Police: Two Hurt in Invasion at Riverside Home Where Prostitution Business Operated

Two people were hospitalized following a home invasion in Riverside on Saturday evening and a person who reported the robbery faces a felony charge for operating a prostitution business from within the residence, Southampton Town Police said.

At about 6:19 pm, police received multiple calls for help from numerous people reporting a robbery at a residence at 131 Old Quogue Road in Riverside, police said. Several unknown men stormed the residence by force with guns and machetes and tied up several occupants with rope and then robbed them, police said.

Upon police arrival, the robbers fled the scene. Two people required hospitalization for injuries they sustained from knife wounds suffered during the home invasion, police said. They were treated and released.

An investigation revealed that Cristian R. Perez-Garcia, 29, of Riverside, was operating a prostitution business from within the residence, police said. He reported that the robbers stole over $3,500 in cash from him.

Other items taken from other persons in the house included phones, wallets, and credit cards, police said. Police are looking for other male subjects who were frequenting the house at the time of the incident but left the scene prior to police arrival.

New York State Police and the Southampton Village Police Department assisted in the investigation.

Perez-Garcia is charged with third degree promoting prostitution, a class D felony. He was being held overnight and will be arraigned at Southampton Justice Court on Sunday.

Luz Espinal, 34, of Brooklyn and Yasmin Paniagua, 40, of the Bronx were charged with prostitution, a class B misdemeanor. They were processed and released with a date to return to court later this month. Anyone with information is asked to call Southampton Town Police Detectives at 631-702-2230.

Google Maps photo: The home invasion occurred at this home at 131 Old Quogue Road in Riverside.