Ex-con who allegedly attacked autistic NYC Stop & Shop worker, 20, released without bail: ‘Innocent people suffer’
The ex-con who allegedly attacked a 20-year-old worker with autism in a Queens Stop & Shop parking lot was cut loose without bail Saturday — enraging the victim’s family.
Alvin Martinez, 62, was granted non-monetary release despite the Queens District Attorney’s pleas to set bail against the alleged attacker.
“Another example of our revolving door justice system working on behalf of the violent offenders while innocent people suffer,” a family member of the victim, who has not been publicly identified, told The Post.
Martinez allegedly targeted the disabled worker outside the Rockaway Park store Thursday — marking the second time in just six months the employee was roughed up by a violent stranger.
Martinez — who has a rap sheet dating back to 1982 — was arraigned on one count of felony robbery, and various counts of assault, menacing and criminal possession of stolen property, all misdemeanors. He also faces a violation for harassment.
Martinez — who has a rap sheet dating back to 1982 — was arraigned on various counts of attempted robbery, assault, menacing, harassment and criminal possession of stolen property.
Judge Germaine August — a former legal aid attorney for almost 30 years — released the career criminal with only an order of protection standing between him and his alleged victim.
“The judge is going against the request of the DA’s Office and against the legal desire of the victims,” the employee’s family fumed.
The Queens DA did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Martinez allegedly pounced on the worker as he was putting away shopping carts — with witnesses saying he ripped the man’s headphones out and smacked him around with his own hat.
“He’s blocking the kid, shoving him, he won’t let him pass. He’s screaming and cursing at this kid,” Thomas Willis, who was in the lot campaigning for state Assembly candidate Tom Sullivan, recalled to The Post.
The scuffle lasted around 40 seconds until the young worker managed to escape, but Martinez allegedly tried to put up a fight when cops arrived at the scene.
“Once the authorities were there, [Martinez] decided to run for it, which is a stupid thing to do. Then the police chased him in the parking lot and got him,” fellow Sullivan campaigner Rosat Ramgopal said.
Last December, the same disabled store worker made headlines when he was beaten and punched by a shoplifter who had run out of the store and cornered him in the parking lot. A store butcher saw what was happening and intervened, saving the young man.
The brave employee returned to the job, only to be faced with another alleged wacko, who witnesses said was hanging around the lot for at least an hour before the attack.
Martinez was allegedly shouting about “cage fighting and beating people” as he used screwdrivers and a broomstick to break into his beat-up car, which he claimed he could not unlock.
“The guy was obviously not well, and I wouldn’t like him to be in a parking lot where families are just going about their business. It’s not a particularly safe environment,” Ramgopal said.
Records show that Martinez had a lengthy list of priors over the last decade, but had not been arrested since 2006.
His rap sheet includes priors for criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of controlled substance, petit larceny and grand larceny.
Martinez is due back in court July 3.
