Mickey Barreto, the man charged with fraud for attempting to claim ownership of the iconic New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan, has been declared unfit to stand trial.
As per the news agency AP, doctors evaluating Barreto concluded that he is not mentally competent to face criminal charges, a decision confirmed by prosecutors at a court hearing on Wednesday.
Barreto, 49, had been living rent-free at the hotel for years after exploiting a little-known New York housing law , eventually attempting to take ownership of the entire building by forging a deed.
In February, he was charged with 24 counts, including felony fraud and criminal contempt, after trying to charge rent to a hotel tenant and making moves to transfer the hotel's accounts to his name.
At a hearing on Wednesday, Judge Cori Weston gave Barreto until November 13 to secure suitable inpatient psychiatric care . If he fails to do so, the court will order him into treatment. Prosecutors had initially sought to have Barreto taken into custody, but Weston allowed him time to find care independently.
Barreto, who had been receiving outpatient treatment for mental health issues and substance abuse, has disputed the claims against him.
He told the Associated Press that he was not insane and denied having a drug addiction, dismissing the allegations as exaggerated. "I am not insane," he said, suggesting that the prosecutors were trying to hospitalize him due to a lack of strong evidence in his case.
In 2018, Barreto moved into Room 2565 of the New Yorker Hotel after paying for a one-night stay and successfully arguing that New York City's rent law gave him tenant rights. From there, he proceeded to forge documents transferring ownership of the hotel into his name.
Despite his fraudulent actions, Barreto claimed he was trying to disrupt the Unification Church's financial dealings, which owns the hotel, as part of a broader ideological stance.
His criminal trial now faces delays due to his mental health condition, which will be reassessed at a future hearing.
His lawyer, Brian Hutchinson, indicated that Barreto's substance abuse issues were complicating the case's progression, adding that it may be difficult for Barreto to be accepted into a hospital treatment facility within the week.
If convicted, Barreto would face several years in prison.
As per the news agency AP, doctors evaluating Barreto concluded that he is not mentally competent to face criminal charges, a decision confirmed by prosecutors at a court hearing on Wednesday.
Barreto, 49, had been living rent-free at the hotel for years after exploiting a little-known New York housing law , eventually attempting to take ownership of the entire building by forging a deed.
In February, he was charged with 24 counts, including felony fraud and criminal contempt, after trying to charge rent to a hotel tenant and making moves to transfer the hotel's accounts to his name.
At a hearing on Wednesday, Judge Cori Weston gave Barreto until November 13 to secure suitable inpatient psychiatric care . If he fails to do so, the court will order him into treatment. Prosecutors had initially sought to have Barreto taken into custody, but Weston allowed him time to find care independently.
Barreto, who had been receiving outpatient treatment for mental health issues and substance abuse, has disputed the claims against him.
He told the Associated Press that he was not insane and denied having a drug addiction, dismissing the allegations as exaggerated. "I am not insane," he said, suggesting that the prosecutors were trying to hospitalize him due to a lack of strong evidence in his case.
In 2018, Barreto moved into Room 2565 of the New Yorker Hotel after paying for a one-night stay and successfully arguing that New York City's rent law gave him tenant rights. From there, he proceeded to forge documents transferring ownership of the hotel into his name.
Despite his fraudulent actions, Barreto claimed he was trying to disrupt the Unification Church's financial dealings, which owns the hotel, as part of a broader ideological stance.
His criminal trial now faces delays due to his mental health condition, which will be reassessed at a future hearing.
His lawyer, Brian Hutchinson, indicated that Barreto's substance abuse issues were complicating the case's progression, adding that it may be difficult for Barreto to be accepted into a hospital treatment facility within the week.
If convicted, Barreto would face several years in prison.
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