NYC sewer mystery deepens as cops track down 2 men who went underground

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A strange pre-dawn journey beneath Manhattan ended with two Queens men being taken into custody on Thursday, September 24, after investigators linked them to a sewer entry near a hotel frequented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

NYPD investigators identified Kevin Rodriguez and Samuel Reveron using surveillance footage and license-plate records before arresting them, according to the criminal complaint.

The arrests followed the discovery that a group of men had entered the Upper East Side sewer system during the early hours of Wednesday.

Men arrested for entering sewer

According to reports, the group made its way into the sewer at around 1.38 am near Park Avenue and East 61st Street.

Footage from the area later captured them making their way back to their vehicles at approximately 4 am, providing detectives with a key lead.

Investigators then followed the vehicle records and license plates, which helped them establish the identities of two individuals believed to have entered the underground system.

Rodriguez and Reveron were ultimately arrested near their respective homes in Queens on Thursday and formally charged with trespassing and conspiracy.

The unusual timing drew scrutiny because the location was close to a hotel where Netanyahu typically stays during the United Nations General Assembly, a period when New York sees heightened security for visiting world leaders.

The US Secret Service also played a major role in the response because the incident unfolded directly outside a hotel where a foreign leader was staying.

Despite the circumstances, police have said they have found no evidence linking the sewer incident to Netanyahu.

Reveron’s attorney, while speaking to the media, also denied any UN link, saying desperation could drive someone to search sewers for valuables.

This was not the first time surveillance cameras have captured people emerging from New York City manholes, with similar incidents reported in the past.

Men give cops unusual explanation

Investigators said the two men gave police an unusual explanation for what had taken them beneath the streets of Manhattan.

The criminal complaint states that Reveron told an officer they had entered the sewer in search of valuables believed to have been carried into the drainage system.

Authorities said such activity is part of a pattern in New York, with some people venturing into underground passages to search for valuables or scrap that can be swept in by stormwater.

Reveron is also facing a separate allegation after police determined he was driving without a valid license when officers took him into custody.

Prosecutors said his record includes a previous arrest for criminal mischief in Queens.

Rodriguez, however, had no prior arrests listed in the complaint.

Both men were brought before a Manhattan judge on Friday and released under supervision as the case moves forward. They are due back in court in November.

Following the hearing, a Fox 5 New York reporter tried to speak with one of the men outside the courthouse. He declined to answer and ran off instead.

Authorities have also stressed that entering the city's sewer system is unlawful and carries serious risks.

Those who venture underground can face sudden flooding, dangerous gases and other hazards while navigating the city's enclosed sewer passages.