ELLENVILLE � On Tuesday morning, two village residents, Sheik Rasheed Hassan and Orlando Leandry, both 17 years old, were arrested for the Monday night assault of Eduardo Ortega, 37, of 34 Church Street.

According to Police Chief Phil Mattracion, Ortega was attacked by Hassan and Leandry after getting into an argument with his girlfriend, Hassan's mother. Hassan and his mother are also residents of 34 Church Street, while Leandry is Hassan's friend who was at the house at the time and joined him in the assault. The two fled the scene and were arrested the following day.

"[Ortega] had an eye that was swollen shut, several lacerations about the head, body, and face," said Chief Mattracion of what police found when they arrived on the scene. The victim was taken via ambulance to the Kingston City Hospital to be treated for his injuries.

Hassan and Leandry were both charged with felony assault in the second degree, and Hassan was also found to be in violation of parole. Hassan was remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail, and Leandry was released after posting $1,000 cash bail.

On Wednesday morning, Hassan was arrested at the Ellenville Regional Hospital, having gone there complaining of head pain. Leandry surrendered to the police voluntarily at about 11:30 a.m. that day.

"Even though there was an argument, there was no justification for the use of force, the unprovoked use of force," said Mattracion. "If he saw the argument escalating, he had ample time to call the police. There is no constitutional or inalienable right for a person to physically assault another person unless they are attempting to prevent serious physical injury to another person. In this case, there was no evidence to indicate anything other than an argument."

Chief Mattracion also offered an update regarding Joseph Olivero, for whom the Ellenville Police Department issued an arrest warrant and have sought for months, stretching back to the rash of burglaries that plagued the village this past spring. Olivero was also wanted on assault charges, having been connected to the violent gang assault which took place a few weeks ago.

"He was arrested [last week] by the marshalls in the Violent Felony Warrant Squad in York, Pennsylvania, along with the assistance of the State Police of Pennsylvania," said Chief Mattracion.

"He has waived his right to extradition, and he is scheduled to be returned to New York within the next 14 days to answer his charges here," he added.