Southern California woman who accused black teen of stealing phone, pleads guilty to hate crime charge – Daily Bulletin

By Judy J. Beasley Last updated Apr 12, 2022

The Woman from Ventura County who falsely accused a black teenager of stealing his cell phone and then attacking him in the lobby of a New York hotel pleaded guilty on Monday to an unlawful second-degree prison term as a hate crime, the district attorney’s office said. district of Manhattan.

In December 2020, Miya Ponsetto was seen on video attacking 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr., who was with her father, a musician, at the Arlo Hotel. Ponsetto said she thought he had her cell phone, but investigators later determined that was not the case.

Video of the incident quickly went viral, with many accusing Ponsetto of racially profiling the teenager, a charge she denied. The incident also came as continued calls for racial justice and police reform were the highest in years due to the deaths of black people – like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor – at the hands of officials. of law enforcement.

The plea deal requires Ponsetto, 23, to follow probation terms for a separate case in California, attend counseling and avoid further criminal incidents.

If she doesn’t comply, Ponsetto, of Piru, could go to jail for up to four years, prosecutors said. But if she successfully meets those conditions, she can plead the felony charge again to a misdemeanor charge of second-degree aggravated harassment.

Ponsetto’s attorney, Paul D’Emilia, said his client was grateful for the plea deal and had been “living an exemplary life” since the incident.

“We appreciate the District Attorney’s thoughtful and empathetic approach to reaching an acceptable conclusion, especially in light of the unreasonable pressure exerted by many voices who do not know the finer details of what happened this that night,” D’Emilia said. “Ms. Ponsetto looks forward to her eventual final plea against the harassment charge, a plea which we believe more realistically reflects her actions that night at the Arlo Hotel. It is Ms. Ponsetto’s wish that Keyon Harrold accepts his regrets and apologies for his behavior that night, and that everyone involved can move forward with more insight and compassion.

District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Ponsetto “displayed outrageous behavior.”

“As a black male, I have personally been racially profiled countless times in my life and I sympathize with the young male victim of this incident,” Bragg said. “This plea secures appropriate accountability for Ms Ponsetto by addressing the underlying causes of her behavior and ensuring that this conduct does not recur.”