An immigrant who was caught on camera leading a group of asylum-seeking thugs in assaulting two NYPD officers in Times Square and was released on bail shortly thereafter has been arrested on suspicion of serial theft, police sources said.
Yohenry Brito, 24, of Venezuela, was arrested late Tuesday on suspicion of two thefts at Sephora stores in Manhattan. In one incident in July, he cut security wire on a display case to steal perfume, and in another incident on Aug. 6, he stole $1,358 worth of merchandise from the store before fleeing with an accomplice, who has not been arrested, police sources told The Washington Post.
He had previously been arrested and released on at least three counts of theft before and after the shameful police beating in Times Square.
Authorities said Brito was one of seven immigrants seen punching and kicking an NYPD officer and a lieutenant in Times Square in a shocking video captured on Wednesday night. The brawl began after officers tried to disperse a rowdy crowd.
Five of the accused asylum seekers – Yeoman Reveron, 24, Joan Borada, 22, Wilson Juarez, 21, Darwin Andres Gómez Izquier, 19, and Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19 – were charged with assaulting a police officer and obstructing a government investigation and released without bail.
Brito was initially released along with the others who allegedly punched the officers, but following a public outcry he was remanded in custody and ordered held on $15,000 cash or $50,000 bond for allegedly starting a fight with officers and for two pending misdemeanor theft cases.
But after his release in February after the Rev. Juan Ruiz, an activist pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge, posted $15,000, the repeat offender is back on the streets.
“Our church is essentially a sanctuary,” Pastor Juan Ruiz told The Washington Post at the time. “We assume people are innocent until proven innocent.”
Two months later, Brito was arrested again on a theft charge after allegedly attempting to steal children’s clothes and “fragrance” from Macy’s flagship Herald Square store.
On the day of his release, Judge Laura Ward said in Manhattan Criminal Court that she was “outraged” that he had been arrested again while out on bail for the Times Square assault on a police officer, and warned that another incident could land him in prison.
“I now very much want you in jail. If I find out that you are rearrested on any charge between now and the end of this case, I will issue a warrant and set bail very high to ensure you are never released,” she continued.
“If you run a red light, jump a turnstile or do anything that would require me to issue a warrant, you will not see the light of day until this case is over,” Ward declared.
Brito was indicted on the new theft charges Monday and remains in custody on $25,000 bail for the July theft charge.
He is currently being held on $50,000 bail following his recent arrest in the Times Square police assault case.
