D.A. Bragg: Man Indicted For Threatening Cousin With Operable Pipe-Bomb, Attacking With Machete

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of CHONTRELL WRENICK, 50, for possessing and threatening his 50-year-old cousin with a fully operable pipe-bomb and striking him in the head with a machete in July 2024. WRENICK is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with one count each of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the First, Third and Fourth Degrees. He is also charged with one count of Assault in the Second Degree. [1]

"As alleged, Chontrell Wrenick committed an alarming and dangerous attack that jeopardized the safety of his own cousin," said District Attorney Bragg. "The explosive device posed a significant threat to the lives of innocent Manhattanites, and I am grateful law enforcement was able to intervene and safely recover the device. I wish the victim a speedy recovery."

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, on July 24, 2024, at approximately 11:30 a.m., WRENICK's cousin drove to WRENICK's apartment building in East Harlem, near East 130th Street and Lexington Avenue, to pick him up. When WRENICK's cousin arrived, WRENICK entered the car on the front passenger side, carrying a camouflage tote bag.

A few minutes later, as WRENICK's cousin drove southbound on Lexington Avenue, WRENICK pulled out a pipe-bomb from the tote bag and threatened to ignite it in the car. WRENICK placed the bomb to the side and grabbed and squeezed his cousin's shirt collar. While gripping his cousin's shirt collar, he removed a machete from the tote bag and used it to hit his cousin in the back of the head, causing a laceration.

At approximately 12:08 p.m., WRENICK's cousin parked in front of the 25th Precinct and alerted the incident to police officers, who were stationed outside. Officers recovered a pipe-bomb from the floor of the backseat of the car and a tote bag, which contained a 16-inch machete and a knife. WRENICK was arrested.

Pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant executed at WRENICK's apartment on July 24, 2024, officers recovered bomb making materials, such as fuses and powder residue.

Assistant D.A. Ellina Cunningham is handling the prosecution of this case, under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Erin Tierney (Chief of Trial Bureau 30) and Executive D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division).

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly Detective Christopher Kelly (Arson and Explosion Squad), and the members of the Bomb Squad and the 25th Precinct.

Defendant Information:

CHONTRELL WRENICK

New York, NY

Charged:

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count
• Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony, one count
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count

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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.