Two arrested after NYC sewer exit near Midtown hotel
Two Queens men were arrested after police said three people emerged from a New York City sewer manhole near a Midtown hotel linked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s UN visit. Authorities say they were hunting scrap and valuables, not staging a security plot, and a third suspect is still sought.
Key Takeaways
- Kevin Rodriguez, 26, and Samuel Reveron, 25, were arrested after a manhole exit near East 61st Street and Park Avenue.
- Police say the dig fits a citywide pattern of sewer scavenging for valuables and scrap metal after storms.
- The exit was steps from a hotel where Netanyahu has stayed for the UN General Assembly; he did not stay there this week.
- Both men pleaded not guilty to trespassing charges and were released after arraignment Friday.
- NYPD and U.S. Secret Service reviewed video and license-plate data amid heightened UN security.
The case briefly spiked security fears around the United Nations General Assembly. For more odd investigations and open questions, see our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries coverage.
What happened near the Midtown hotel?
According to a criminal complaint cited by NBC News, men were seen climbing out of a manhole near East 61st Street and Park Avenue about 1:38 a.m. Wednesday. Around 4 a.m., they were observed getting into vehicles and driving over the Queensboro Bridge, where automatic license-plate readers logged the cars.
The New York Police Department said Rodriguez and Reveron, both from Queens, fled after climbing out when officers were called. They were arrested Thursday. CNN reported a citywide manhunt and that additional suspects are being sought. The BBC said three men were seen exiting the manhole near the hotel where Netanyahu was reportedly expected to stay.
Was this linked to Netanyahu or the UN?
Police say no. The NYPD told the BBC the episode fits other sewer entries in which people search for valuables and scrap metal after storms. “Out of an abundance of caution given the U.N. General Assembly and the sensitivity of the location,” the department said it was doing extra security sweeps with federal partners.
CNN reported the underground trip appeared unrelated to targeting the hotel, where Netanyahu regularly stays during the UN gathering and was expected the next day. NBC News later noted he ultimately did not bunk there this week. Attorney Brian Kennedy, representing Reveron, denied any link to the UN or foreign officials and called a nefarious scheme baseless.
What charges do the suspects face?
Rodriguez and Reveron were booked on trespassing counts. The BBC also reported conspiracy charges. Court records show both pleaded not guilty Friday morning and were released from custody. Per the complaint cited by NBC, both identified themselves as the men who entered the manhole and said they went in together to look for valuables washed into storm drains and sewers.
Going into New York’s sewer system is illegal and dangerous, officials warn, citing toxic gases and flooding. The city’s Department of Environmental Protection has urged the public never to enter pipes, drains, catch basins, manholes, or outfalls. Similar manhole sightings were reported in recent months near Penn Station, in Queens, and in Brooklyn.