The story, as laid out in police accounts and criminal complaints made public on Friday, involves a crowbar, a black Nissan Rogue and a $200 ride to the sewers. Five men have been arrested on trespassing charges in two separate manhole cases in Upper Manhattan since late September.
The first case began around 11 p.m. on Sept. 29, when a 911 call sent officers to Nagle Avenue in Inwood, according to police. An officer found 24-year-old Xavier Guevara Lizcano in the driver’s seat of a black Nissan Rogue, which he said was his, parked about a foot from a manhole cover, the complaint says. Police found a crowbar and a screwdriver in the trunk. Guevara Lizcano told officers that two people had paid him $200 that night to drive them to manholes where they could look for jewelry, according to the complaint.
Later that night, a detective saw two people pop their heads out of a manhole on Nagle Avenue, then lower the cover and go back down, the complaint says. About 20 minutes later, a sergeant found Guenis Martinez, 33, and Wilfredo Teran Briceno, 23, at Broadway and Dyckman Street. Per the complaint, the two were soaking wet and smelled like sewage. They told police they had gone into the sewer looking for jewelry.
The second case unfolded shortly after midnight on Oct. 4. A police lieutenant saw two men standing over a manhole at Indian Road and West 218th Street while a third person climbed in and put the cover back over the opening, according to a second complaint. Luis Chaparro, 28, and Jean Rosa, 31, were arrested at the scene. Neither police nor the complaint said why the men were there, and the third person was not identified.
All five men were charged with third-degree criminal trespass and trespass, both misdemeanors, according to the complaints and court records. Four of them pleaded not guilty at their arraignments and were released without bail earlier this month, court records show. Rosa does not appear in online court records. Martinez, Teran Briceno and Guevara Lizcano are due back in court Nov. 18.
Lawyers for four of the men did not return messages seeking comment, according to Gothamist, which first reported the cases. An attorney for Guevara Lizcano declined to comment.
The city’s Department of Environmental Protection has warned that entering the sewers is both illegal and dangerous. The arrests also follow an earlier episode: police previously arrested two Queens men after they were seen surfacing through a sewer near Park Avenue and East 61st Street.
What drew the men underground in the second case remains unstated in the public record. In the first, the account rests on what the men told police, as recorded in the complaint, and the charges are allegations that have not been tested in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were five men arrested in Upper Manhattan manhole cases?
The men were arrested on third-degree criminal trespass and trespass misdemeanor charges after being found in or near city sewer manholes in Inwood and Washington Heights since late September. They reportedly told police they were looking for jewelry.
Where did the Upper Manhattan manhole arrests happen?
The first case began on Nagle Avenue in Inwood and led to an arrest at Broadway and Dyckman Street. The second arrests occurred at Indian Road and West 218th Street.
What were the men charged with in the manhole cases?
All five men were charged with third-degree criminal trespass and trespass, both misdemeanors. These are allegations that have not yet been tested in court.
Who is Xavier Guevara Lizcano and what is his role in the case?
Xavier Guevara Lizcano, 24, was found in the driver’s seat of a black Nissan Rogue with a crowbar and screwdriver in the trunk. He allegedly told police two people paid him $200 to drive them to manholes to look for jewelry.
When are the Upper Manhattan manhole case defendants due back in court?
Guenis Martinez, Wilfredo Teran Briceno and Xavier Guevara Lizcano are due back in court on Nov. 18. Four of the men pleaded not guilty and were released without bail.
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