Man Who Killed Celebrity Jeweler In Forest Hills Gets Prison Time

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS -- A suspended MTA train operator will serve prison time for killing a celebrity jeweler three years ago in a Forest Hills hit-and-run fueled by road rage, prosecutors said.

Charles Jordan, 48, was sentenced on Tuesday for the death of Aron Aranbayev just over a month after a jury found the Long Island man guilty of mowing down the famed NYC jeweler-to-the stars.

On July 19, 2015, Aranbayev was being dropped off in front of his Forest Hills home on 71 Avenue when Jordan sped past him behind the wheel of a dark blue Dodge Magnum, according to trial testimony.

The then-40-year-old jeweler shouted after Jordan, who backed up his car to confront Aranbayev. After a heated argument, Jordan reversed his car back again, revved his engine and rammed into the jeweler, prosecutors said.

The MTA operator sped away without stopping, leaving Aranbayev sprawled in the roadway with a skull fracture and brain damage, according to the charges. He died the next day.

Jordan was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and felony leaving the scene of an incident. He was sentenced in Queens Supreme Court to up to 26 years in prison.

"Today's sentence, imposed by the Court, punishes the defendant for this vicious act that arose out of a petty dispute," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. "This was a senseless death that could have easily been avoided."

Lead photo via Shutterstock.