LI Man Gets 3 1/2 Years In Prison For Hate Crimes Targeting Day Laborers

RIVERSIDE, NY — A Medford man has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison for several hate crimes, including strangulation, that targeted day laborers, prosecutors said Thursday.

Christopher Cella, 20, admitted in court that on Sept. 17, 2021, he picked up a day laborer at a deli in Farmingville with promises of work, then brought him “to a remote location, had him get out of the car and attacked him – forcibly kissing him and putting him in a chokehold,” Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office said.

That man “ultimately broke free and managed to escape,” Tierney’s office said.

Cella then returned home and switched vehicles, and later told police that he did not want to be recognized because, “all those Spanish people know each other,” Tierney’s office added. Cella then went to a 7-Eleven in Medford, picked up a second victim with promises of work, then drove him to a remote area, where he locked him in his car and started strangling him, according to prosecutors.

After about five-to-six minutes, the second man lost vision and consciousness, and Cella fled after a civilian came to the victim’s assistance, prosecutors said.

The next day, Cella returned to the same 7-Eleven and picked up a third day laborer, with promises of work. When the third victim got into Cella’s vehicle, he sped off and drove erratically.

Despite this victim’s pleas for him to stop, Cella increased his speed until the victim grabbed the gear shift and jumped out of the moving vehicle, prosecutors said. Cella tried to hit the man with his vehicle, got out of the car and chased him on foot, all of which was caught on surveillance video.

Cella was arrested Sept. 19, 2021, after investigators watched video of the vehicles involved in the attacks, as well as photo identifications by all three victims. After his arrest, Cella provided a voluntary written confession detailing the attacks.

Cella “targeted vulnerable individuals who only wanted to work, and terrorized them with cruel and inhumane violence," Tierney said.

“He will now have to pay for his crimes with prison,” Tierney said. "We will not tolerate abuse of anyone in Suffolk County regardless of ethnicity, race, national origin, or immigration status.”

“This defendant targeted vulnerable individuals who only wanted to work, and terrorized them," he added.

Cella’s sentence was based on charges of second-degree strangulation as a hate crime and third-degree assault as a hate crime.

Cella was additionally sentenced to a concurrent year for third-degree assault as a hate crime, two counts of second-degree unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, and second-degree reckless endangerment in the as a hate crime.

He also received a concurrent year for two counts of criminal obstruction of breathing and two counts of second-degree aggravated harassment.

Prosecutors had requested that Cella serve seven years in prison for his guilty pleas.

Cella must also submit to five years of post-release supervision.

In an e mail, his attorney, Christopher Gioe of Hauppauge, said that he "intends on using his time to better himself and to make sure he never reoffends" and "knows that he has a long road ahead."

He went on to say that "with the support of his family and mental health professionals, I am hoping we never see Christopher in the criminal justice system again."

"When he’s released from custody, he intends on following every single rule and procedure by the Department of Corrections and intends on working and starting a new life," Gioe said. "I’ve got to know him very well over the past year and believe he’s dedicated to becoming a becoming a better person."