STAPLETON — Police busted an illegal nightclub that sold liquor from a Staten Island basement, prosecutors said.
The club, at 480 Targee St., was raided by police at 2 a.m. on Jan. 17. Lee Martin, 56, Prince Thomas, 41, Wilfred Pratt, 38, Morrison Odili, 21, and Chianna Dowtin, 41, were arrested, according to court papers.
An undercover officer, who was charged a $30 cover, was let into the club by Martin, who said, "This is a private party, are you buying liquor?" according to court documents.
Another officer was sold two drinks with cognac for $16 by Odili and a third bought $120 of cognac drinks from Pratt, court documents state.
The nightclub had around 35 people inside, a pool table, and a permanently installed bar with about 50 bottles of liquor, court records show. It also had signs reading "Employees Only," some with the prices of alcohol.
The upper level of 480 Targee St. hosts several businesses including an African food store and a dry cleaners.
Martin, Thomas, Odili and Pratt were charged with not having a license to sell liquor, a misdemeanor, according the Staten Island District Attorney's office. They were released without bail and are due back in court on March 11, according to online court records.
Thomas, Odili and Martin's lawyer, Philip Ohene, declined comment. Pratt's lawyer could not be reached for comment.
Dowtin, who worked as a security guard for the club, was given a desk appearance ticket, prosecutors said.
Other notable crimes in Staten Island include:
► An off-duty FDNY EMT hit his girlfriend and threatened her with a butcher knife in a Cebra Avenue home, a law enforcement source said.
Keith Macana, 38, punched his 30-year-old girlfriend in the arm three times on Jan. 15 around 7:15 p.m., the source said.
Macana then grabbed a butcher knife, waved it at his girlfriend and told her "You want to f--k with me?" court papers read.
He worked for 10 years as an EMT driver assigned to Staten Island, the FDNY said.
He was arrested Saturday and charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing and harassment, prosecutors said.
Macana was released without bail and is due back in court on Feb. 19, according to online court records.
His lawyer could not be reached for comment.
► Workers at a Tottenville massage parlor were arrested after one offered sex for money to an undercover officer, prosecutors said.
Mina Kim, 24, of Queens, was arrested on Jan. 16 after she agreed to perform oral sex on an undercover officer for $60 inside 101 Ellis St., which bills itself as Waterfront Therapeutics on several online websites, according to court papers.
Young Park, 24, who listed the spa as her permanent address, was arrested after she gave an officer a massage for $60 without a license, court papers read.
Kim was charged with prostitution at her arraignment, according to the District Attorney's office. She was released without bail and is due back in court on Feb. 18, according to court records.
Her lawyer declined to comment.
Park was charged with unauthorized practice and was released without bail, according to court records. She's due back in court on Feb. 18.
Park's lawyer could not be reached for comment.
► A man burglarized a home to support his crack habit, then barricaded himself inside until he was arrested, prosecutors said.
Joseph Reid, 33, was arrested Jan. 16 after he broke a window of an Edgar Terrace home and ransacked the home, court papers read. Reid swiped a gold necklace and a Dell laptop from the home.
When police arrived, Reid barricaded himself inside the home and had to be taken out and arrested by an Emergency Services Unit, court papers read.
Reid told police that he was homeless and burglarized the home to support his crack habit, according to court papers.
He was charged with burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, possession of stolen property, petit larceny and unlawful possession of marijuana, according to the District Attorney's office.
Reid is being held on a $35,000 bond and is due back in court on Friday, according to online court records.
He was also arrested in October for attempted burglary and petit larceny, according to court records.
Reid's lawyer could not be reached for comment.
