NEW BRIGHTON — An ex-con punched a man multiple times in the face before stealing his cellphone and wallet, prosecutors said.
The victim was walking near Jersey Street and Benziger Avenue on his way to a deli on Sunday at about 10:24 a.m. when Rayshawn Lawrence, 34, tapped him on the shoulder, police said.
When the man turned around, Lawrence punched him in the face numerous times. Lawrence then took the victim's cellphone from his hand and wallet from his pants pocket, court documents show.
Lawrence was arrested about 20 minutes later in front of 142 Hendricks Ave., police said.
He was charged with robbery, assault, petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property at his arraignment Monday, the Staten Island District Attorney's office said.
Lawrence was arrested after he shot another man in 2014 during a drug-related fight at a New Brighton bodega, according to the state Department of Corrections and the Staten Island Advance. He abandoned his pit bull, Daisy, after going into hiding.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and was released in May 2015, according to the Advance and DOC.
For his latest arrest, Lawrence's bail was set at $10,000 and he's due back in court on Friday, according to court records.
His lawyer could not be reached for comment.
Other notable crimes around Staten Island include:
► A man arrested for drunk driving had his 2-year-old daughter in the back seat without a child seat, authorities said.
Rufino Esiquio, 36, was pulled over at the corner of Morrow Street and Forest Avenue on Sunday at 2 a.m. for swerving, police said. When officers approached him, they smelled alcohol on his breath and Esiquio had a blood alcohol content of .114, prosecutors said.
He was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, endangering the welfare of a child and driving with ability impaired at his arraignment, the DA said. Esiquio was released without bail.
His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
► A pair swiped more than $2,000 from the Macy's in the Staten Island Mall, prosecutors said.
Eva Smith, 33, and Charisma Scott, 30, put 41 items of clothing and luggage into a stroller and suitcase and walked out of the store on April 7 at about 3 p.m., prosecutors said. Police stopped the pair, finding a Taser gun in Smith's shoulder bag.
They were both charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and Smith was additionally charged with criminal possession of a weapon, the DA said. They were released without bail.
Their lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
► A man arrested for reckless driving had cocaine in his car, prosecutors said.
Kirk Bogart, 26, was driving his Honda Accord on Brook Street at about 6 p.m. on April 7 when officers spotted him driving without a seatbelt, according to his criminal complaint.
When they tried to pull him over, Bogart sped away but eventually crashed into a parked car in front of 18 Pike St., prosecutors said. He fled on foot but officers eventually caught up with him and arrested him.
Bogart was charged with reckless driving, criminal trespass, criminal possession of a controlled substance and obstructing governmental administration at his arraignment, the DA said. His bail was set at $3,000.
His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
