New York, NY — A notorious subway recidivist who was convicted of two counts of assault on our Sister Conductor was sentenced in Bronx Supreme Criminal Court to six years in prison—one year short of the maximum.
The Conductor, 37-year-old Lynette Pierce, had been kind enough to reopen the doors for Isaiah Thompson when she saw him running up the stairs at the Morrison Ave.-Soundview station on June 10, 2025. Thompson suddenly turned on Pierce after she made the customary announcement to stand clear of the closing doors, prosecutors said at his trial.
Thompson then traveled two stops to Whitlock Ave., got off the train and grabbed the Conductor through the cab window, slashing her with a sharp object.
Pierce, although shaken, spoke to press after the sentencing, explaining that she had wanted to be a New York City Transit Conductor since she was a teen.
“I worked this hard to get this job,” said Pierce. “And all of that was taken from me because of a coward who sadly attacks women. To be slapped on the wrist with six years is an insult, and by a judge who is a female—I’m disgusted.”
Pierce appealed to the public to recognize that transit workers are everyday New Yorkers.
“I need everyone to understand that we are human beings behind that patch,” said Pierce. “The same person that’s walking around with a backpack and a hoodie on is the same person who is operating the train.”
Despite having a huge impact on her physically, emotionally, mentally and professionally, Pierce vowed that what had happened to her would not define her.
“My life will change, and there things that will have to be changed over again,” said Pierce. “But the truth of the matter is this too shall pass.”
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark was also unhappy Thompson had not been sentenced to to the maximum number of years.
“It is not the sentence we asked for,” said Clark, but she nonetheless noted that Pierce had recieved justice and “violence against people who keep our city moving will not be ignored.”
The District Attorney thanked a long list of people, including Assistant District Attorneys and members of the Trial Division and the NYPD.
“And last but not least, I want to thank TWU Local 100 for standing with Ms. Pierce and our office throughout this trial.”
TWU Local 100 President John V. Chiarello similarly expressed gratitude for The Bronx District Attorney and those who worked on the case.
“They’re not the ones to blame. I lay this squarely at the judges’ feet. They are the ones who impose sentences and I am here far too often as president of Local 100,” said Chiarello.
He described the Victim Impact Statement Pierce had written as “beautiful”.
“One word stuck out when it was repeated time and time again and that was ‘accountability’. Accountability means something when you attack a transit worker,” said Chiarello. “Accountability means something when judges let these people out without bail.”
President Chiarello outlined recent events covered in the New York Post concerning two men who had committed separate brutal attacks on two of our members, with one of them going on to assault a member of the FDNY.
In April, Judge George Fufidio went against Westchester District Attorney Susan Cacace’s recommendation that Thywill Anasu receive $50,000 cash bail after he brutally attacked MTA Bus driver Johnny Rodriguez, slamming the Bus Operator’s head into the ground and causing brain bleeds. Fufidio instead set $5,000 cash bail.
Four months later, Anasu was rearrested while on bail for the assault on Rodriguez for another assault, this time in the Bronx, on an FDNY Fire Marshal. Judge Michele Davila ignored Darcel Clark’s request for $50,000 cash bail and allowed Anasu, who should have been remanded at that point, to walk free.
Earlier this month, Manhattan judge Shirin Zarabi allowed “Butcher of Times Square” Jhon Hurtado Olmos to walk free after he viciously sliced open a Cleaner at the Times Square subway station, cutting into our member’s arm so deeply that multiple layers of tissue were visible. Zarabi had ignored District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s request for $30,000 bail.
“They should turn in their robes,” said Chiarello. “What kind of justice is this?”
“I am so angry, words can’t describe it,” said Chiarello. “We deserve better. New York deserves better.”
