NEW CASSEL, NY – A 22-year-old Westbury man is facing a series of felony charges after Nassau County police said he bit a woman, kicked in the front door of a New Cassel residence, pointed a loaded handgun at her and struck her with the weapon before fleeing from officers.
Ernest Naranjo was arrested Thursday, Oct. 1, following an incident at a New Cassel residence that began at approximately 7:25 p.m., according to the Nassau County Police Department.
Third Precinct officers initially responded to the residence for what police described as an aided case. Investigators said Naranjo had arrived at the home and became involved in a disturbance with a 21-year-old woman.
Police allege the confrontation escalated when Naranjo bit the woman on the lip. He then left the residence, but returned a short time later and allegedly kicked in the front door.
Naranjo then pointed a firearm at the woman, causing her to fear for her life, and struck her with the weapon, according to police. He subsequently fled the area on foot.
The woman called police and was transported to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries.
Following an investigation, officers located Naranjo near Union Avenue and Linden Avenue. Police said Naranjo ran from officers and was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit.
Officers recovered a loaded Colt .25-caliber handgun from Naranjo, according to police. He was subsequently transported by a Nassau County Police Department ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation.
Naranjo was charged with second-degree assault, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree menacing, third-degree criminal mischief, aggravated criminal contempt and first-degree criminal contempt.
He was arraigned Friday, Oct. 2, at First District Court in Hempstead. Daily Voice reported that an order of protection was issued and that Naranjo was scheduled to return to court on Oct. 6.
Apparent Earlier Arrest in New Cassel
Publicly available reports also indicate that a man with the same name, hometown and matching age progression was arrested in New Cassel in July 2025 in another case involving an alleged domestic disturbance. The available reporting strongly suggests the arrests involve the same Ernest Naranjo, but LongIslandGuide.com has not independently obtained court records establishing that the defendant in the two cases is the same person. The outcome of the earlier criminal case also could not be confirmed.
In the July 17, 2025 incident, Nassau County police identified the person arrested as Ernest Naranjo, then 21, of Westbury. Police said officers responded to a Magnolia Avenue residence in New Cassel at approximately 4:10 a.m. following a disturbance involving Naranjo and the mother of his child.
During that incident, police alleged Naranjo obtained a knife and threatened to harm himself while the child was present. When the woman attempted to call 911, he allegedly took her cellphone. She then went to her father’s room and used another phone to call police, but Naranjo allegedly followed her and took that phone as well.
Police further alleged that he left the residence with both phones and used the knife to slash a tire on the woman’s vehicle. Officers canvassed the surrounding area and arrested him.
The man arrested in that case was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree criminal contempt, fourth-degree grand larceny, third-degree criminal mischief, two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief and endangering the welfare of a child.
Daily Voice also noted the apparent connection between the two arrests, reporting that the name, age, hometown and general appearance of the defendant in the 2026 case matched the person arrested in 2025. The publication reported that the disposition of the earlier case was unclear.
Key Facts & Details
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Ernest Naranjo, 22, of Westbury |
| Current Incident | October 1, 2026 |
| Location | New Cassel |
| Allegations | Bit woman, kicked in door, pointed firearm at her and struck her with firearm |
| Weapon Recovered | Loaded Colt .25-caliber handgun |
| Arrest | Following a short foot pursuit near Union and Linden avenues |
| Current Charges | Assault, weapons possession, menacing, criminal mischief and criminal contempt charges |
| Arraignment | October 2, 2026, First District Court in Hempstead |
| Earlier Reported Arrest | July 17, 2025, New Cassel |
| Connection to Earlier Case | Appears to involve the same individual based on publicly reported identifying information, but not independently confirmed through court records |
The charges in the current case are allegations, and Naranjo is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The apparent connection to the July 2025 arrest provides additional context to the latest case, but without the underlying court records, the identity link and ultimate disposition of the earlier charges should not be treated as definitively established.
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