Two men arrested after emerging from Manhattan manhole
Police booked two suspects on trespassing charges after they were seen climbing out of a manhole near East 61st Street and Park Avenue, saying they were searching for valuables in the sewer system.
Police arrested Samuel Reveron, 25, and Kevin Rodriguez, 26, and charged each with two counts of trespassing after a criminal complaint linked them to a manhole incident on Wednesday morning near East 61st Street and Park Avenue. Surveillance and license-plate data showed the men exiting the manhole at about 1:38 a.m., then returning to their vehicles and driving together across the Queensboro Bridge, where automatic readers recorded the cars' VIN and plate numbers. Both men identified themselves as the individuals who entered the manhole, stating they were looking for items washed into the storm drains.
The NYPD noted that the episode matches the pattern of previous unauthorized sewer entries, although the pair have not faced other related charges. The incident occurred while the United Nations General Assembly was in session and near a hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was slated to stay, prompting additional public concern.
Reveron's attorney, Brian Kennedy, disputed the allegation that his client intended any wrongdoing, saying there was no link to the UN meeting or any broader scheme. He added that if his client did enter the sewer, it was not advisable due to health and safety risks. Rodriguez's lawyer declined to comment.