A Rikers Island detainee recently convicted by a jury on felony gun charges was among the inmates invited to a FIFA World Cup watch party attended by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, according to court records reviewed by INC News.
Thomas McCoy, 52, of Brooklyn, was interviewed during Wednesday’s England-Argentina semifinal viewing and told The Associated Press he had been jailed for 21 months. He said the event marked the first time in a long while that he had enjoyed “real food.”
Queens County court records reviewed by INC News show McCoy was convicted in May on two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm. He was also found guilty on misdemeanor charges of criminal use of drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaking with inmates on Rikers Island while they watch a World Cup semifinal soccer match on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
After the verdict, McCoy was remanded without bail. His sentencing is scheduled for July 22.
The watch party was part of a larger series of roughly 90 World Cup events held at Rikers throughout the tournament. The mayor’s office said about 4,500 of the jail complex’s approximately 6,600 inmates took part, with participation offered as a reward for good behavior.
More than 100 inmates attended Wednesday’s semifinal screening between England and Argentina, where Mamdani greeted inmates and spoke with those gathered for the match.
Rikers Island inmates watch the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo / Seth Wenig)
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Video showed Mamdani greeting inmates and speaking with attendees during the watch party.
During the visit, the mayor said those incarcerated remain “New Yorkers” and emphasized the importance of recognizing their humanity.
Another inmate interviewed by The Associated Press, Ralph Veal, is awaiting trial in Manhattan after pleading not guilty to multiple felony counts of third-degree grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
Rikers Island inmate Victor Caldas, an Argentina fan, reacts during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photos / Seth Wenig)
In a news release recapping the city’s World Cup initiatives, the Mayor’s Office highlighted the Rikers watch parties alongside free fan festivals, discounted tickets, neighborhood watch parties and other tournament programming for New Yorkers.
“These are New Yorkers, and they will be New Yorkers when they get out of Rikers,” the mayor said. Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards defended the programming, saying, “Programs like this equal safety in our jail.”
Earlier this year, Mamdani appointed former Rikers inmate Stanley Richards as correction commissioner after pledging to overhaul the city’s troubled jail system.
The appointment came as Rikers remained under federal oversight after a judge appointed an independent remediation manager to oversee reforms amid years of violence, staffing shortages and findings that city officials had failed to correct unconstitutional conditions inside the jail.
INC News has submitted public records requests seeking the identities of inmates selected for the World Cup watch parties, the criteria used to determine eligibility and whether inmates charged with or convicted of violent felonies participated.
INC News also asked the Mayor’s Office whether Mamdani was briefed on the criminal histories of the inmates who attended before his visit.
