July 20, 2022 – Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah announced that Yonkers resident Tammel Esco was indicted on multiple hate crime charges for allegedly punching a 67-year-old Asian woman more than 100 times, repeatedly stomping on her upper body, and spitting on her. Esco also directed racially offensive language at the victim.
Esco, 42, was indicted by a Westchester County Grand Jury for Attempted Murder in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First Degree as a Hate Crime, Assault in the First Degree, three counts of Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, and three counts of Assault in the Second Degree, all violent felonies. The defendant was arraigned in Westchester County Court on July 19, 2022, and is being held without bail.
It is alleged that on March 11, 2022, at approximately 6:07 p.m., Esco approached the victim from behind as she entered the vestibule of her apartment building on Riverdale Avenue in Yonkers. He then punched her in the head, knocking her to the ground. Esco continued to punch the victim more than 100 times, repeatedly stomped on her upper body while wearing construction boots, and then spit on her.
The victim, who is of Filipino descent, was transported to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, where she was treated for bleeding on the brain, multiple facial fractures, and bruising and lacerations to the head and face.
The Yonkers Police Department arrested Esco shortly after the incident.
The case is before Judge Anne Minihan in Westchester County Court, and is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Catalina Blanco Buitrago of the Trials and Investigations Division. Esco is scheduled to appear again in court on Aug. 2, 2022.
If you are a victim or a witness to a hate crime or bias incident, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at (914) 995-TIPS.
The charges against the defendant are merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Anna Young, Public Information Officer
(914) 995-6551
ayoung@westchesterda.net