NEW YORK (AP) - A Queens man was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill a television reporter who was working on astory about him, police said Friday.
Gary Janiak, 32, of the Ridgewood section, was the subject of a report by the local Fox television affiliate’s Andrea Day, said Ivey Van Allen, a spokeswoman for the station, Fox 5 News. Day was taping a “Problem Solvers” segment for the Channel 5 show.
According to the segment, which is to air Sunday night, Janiak offered people an opportunity to earn $4,000 a day by escorting topless dancers, Van Allen said. The catch, she said, was that he would charge $800 for his services and then not deliver the goods.
Janiak was charged with aggravated harassment. It was unclear whether he had retained a lawyer. There was no published telephone number for Janiak at the address provided by police.
Day, who has worked for the station for five years, met Janiak at his money wiring office in Brooklyn, Van Allen said.
Janiak “went a little berserk” when he realized he was being taped for a television segment and in the following days made threats that Fox security deemed serious enough to merit notifying the police, Van Allen said.
Janiak had stated that he would kill Day if the report was aired, police spokesman Sgt. Ralph Carone said.
Despite the incident, the segment will air, Van Allen said.
“Problem Solvers’ is out there to make sure the community knows about people who are out there to scam,” she said."Sometimes those people aren’t so happy.”