The state’s permissive bail laws allowed a repeat offender to repeatedly target businesses in New York City. This continued until his actions finally led to serious consequences, as reported.
Orest Kovalshin, age 37, was apprehended for commercial robbery in various areas of Queens and Brooklyn in 2022. However, he was consistently released because state reforms limited judges’ ability to set bail.
Even after being sentenced to one to three years in state prison by Brooklyn prosecutors, Kovalshin found himself back on the streets in under a year, only to be arrested again shortly thereafter.
With this latest arrest—coming just months after his release—Kovalshin was finally taken in after multiple court dismissals, charged in connection with two more robberies in Queens and for violating his parole.
The criminal justice reforms from 2019 prevent judges in New York from imposing bail for most nonviolent theft cases.
A frustrated law enforcement official voiced that Kovalshin should have been incarcerated much earlier.
“He was preoccupied with breaking into stores overnight, skipping court in the morning,” a source told the publication. “It’s a familiar scenario. Criminals evade accountability while innocent people suffer.”
Kovalshin had a history of robberies when the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office charged him with numerous thefts across eight boroughs between November 2022 and January 2023. This led to a sentence at the Cape Vincent Correctional Facility in July 2024, potentially for up to three years.
Yet, records indicate he was released by the end of November.
In June, Brooklyn prosecutors accused him of additional robberies dating back to August 2023. The Queens prosecutor’s office also added charges tied to thefts from December 2022 and September 2023. All these incidents occurred while he was serving time.
Despite this history, Kovalshin remains free and has stopped attending court hearings.
Consequently, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision charged him with a parole violation on June 27, as confirmed by a department official.
Following that, new allegations surfaced. His latest offenses involved stealing $200 each from Kushgar Salon on August 28 and Fei Yan Nail Spa in Queens on September 9.
Records show he was arrested on September 30 and held without bail after failing to appear in court. He now faces aggravated charges for violating state parole.
“His recent arrest is under investigation by our department, and a new violation report will be drafted once the parole officer completes their inquiry,” a spokesperson from the Department of Corrections stated in an email.
