A mother and son from Jackson Heights are charged in a twisted abuse and stalking scheme on his ex-girlfriend. Via Getty Images
June 12, 2025 By Bill Parry
A Queens grand jury has indicted a Jackson Heights man and his mother for allegedly orchestrating a violent campaign of harassment and intimidation against his ex-girlfriend, who is also the mother of his young child.
Brayahan Agudelo, 31, of 34th Avenue, was arraigned Tuesday in Queens Supreme Court on a 22-count indictment charging him with burglary, strangulation, stalking, and menacing, among other offenses. Prosecutors say Agudelo targeted his ex-girlfriend in a series of violent attacks, including a chilling attempt to enlist an NYPD undercover officer to leave her “a paraplegic.”
The undercover officer was investigating Agudelo in connection with a separate case when the alleged request was made, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
Agudelo’s mother, Maria Cruz, 52, who lives at the same Jackson Heights address, was also arraigned Tuesday. She faces charges including burglary, conspiracy, tampering with a witness, and stalking for her alleged role in harassing the same woman at her son’s direction.
Agudelo is one of 20 individuals indicted last month following a three-year investigation known as “Operation Hellcat,” which uncovered a sprawling vehicle theft ring operating across New York City and its suburbs. The charges announced Tuesday stem from a separate domestic violence case.
Jackson Heights resident Brayahan Agudelo, who was indicted last month for his role in a $4.6 million auto theft crew uncovered after a three-year investigation dubbed “Operation Hellcat,” is in hot water again. Courtesy of DA’s office
According to the indictment and investigation into domestic violence conduct, on April 10, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Agudelo put his arms around the neck of his ex-girlfriend at her home and applied pressure, causing her to lose consciousness in front of their 2-year-old daughter. When police arrived on scene, Agudelo had already fled. The victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The ex-girlfriend called 911 on April 14, April 16, April 22, and April 25 to report Agudelo standing
outside her apartment door. The defendant fled each time before police responded.
On April 24, at approximately 12:17 a.m., Agudelo allegedly entered his former girlfriend’s residence through a bedroom window, brandished a knife, and threatened her. When she attempted to run from the apartment, Agudelo allegedly pulled her by the hair to prevent her from leaving and took her cell phone. The victim managed to break away and opened her front door to scream for assistance. When police arrived, Agudelo had fled the apartment. The victim was observed to have bruising and indicated her arm was in pain.
Agudelo (second from left in bottom row) was indicted by a Queens grand jury for multiple acts of domestic violence and allegedly asking an undercover officer who was part of the Operation Hellcat investigation to paralyze his ex-girlfriend. Courtesy of the DA’s office
On April 24, Agudelo engaged in a conversation with an undercover police officer investigating auto thefts as part of Operation Hellcat. The defendant allegedly asked the undercover officer if he could “make his wife a paraplegic,” referring to Agudelo’s former girlfriend. The defendant allegedly told the undercover in a conversation the next day that he wanted her to be hit in the back and physically disabled. Agudelo and the undercover detective agreed on compensation, and a date for the attack was to take place.
Police arrested Agudelo on April 25. On April 28 and April 29, Agudelo made phone calls from jail to his mother, Maria Cruz, and directed her to go to his ex-girlfriend’s home and to her grandchildren’s school to convince the victim not to testify against him. During one conversation, the defendant allegedly provided his mother with a security code to access his former girlfriend’s apartment building and gave her specific instructions to evade security cameras. Agudelo told his mother to confront the former girlfriend with the defendant’s brother so that one could restrain and beat the woman while the other talked to her. This violated an order of protection issued against Agudelo.
Cruz allegedly reported back to her son that she followed his instructions, but the victim was not at home at the time. Video surveillance obtained during the investigation allegedly showed Cruz inside the building and outside the victim’s apartment door on April 28 and April 29.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office, working with law enforcement partners, arranged for safe housing for the victim and her family.
“As alleged, Brayahan Agudelo subjected his former partner to multiple acts of domestic violence which escalated in severity,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “The defendant then approached an undercover officer and asked the officer to paralyze the woman. Working together with the NYPD, the suspect was quickly arrested, and the woman and her family were moved to safety. After his arrest, the defendant allegedly enlisted his mother to break into his ex-girlfriend’s home and continue the pattern of harassment.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Yavinsky remanded Agudelo into custody without parole and ordered him to return to court on July 29. Agudelo faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted, and Cruz faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Justice Yavinsky ordered her to return to court on July 29 and granted her supervised release.
“We will do everything in our power to protect survivors of intimate partner violence,” Katz said.
Agudelo was among the twenty defendants indicted last month for stealing 126 cars, 52 of them in Queens, valued at around $4.6 million, after a three-year undercover investigation. He was charged with criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a weapon, and conspiracy. If convicted, Agudelo faces up to 15 years in prison on the auto theft case.
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