'Soho Karen' Has Hate Crime Charge Cleared After Accusing Black Teen Of Stealing Cell Phone In Viral Video

Metro

By Kyle Schnitzer

The notorious “Soho Karen” — who falsely accused a black teenager of stealing her cellphone from a Manhattan hotel — had a hate crime charge expunged from her record Monday after reaching a plea deal that kept from prison.

Miya Ponsetto, 26, filed a new complaint for second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor, for attacking Keyon Harrold Jr., then 15, after accusing him of snatching her iPhone during the infamous incident filmed on Arlo. Soho Hotel on December 26, 2020.

A poorly dressed Ponsetto, who wore checkered Vans sneakers, baggy pants and an oversized winter coat — a stark departure from her previous elegant court outfits — did not comment after the court hearing. Manhattan Supreme Court.

The Californian broke the deal with Manhattan prosecutors in April 2022 when she pleaded guilty to unlawful imprisonment for a hate crime, a crime that would be expunged from her record if she followed counseling and avoided trouble with the law. during two years.

Prosecutors confirmed to Judge Laura Ward that Ponsetto finalized the terms of the deal Monday morning after receiving the documents from his attorney, Paul D'Emilia.

She would have been sentenced to four years in prison if she had not respected the agreement.

Ponsetto was filmed by Harrold's father, jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold, in the hotel lobby frantically telling a manager that the teenager had stolen his phone. But Harrold Sr. said Ponsetto's phone was returned to him by an Uber driver just minutes after the incident.

She was sued by the Harrold family over the incident, and the case remains pending.

Ponsetto infamously spoke with “CBS This Morning” anchor Gayle King — wearing a black cap with the word “Dad” on it — and downplayed the incident while claiming she couldn't not be racist because she is a “woman of color”.

Ponsetto, who once told the Post she wished she had “apologized differently” to the victim, left Monday's hearing with a black suitcase and a Trader Joe's tote bag, as court officials court kept an elevator for her and her lawyer.

The judge extended a protective order and ordered that Ponsetto have no communication with Harrold Jr. and his father.

“I am pleased that Ms. Ponsetto will walk away from this incident without any criminal charges or convictions on her record,” her attorney said in a statement after the hearing.

“Despite my opinion that this case was deliberately mischaracterized and mislabeled, I am relieved that our firm was able to convince the New York County District Attorney to waive any lasting harm to Miya. Ms. Ponsetto was unfairly put under public scrutiny as a result of this accident,” D’Emilia said.

“Miya was extremely relieved by this resolution and looks forward to resuming her life in California with her family and loved ones.”