“Soho Karen” Hate Crime Charge Erased After Accusing Black Teen Of Stealing Cellphone

Miya Ponsetto, also known as “Soho Karen,” who was charged with a hate crime after wrongly accusing a Black teenager of stealing her phone at a Manhattan hotel, had the crime dropped erased from her record on Monday.

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The outcome followed her adherence to a plea agreement that avoided serving time in prison. Ponsetto,26, entered a new plea to the misdemeanor charge of second-degree aggravated harassment concerning her attack on Keyon Harrold Jr., then aged 14, at the Arlo Soho Hotel on December 26, 2020. This incident, which was captured on video, showed Ponsetto aggressively confronting Harrold Jr. after falsely accusing him of taking her iPhone.

According to the New York Post , the deal she had struck with Manhattan prosecutors back in April 2022 required her to plead guilty to unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime. This felony would be removed from her record contingent on completing counseling and maintaining a clean legal slate for two years. During the court hearing, prosecutors confirmed to Judge Laura Ward that Ponsetto met all conditions of the plea agreement following the submission of the necessary documents by her defense attorney, Paul D’Emilia.

RELATED STORIES: UPDATE: “Soho Karen” Sued Over Phone Attack

If she had failed to meet these terms, she could have been sentenced to up to four years in prison. Ponsetto’s case gained more attention when she was filmed by Harrold’s father, jazz musician Keyon Harrold, in the hotel lobby, documenting her confrontation with his son. Shortly after, an Uber driver returned the phone.

Her legal issues are not over, as she still faces a lawsuit from the Harrold family. However, her attorney says she is relieved about the charges being dropped and hopes to return to her regular life in California.

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