A thief charged with sucker punching a stranger before stealing his phone in a Times Square subway station earlier this week was arraigned on a third degree robbery rap today.
Leonard Johnson, 31 appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court in dirty black jeans, an oversized gray sweatshirt and a tattoo around his neck that read “Breathe.”
“This is a very strong case with an eyewitness who witnessed the entire robbery and assault and was caught on tape,” said prosecutor Lindsey Kneipper, adding that the DA would present the case to the grand jury this Friday.
Johnson can be seen on surveillance video chatting up the 35-year-old target before socking him in the face and swiping his cellphone.
He socked the victim so hard that he collapsed to the ground, police said.