Two Rockland men face sentencing from shakedown kidnapping, robbery at Garnerville Motel
Two men face sentencing — one a prison term — after pleading guilty to what Haverstraw police called a kidnapping and robbery during a shakedown of a businessman under the guise of modifying hotel rooms.
Jonathan Abikzer, 31, of Monsey has pleaded guilty to the top charge of second-degree kidnapping in Rockland County Court. Abikzer faces seven years in prison when sentenced Sept. 12 by Judge Larry Schwartz, the District Attorney's Office said in a statement Thursday.
His co-defendant, Michael Galkovich, 46, of New City, pleaded guilty to third-degree attempted robbery. Galkovich is promised a probationary sentence when he's sentenced Sept. 19, according to his attorney Keith Braunfotel.
Both men were accused of meeting at the Garnerville Motel with a Monsey man in August under the guise of Abikzer giving a financial estimate to renovate the motel rooms. Abikzer and the Monsey man knew one another.
Instead, they held the man at gunpoint for several hours and forced him to transfer money through a mobile app, Haverstraw police said. After being released, the man called the police.
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The authorities didn't release the amount of money taken during the shakedown.
Both Abikzer and Galkovich remained free on bail pending sentencing.
Haverstraw police were assisted in the investigation by police from Clarkstown, Ramapo, the Sheriff's Office, and New York City.
Executive Assistant District Attorney Kathleen Devlin prosecuted.
Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com. Twitter: @lohudlegal.
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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Two Rockland men plead guilty in kidnapping, robbery at motel
