STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Tompkinsville woman has been charged with a hate crime for targeting a visually-impaired man in her community three weeks ago, stealthily entering his apartment while he was inside with his seeing-eye dog and swiping personal items, prosecutors allege.

Natalya Fedyk, 35, of the 100 block of Victory Boulevard, pleaded not guilty at her arraignment Wednesday in state Supreme Court, St. George, to two counts of burglary as a hate crime, along with multiple counts of burglary, grand larceny and stolen-property possession.

The incident occurred at about 10:15 a.m. on April 14 in an Avon Place apartment, according to a criminal complaint.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Silberlight said Fedyk went to the apartment of a person who is almost totally blind "to take advantage of him."

Silberlight said videotape surveillance shows the defendant peering into the apartment and watching the movements of the victim and the dog. She waited for the dog to walk to the other end of the apartment and then entered, he said.

Fedyk swiped the victim's wallet, three credit or debit cards, a watch, a service-dog registration, cash and other items, the complaint said.

She was arrested at about 8:20 p.m. that evening on the corner of Willis and Fiedler avenues in Tompkinsville, said police.

The hate crime charges accuse Fedyk of "intentionally" selecting the victim "in whole or in substantial part because of a belief or perception of the disability of the person."

Under the Hate Crimes Act of 2000, someone can be charged with a hate crime if they commit specified offenses due to the victim's religion, race, color, gender, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation or disability.

Defense lawyer Susan Platis told the court she believes the hate-crime allegations against Fedyk are "leaps in logic" and "just guesses on the D.A.'s part."

Platis said the defendant has no prior criminal record.

Fedyk, a thin woman garbed in a gray outer vest, a red short-sleeve shirt and blue jeans, did not address the court.

The defense initially rejected prosecutors' offer to plead guilty to a class "C" felony, in exchange for a sentence of 42 months in prison, plus a period of post-release supervision.

The top charge against Fedyk, second-degree burglary as a hate crime, is a class "B" felony which carries a minimum sentence of five years up to a maximum sentence of 25 years on a trial conviction.

Besides the alleged April 14 incident, the defendant is also accused of victimizing another person the prior day.

Fedyk used a ruse to enter the Tompkinsville apartment of a former friend and snatched a watch and two hats, according to the complaint and Silberlight.

She's charged with misdemeanor counts of petit larceny and stolen-property possession.

Fedyk has other problems with the law.

Silberlight said she was arrested on a shoplifting charge in Manhattan on Monday. She was issued a desk appearance ticket, he said.