Suffolk County Police today arrested a Selden man after he targeted Hispanic men and brought them to remote locations and attacked them.
Christopher Cella drove to the vicinity of La Placita, located at 711 Horseblock Road in Farmingville, and picked up a 52-year-old Holbrook resident at approximately 8:15 a.m. on Friday, September 17. Cella brought the man to an abandoned construction site on Blue Point Road in Farmingville, where he attacked him.
Cella then left the construction site and drove to the vicinity of 7-Eleven, located at 3000 North Ocean Ave. in Farmingville, where, just after 9 a.m., he picked up a 60-year-old Medford resident. Cella brought him to the Blue Ridge Condominium Complex, located on Granny Road in Medford. There, Cella attacked and choked the man before the victim was able to escape.
The following morning, at approximately 8 a.m., Cella went back to the North Ocean Avenue location and picked up a third victim, a 47-year-old Brentwood resident. Cella attempted to bring him to an unknown location. The man became suspicious and was able to get out of the vehicle.
Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit detectives, in coordination with Sixth Squad detectives and Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers, arrested Cella, 19, without incident at his home at approximately 10:15 a.m. on Sunday. He was charged with two counts of Aggravated Harassment 2nd Degree, two counts of Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, two counts of Unlawful Imprisonment 2nd Degree under the Hate Crimes Law, and one count of Reckless Endangerment 1st Degree under the Hate Crimes Law. He is being held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on September 20.
The investigation is continuing. Anyone who believes they may be a victim of Cella is asked to contact Hate Crimes Unit detectives at 631-852-6553.