Queens man sentenced to 7 years for attempted kidnapping of 5-year-old, DA says

A Queens man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to kidnap a 5-year-old boy off a Richmond Hill sidewalk in July 2021, the Queens District Attorney announced Tuesday.

James McGonagle, 27, parked his red Nissan near the intersection of Hillside Avenue and Bessemer Street around 8 p.m. before grabbing the child, who was walking with his family, authorities said. McGonagle tried to force the boy into the backseat of his car, but the boy’s mother and siblings intervened, pulling him to safety through the vehicle’s front passenger window, according to the district attorney's office.

“The defendant needlessly terrorized this child, his family and, in fact, the entire community with his reckless behavior," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. "With this sentence, James McGonagle will face justice for his crimes.”

McGonagle fled the scene but was arrested the next day, officials said. In November, he pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said.

Though he faced a maximum sentence of 15 years, he was sentenced last week to seven years in prison, the DA said. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender, according to officials.

An attorney representing McGonagle did not immediately respond to a request for comment.