Two individuals, Kevin Rodriguez, 25, and Samuel Reveron, 25, both from Queens, have been arrested and charged with trespass and conspiracy following an incident where they were seen emerging from a manhole on New York City's Upper East Side. The arrests occurred on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after police responded to a 911 call early Wednesday morning near 535 Park Ave. at East 61st Street. Surveillance cameras captured three individuals exiting the sewer and then fleeing in two vehicles around 4:35 a.m.
The location of the incident was significant as it was near a hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had recently stayed, and it coincided with the United Nations General Assembly in Manhattan. This proximity prompted heightened security measures, with the NYPD and federal agents conducting additional sweeps of the area, though nothing suspicious was ultimately found in connection to the prime minister or the UN.
Authorities believe this incident is part of a larger pattern of individuals entering the sewer system, often to search for valuables and scrap metal. The NYPD stated that these events have been observed over several months, with similar occurrences reported in Brooklyn and other neighborhoods. Despite the arrests of Rodriguez and Reveron, police are still seeking at least two other individuals involved in the Upper East Side incident, and a separate sighting of three men emerging from a manhole in Brooklyn was reported on Friday morning, with no immediate arrests in that case.
