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Charles Jordan was convicted in the 2015 death of Diamond District jeweler Aron “Eric” Aranbayev.
New York--The man convicted in the 2015 hit-and-run death of a Diamond District jeweler known for selling high-end pieces to singers, athletes and other celebrities has been sentenced.
The District Attorney for Queens County announced Wednesday that Charles Jordan has been sentenced to up to 26 years in prison for manslaughter and other charges stemming from the hit-and-run death of Rafaello & Co. jeweler Aron “Eric” Aranbayev in 2015.
Jordan, 48, is a suspended MTA train operator and resident of Valley Stream, Long Island. Last month he was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and felony leaving the scene of an incident in Queens Supreme Court.
In July 2015, Aranbayev, a married father of four young children, was being dropped off outside of his home in the Forest Hills area of Queens. He exited the car on the street as Jordan drove by at a high speed.
The two got into a verbal argument and Jordan backed up his Dodge Magnum twice, the second time revving his engine and striking Aranbayev, causing him to fall to the ground and suffer a skull fracture and brain damage. Jordan sped away without stopping.
Aranbayev died in the hospital on July 20. That same month, Jordan was arrested.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown stated in a press release, “Today’s sentence, imposed by the court, punished the defendant for this vicious act that arose out of a petty dispute. This was a senseless death that could have been easily avoided.”
Aranbayev was a well-known jeweler in Manhattan with a famous clientele that included members of the New York Knicks basketball team, Drake, Chris Brown, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys and the Saudi royal family, according to the Rafaello & Co. website.
Aranbayev founded Rafaello & Co. in 2009 with his father, Rafael Aranbayev, and cousin, Gabriel Jacobs.
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