After police officers scuffled with two trespassers inside Kingsbridge Heights’ Kingsbridge Road Subway Station, which serves the D train on Election Day, Nov. 5, a concealed AR-15-style assault weapon fell to the ground, as reported. Court records show one of the men has since been released without bail and the NYPD said he lives in a three-story building in the Van Nest section of The Bronx that also houses a children’s daycare on the first floor.

 

Shortly after the incident occurred on Election Day, an NYPD spokesperson told Norwood News, “Officers approached the male on the northbound platform and repeatedly requested his identification which the male refused to provide. When officers then attempted to place the male under arrest, the male resisted.”

 

The spokesperson continued, “During a brief struggle, a loaded and defaced Palmetto State Armory PA-15 firearm fell out of the male’s backpack.” Police said the weapon had 25 bullets loaded inside it.

As later reported, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Dec. 10, that Abraham Sosa, 20, of Filmore Street in the Van Nest section of The Bronx, was charged with a slew of offenses in connection with the incident in which the assault-style rifle and large-capacity magazine were seized from inside his backpack.

 

These included criminal possession of a machine gun, criminal possession of ammunition, criminal possession of a defaced weapon, criminal possession of an ammunition clip, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, 25 counts of criminal possession of a weapon (bullets), resisting arrest, and two counts of assaulting a police officer.

 

According to the investigation, and as reported, on Nov. 5, at around 4.31 p.m., NYPD Transit Officers allegedly saw Sosa enter a restricted tunnel at the Kingsbridge Road subway station serving the B/D lines, located in the Fordham Manor section of The Bronx, and started to urinate. Prosecutors said that when approached by officers, he allegedly resisted arrest and attempted to run away, knocking three officers to the ground.

 

They said when Sosa was placed under arrest, the disassembled rifle, which was in two parts, fell out of his backpack. They said the serial number on the firearm was defaced.

Clark said of the charges, “The defendant allegedly brought a disassembled semi-automatic rifle and ammunition typically used in hunting into a subway station, putting commuters at risk.” She added, “We will not tolerate firearms in public places, especially high-powered weapons that can cause mass injuries.”

 

The district attorney said Sosa was arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Seth Steed on Dec. 6, when bail was set at $25,000 cash/$75,000 bond/$75,000 partially secured bond at 5%, and is due back in court in March 2025.

 

On the same day as the incident occurred, as reported, police also arrested and charged Morris Park resident Christopher Mayren, 21, of Rhinelander Avenue with obstruction of governmental administration, criminal mischief, criminal possession of stolen property, petit larceny, aggravated harassment and harassment, when he intervened in the situation. Mayren pleaded not guilty to all charges before Judge Matthew Bondy and was released without bail on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

 

Norwood News visited the Fillmore Street home of Sosa on Tuesday, Nov, 19, where the first floor of the home is rented to Tiny Fingers, Tiny Toes Daycare, Inc. Two women were observed in the front yard watching over a half dozen preschoolers.

When asked about Sosa, a third woman came out of the home and said, “We cannot give that information. We cannot disclose information. If you want you can come back after 6 (p.m.), okay.” Norwood News returned at around 6 p.m. and no one answered the door.

 

On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the unidentified female owner of the daycare was contacted by telephone and was asked about Sosa. She replied, “Who? Sosa? I have a child named Sosa.” When told that the NYPD said Abraham Sosa, the man arrested on Nov. 5, lived at the same address as the daycare, she replied, “No, no, no… that house has like three apartments so my daycare doesn’t have anything (to do) with that.”

 

The woman continued, “I don’t know anybody else in the house.” Asked if she owned the building, she said, “No, I’m not the owner of the house. I rent the first floor.”

 

Asked how it was possible to open a daycare in a building without knowing/screening who the other tenants are in the building, the owner fired back, “No, no, no! I have been in the daycare since 2011 so you’re not going to tell me what to do or not to do with my program because I don’t have anything to do with it [the arrest].” She then asked, “That just happened recently?”

When asked for the name of the owner of the building, the daycare operator said, “I don’t know if I’m allowed to.” She added, “The only thing that you should care [about] is I’m not the owner of the house. That’s it, thank you, and don’t bother me anymore.” She then hung up the phone.

 

A male resident who lives across the street from the building later complained that in several years, he’d never once seen anyone from the daycare speak to any residents of the block. He then asked when the daycare would remove the life-size skeleton from the driveway railing located next to the building, saying it had been placed there several years ago and never removed.

 

Another male resident of the area who uses the daycare services recalled, “Not once have I seen another male come out of the daycare. I’m the only male technically that comes out of there to pick up my daughter.” Another resident fumed, “It should concern everybody! Look what’s happening these (expletive) days, bro! People are doing what they want to do.” He asked, “Who’s to blame? The judge? I don’t know…”

 

As reported, one-year-old Nicholas Dominici died on Sept. 15, 2023, from fentanyl poisoning at the now-closed Divino Niño (Divine Child) daycare center located at 2707 Morris Avenue in Kingsbridge Heights, where an illegal fentanyl smuggling operation was being run. Four defendants, Felix Herrera Garcia, 36, Renny Antonio Parra Paredes, 38, and Carlisto Acevedo Brito, 42, a cousin of Herrera Garica, as well as the female daycare operator, Grei Mendez, wife of Herrera Garcia, were charged with various federal offenses filed in connection to the incident.

 

Herrera Garcia, Parra Paredes and Mendez have pleaded guilty. Three other infants were also poisoned but survived after they were administered Narcan, an overdose prevention medication. All four are also charged with various State crimes.

 

In a similar case, as reported in October, Jhan Carlos Capellan Maldonado, 35, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for operating a drug mill at 1880 University Place (Avenue) in Morris Heights, which resulted in the death of another one-year-old infant in December 2018. Capella Maldonado pleaded guilty to one count of distributing heroin and fentanyl from the drug mill and admitted that his distribution of fentanyl caused the death of the 15-month-old child.

 

In a separate case, Silfredo A. Castillo Martinez, 32, the operator of a Bronx daycare located on Decatur Avenue in Norwood was sentenced to 25 years earlier this year for sexual exploitation of a child and producing child pornography.

 

In yet another case, as reported, a Harlem-based daycare operation was busted also in September 2023 and ghost guns were discovered in an unlocked room, along with a ghost gun 3D printing machine. Ghost guns are untraceable firearms, the component parts of which can be ordered online and assembled at home.

 

The NY Post previously reported that at least one Bronx detective and a representative for the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) had been critical of the fact that Sosa had been released on bail. Norwood News asked the Bronx District Attorney’s office if bail had been opposed by the prosecution during Sosa’s arraignment. We did not receive an immediate response.

We also reached out to the PBA for comment on the matter. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

According to the Palmetto State Armory website, the PSA PA-15 is currently on sale for $499, discounted from $879.99.

 

We are also attempting to reach the registered owner/trustee of the building, which according to City records, is Elias R. Estudillo of The Bronx, and will share any updates we receive.

 

Both defendants are deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.