in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime and Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate crime.
“This defendant targeted vulnerable individuals who only wanted to work, and terrorized them with cruel and inhumane violence.” said Tierney. “He will now have to pay for his crimes with prison. We will not tolerate abuse of anyone in Suffolk County regardless of ethnicity, race, national origin, or immigration status.”
According to court documents and as admitted at 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 his first victim to a remote location, had him get out of the car and attacked him – forcibly kissing him and putting him in a chokehold. That victim ultimately broke free and managed to escape.
The defendant then 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 went to a 7-Eleven in Medford, where he met his second victim. 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, the second victim lost vision and consciousness. The defendant fled after a civilian came to the victim’s assistance.
The next day, Cella returned to the same 7-Eleven and picked up yet another day laborer, with promises of work. When this third victim got into the defendant’s car, Cella sped off and drove erratically. Despite this victim’s pleas for Cella to stop, Cella increased his speed until the victim was able to grab the gear shift and then jump out of the moving vehicle. Cella then attempted to hit this third victim with his vehicle, before getting out of the car and chasing him on foot, all of which was caught on surveillance video.
The defendant was arrested on September 19, 2021 following examination of video evidence concerning the vehicles used while committing these crimes, and photo identifications by all three victims. Following his arrest, the defendant provided a voluntary written confession in which he detailed his crimes.
In addition to the sentence of three and one-half years for the top count of Strangulation in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, Cella was sentenced to one year concurrent for Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate crime, one year concurrent for two counts of Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree as a Hate crime;
• One year concurrent for one count of Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree as a Hate crime;
• One year concurrent for two counts of Criminal Obstruction of Breathing; and
• One year concurrent for two counts of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree.
Prosecutors had requested that Cella serve seven in years in prison for his guilty pleas. Cella was sentenced yesterday by the Honorable Steven Pilewski to three and one-half years in prison plus five years of post-release supervision. He is being represented by Christopher Gioe, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sheetal Shetty of the Major Crimes Bureau.