Cops: Men armed with guns and machetes storm Riverside house of prostitution

Men with guns and machetes stormed a house of prostitution in Riverside last night, tied up its occupants with rope and robbed them, according to Southampton Town Police. Two people suffered knife wounds during the home invasion and were transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center. They were treated and released, police said.

Police describe the robbers as several Hispanic males. They had fled the scene by the time police arrived, taking more than $3,500 in cash from a man police said was operating a prostitution business at the house, plus phones, wallets and credit cards from other people within the home at the time of the incident, according to the police report.

Southampton Town Police said they began receiving multiple calls for help at about 6:19 p.m. yesterday. Callers reported a robbery at 131 Old Quogue Road in Riverside, where several unknown men armed with guns and machetes had forced their way into the home.

The police investigation revealed that Cristian R. Perez-Garcia was operating a prostitution business from within the residence, according to a police press release.

Police said they are looking for other male subjects who were at the house at the time of the incident but left the scene prior to police arrival. Anyone with information is asked to call Southampton Town Police detectives at 631-702-2230.

Perez-Garcia was charged with promoting prostitution in the third degree, a class D felony, police said. He was held for morning arraignment.

Luz Espinal, 34, of Brooklyn, and Yasmin Paniagua, 40, of the Bronx were charged with prostitution, a class B misdemeanor, according to the police report. They were processed and released with a date to return to court later this month.

New York State Police and Southampton Village Police assisted in the investigation, according to the release.