Miya Ponsetto, a woman who falsely accused a black teenager of stealing her cell phone at a New York City hotel in December, was charged with a hate crime on Wednesday, NBC News reported.
Ponsetto was caught on video shouting, chasing, and tackling a 14-year old black boy went viral and accused him of stealing her phone, NBC News reported. The incident occurred on Dec. 26 at Arlo Soho, a boutique hotel in Manhattan.(RELATED: REPORT: Woman Who Accused Keyon Harrold’s Son Of Stealing Her Phone Arrested)
It was later discovered that Ponsetto left her phone in her Uber ride and the driver eventually returned it, according to NBC News. Ponsetto, who lives in California, became known as ‘Soho Karen’ for her false accusations. The video of her chasing Harrold went viral.
Woman who falsely accused a Black teenager of stealing her phone in a New York City hotel in December charged with hate crime. https://t.co/q92jILH0Xn
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 1, 2021
Ponsetto was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday on two counts of unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, aggravated harassment, and endangering the welfare of a child, NBC News reported. She pleaded not guilty on all charges.
Ponsetto is being represented by attorney Paul D’Emilia who immediately released a statement calling the charges “absurd.”
“Today marked another low point in out-going Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance’s checkered administration,” D’Emilia said in a statement.
“The charges alleged are a brazen and clear overreach of the intent of the statute. In sum, they are absurd, and a perversion of our legal system. As truly violent criminals maraud and run rampant through New York City, this DA exhibits zero interest in law-enforcement and prosecution.” he said. “Instead, he turns his prosecutorial fury on a distraught and panicked young woman stranded without her lifeline, her phone, thousands of miles from home. Shameful.”
Ponsetto was previously charged with attempted robbery, grand larceny, acting in a manner injurious to a child and two counts of attempted assault earlier this year, NBC News reported.