#NYC couple charged with assaulting Sesame Place worker over mask dispute

A New York City couple is facing charges for assaulting a teen worker at Sesame Place in Pennsylvania over a dispute about wearing masks, police said.

Troy McCoy, 39, and Shakerra Bonds, 31, both of the Bronx, have been charged in an alleged Aug. 9 attack at the children’s theme park outside Philadelphia that occurred after a 17-year-old employee reminded the pair of its mask-wearing policy due to the coronavirus pandemic, Middletown Township police said Wednesday.

McCoy was taken into custody early Wednesday, while Bonds was expected to turn herself in, police said.

McCoy tried to barricade himself in the couple’s home, but agents from the US Marshals Service managed to get inside and arrest him. He was awaiting extradition to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the Bucks County Courier Times reports.

Police have said McCoy and Bonds fled the park after the employee was punched in the face after “reminding them about wearing masks,” Middletown police Detective Lt. Steve Forman told the newspaper earlier this month.

Another Sesame Place employee tried to help the assaulted worker before that employee was hit in the face by Bonds, police said.

The teen reportedly spent a week in a hospital for treatment of a broken jaw. He also needed a tooth removed, according to an online fundraiser set up on his behalf that raised more than $24,000 as of Thursday.

“This traumatic injustice dulled the spirits of a teenager who is so full of love, kindness, and overall radiates sunshine around family and friends,” the website reads. “Mentally and emotionally, it is a challenge to make sense of why this attack had to become a part of the narrative and through that unknown reason, depression becomes a reality.”

The unidentified victim was released from a hospital Friday, according to the fundraiser.

McCoy is facing charges of aggravated assault, a felony, as well as misdemeanor charges of recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct, simple assault and conspiracy to commit simple assault.

Bonds, meanwhile, has been charged with simple assault, conspiracy to commit simple assault, and harassment, police said.

Sesame Place, which reopened in late July with a mandatory face mask policy for guests age 2 and older, has since banned McCoy and Banks from all of its parks nationwide.

“We want to thank the law enforcement agencies involved for their quick actions and support,” park officials said in a statement to The Post. “The safety of our team members and guests remains our top priority.”

It’s unclear if Bonds had surrendered to police as of midday Thursday. A call seeking additional comment from Middletown police was not immediately returned.