STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — What started as a verbal dispute at the Eltingville YMCA on the night of June 4 ended with a man assaulted by a group and stabbed in the back.
Last month, two of the three defendants charged in the incident pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, court records show.
Michael Frazer, 21, of Amboy Road in Huguenot, copped to second-degree attempted assault. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 11 by Justice Alexander B. Jeong to four months in jail and five years probation. Frazer was accused of stabbing the 23-year-old victim. His attorney could not be reached for comment this week.
Vincent Celentano, 20, of Yetman Avenue in Tottenville, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault. If he avoids arrest for the next year his case will be considered resolved, records indicate. His attorney declined to comment.
A third male arrested in the incident was 17 years old at the time. In most cases, law enforcement officials in New York do not release the identities of minors charged with criminal offenses.
Staff witnessed violence: Source
Prosecutors said the incident first unfolded at just after 9 p.m. as an argument broke out inside the gym locker room.
The defendants left the locker room, but waited outside the facility at 3939 Richmond Ave., a source with knowledge of the case told the Advance/SILive.com at the time.
As the victim exited the locker room, Frazer ran inside the building and began yelling at the victim, according to a law enforcement source.
Frazer then removed a blade from his pocket as all three defendants punched and kicked the victim repeatedly. Authorities said Frazer stabbed the victim one time.
The group fled the location in a gray Jeep Compass. The fight, meanwhile, was witnessed by employees inside the building, police said.
An investigation headed by the 122nd Precinct Detective Squad included a review of area surveillance footage, according to law enforcement sources.