Man faces assault charge in October stabbing

A North Bellport man was arrested and charged Wednesday with assault more than a month after Suffolk police said he beat and stabbed another man during an argument in an East Patchogue deli.

Melvin Jose Martinez Velasquez, 24, who surrendered at the Fifth Precinct Wednesday, is scheduled to be arraigned on a second-degree assault charge in First District Court in Central Islip Thursday in connection with an Oct. 23 fight that broke out at Plaza La Familia, 350 E. Main St., East Patchogue, police said.

Police said Martinez Velasquez punched, kicked and stabbed another man with an unknown object but did not say what the argument was about.

The victim required medical attention but did not suffer life-threatening injuries, police said.

Martinez Velasquez's attorney could not be reached for comment.

The arrest came after Fifth Squad detectives conducted an investigation into the fight, and a week after police distributed a Crime Alert with a photo and description of the suspect and the incident.