Jordan Neely's uncle — who warned prosecutors not to give suspect Daniel Penny a plea deal regarding his nephew's death — arrested for allegedly stealing, resisting arrest

A career criminal whose wayward nephew recently died after he repeatedly harassed riders on a New York City subway has been arrested again in connection to a series of thefts.

At around 11:15 p.m. on Monday night, a member of an NYPD pickpocket team recognized one of the team's suspects at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. The suspect attempted to evade capture by jumping a turnstile and then resisting arrest once he had been apprehended. The suspect later identified himself as 44-year-old Christopher Neely, the uncle of Jordan Neely, who infamously died on an NYC subway earlier this month.

When police searched Christopher Neely, they reportedly discovered several credit and debit cards with other people's names on them. At least one of the cards had been reported stolen. There are also reports that Neely has been nabbing purses at local restaurants.

In connection to those cases, Neely has been charged with criminal possession of stolen property, possession of a stolen credit card, grand larceny, resisting arrest, and, as police reportedly discovered that he was carrying a gravity knife, criminal possession of a weapon. He also had outstanding warrants at the time of his arrest and was charged with jumping bail. It is unclear when he is next scheduled to appear in court.

Uncle Neely, like his late nephew, is no stranger to law enforcement. He has been arrested more than 70 times and charged with heinous, violent crimes like rape, though most of his prior convictions are related to theft.

Despite his lengthy rap sheet, Uncle Neely called for the merciless prosecution of Daniel Penny, the former Marine who placed Neely's nephew Jordan in a chokehold which allegedly resulted in Jordan's death on May 1. Though an assistant district attorney charged Penny with second-degree manslaughter, Neely and other family members wanted Penny charged with murder instead. Neely then warned the DA's office not to make a deal with Penny. "I want this to go to trial," Neely stated.

"He has too much confidence in himself," Neely added, "and has to be taught what he did was wrong."

Penny has since defended his actions that day on the subway and insisted that he would do the same thing again "if there was a threat and danger in the present."

"I live an authentic and genuine life," he told the New York Post.

"I’m deeply saddened by the loss of life," Penny said of Jordan Neely. "It’s tragic what happened to him. Hopefully, we can change the system that’s so desperately failed us."

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