Woman Who Attacked Black Teen In SoHo Hotel Pleads Guilty To Hate Crime

NYC- A woman who attacked a teen boy after falsely accusing him of stealing her cellphone in a SoHo hotel has pleaded guilty to a hate crime.

Miya Ponsetto, 23, was initially charged on Dec. 26, 2020, with child endangerment, attempted assault, attempted robbery and grand larceny after she falsely accused the 14-year-old of stealing her phone.

The boy was staying at the hotel with his father, Grammy-winning trumpet player Keyon Harrold and their family when the incident happened.

A video recorded by Harrold shows Ponsetto shouting at the boy before she lunges at him. Witnesses attempted to intervene, as the boy continued to tell her he didn’t take the cellphone.

Ponsetto’s phone was later found by an Uber driver.

Police arrested Ponsetto on Jan. 7, 2021, in her hometown of California, after fleeing from police as they tried to make a traffic stop on a fugitive warrant for her arrest. The following day, she agreed to be extradited to New York.

Ponsetto was finally charged Monday with unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime.