THROGGS NECK MAN TO SERVE TWO AND A HALF YEARS IN PRISON FOR ASSAULTING A NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENT WHO HAD COMPLAINED TO POLICE ABOUT THE DEFENDANT’S YOUNGER BROTHER

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that Stephen Basciano was sentenced to a term of two and a half years imprisonment for assaulting and seriously injuring a man whose complaints led to the arrest of the defendant’s younger brother.

A jury found Basciano guilty on one count of Assault in the 2nd degree in that the defendant had acted “with intent to cause serious physical injury” to James Neider when Basciano struck the victim once in the face with a hard object. Basciano was convicted on February 21, 2007.

State Supreme Court Justice Michael Gross imposed a sentence of 2½ years in prison followed by another 2 years of post release supervision.

The brutal assault occurred on September 9, 2005 when Basciano confronted Neider in front of the victim’s Lafayette Avenue home. The impact of the blow left Neider with severe facial injuries, including bone fractures and damage to the socket of his left eye, which required reconstructive surgery. The jury heard testimony that Basciano was angry over the arrest of his younger brother and believed that Neider was the person who had filed a complaint with police. The testimony included a long history of conflict between Neider’s family and neighborhood teenagers who would taunt and harass them.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Trial Assistant District Attorney Donald Levin of the Investigations Division.