DA Hoovler: Details Western Orange Home Invasion Arrest

January 27, 2024

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler, City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden and Town of Deerpark Police Chief Richard Sztyndor Announce Home Invasion and Unlawful Imprisonment Arrest

Defendant Arrested for Allegedly Committing a Home Invasion in the City of Port Jervis and an Unlawful Imprisonment in the Town of Deerpark

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler, City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden and Town of DeerparkPolice Chief Richard Sztyndor announced that Shareaf Brown, 31, of Monroe, NY was arrested and charged with two (2) counts of Burglary in the first degree, a class B felony, one (1) count of Burglary in the second degree, a class C felony, one (1) count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the third degree, a class D felony, and one (1) count of Criminal Mischief in the third degree, a class E felony.

In a separate incident the defendant was arrested and charged with one (1) count of Unlawful Imprisonment in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor, one (1) count of Attempted Assault in the third degree, a class B misdemeanor, one (1) count of Petit Larceny, a class A misdemeanor, and one (1) count of Criminal Tampering in the third degree, a class B misdemeanor.

Mr. Brown was subsequently arraigned in the Orange County Centralized Arraignment Part and remanded to the Orange County Jail without bail.

As alleged in charging documents filed in court, on December 31st, 2023, at approximately 2:40 a.m., the defendant did unlawfully enter a private residence on Ball Street in the City of Port Jervis, did break several windows to the residence, and did strike a household member with a baseball bat. The defendant did further engage in a physical altercation with several other residents of the dwelling wherein he also threatened several of them with a knife.

On December 22nd, 2023, at approximately 2:00 p.m. the defendant did restrain a twenty-one-year-old female against her will from her residence in the Town of Deerpark and did move her without her consent to the Town of Newburgh, NY. The defendant took the victim’s cell phone, locked the car doors, and struck her multiple times with a closed fist. The defendant then drove her to a hotel located in the Town of Newburgh, NY where a third party then intervened and assisted the victim in leaving that location and reporting the incident to Town Police.

Police Officers from the City of Port Jervis Police Department, the New York State Police Troop F Community Stabilization Unit (CSU), the Town of Deerpark Police Department, and the Village of Monroe Police Department conducted an extensive investigation spanning multiple jurisdictions throughout Orange County. The defendant was arrested by City Detectives during the evening hours of January 24th, 2024, in the Village of Monroe. 

“I commend the coordinated and cooperative actions of the law enforcement agencies involved in this arrest,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “It takes a team to ensure the safety of our communities.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold those who commit violent felonies accountable for their actions.”

“We continue in our unwavering commitment to rapidly and successfully solve acts of violent crime committed against our citizens,” said City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden. “Our partnerships with the New York State Police and our fellow municipal police agencies in Orange County allow us to effectively investigate and apprehend these drivers of crime by conducting collaborative, well-coordinated investigations.”

“The arrest of Mr. Brown highlights the successful cooperation between the multiple police agencies that were involved in this investigation,” said Town of Deerpark Police Chief Richard Sztyndor. “This incident took place across many jurisdictions and shines a light on the violent acts that can be committed against women. Although Mr. Brown has been arrested and charged, we are continuing to investigate this incident and we encourage other women who may have been a victim of Mr. Brown to come forward.”

A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.