QUEENS RESIDENT SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SHOOTING LONG ISLAND MAN OUTSIDE FUNERAL

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Joseph Gilbert Stevens was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for fatally shooting 49-year-old Richard Carter outside of a funeral in April. Stevens pleaded guilty to manslaughter in July for the fatal shooting.

District Attorney Katz said: “The defendant acted without consideration or respect for an entire community when he brazenly fired a gun outside a funeral and killed Richard Carter. Joseph Gilbert Stevens shot Carter at point-blank range and, after the victim collapsed onto the street behind the hearse, the defendant stood over the victim’s body and continued to shoot him. We hope this sentence provides a measure of comfort to the victim’s friends and family.”

Stevens, 34, of Jamaica, pleaded guilty in July to manslaughter in the first degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant sentenced the defendant to 24 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision.

DA Katz said, according to the charges, on April 10, 2026, at approximately 2:12 p.m., Stevens rode a Citi Bike to the intersection of Merrick Boulevard and Sayres Avenue in Jamaica to attend a funeral at Shekinah Youth Chapel, which is part of Greater Allen AME Cathedral. Stevens entered the service, approached the casket and then left the chapel.

Five minutes later, the defendant encountered 49-year-old Richard Carter of Valley Stream. As the victim was walking toward the chapel on Sayres Avenue, Stevens ran toward him and shot him four times. The defendant then fled.

Carter was taken to a local hospital where he died due to his gunshot injuries. Stevens was apprehended the following day.

Five Charged in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin with Illegally Voting, Fraudulent Registration in 2022 or 2024 Election

 

Defendants Include Two Illegal Aliens, Two Aliens, and One U.S. Citizen Who Was Charged with Aiding and Abetting

Five individuals living in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin were charged related to illegal voting in the 2022 or 2024 election. 

“The integrity of our elections, which are fundamental to democracy, should be of utmost importance to every American,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “It is a cherished right for eligible American citizens, and only eligible American citizens, to vote for their representatives in government. Election fraud is a serious crime, and it is the duty of the Department of Justice to treat it as such.”

“As alleged, these five individuals in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, including two illegal aliens, stole votes from American citizens when they decided to break the law and undermine our elections,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Protecting election integrity for the American people is one of the top priorities for this FBI. Every American citizen has a right to free and fair elections, and we will not hesitate to use all available resources to investigate every credible allegation of election fraud and illegal voting.”

“The crime of illegal voting undermines the integrity of our elections and harms citizens by stealing the power of our votes,” said U.S. Attorney Brian Miller for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Illegal voting is not a victimless crime but a serious affront to the principles of our democratic republic. This office will prosecute to the full extent of the law those who illegally vote in federal elections as well as those who facilitate illegal voting.”  

“Government has a responsibility to the people to safeguard elections,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “Even one illegal vote is one too many. Here in New Jersey, the federal government is taking this responsibility seriously and violations of federal election law will be investigated and prosecuted to preserve the integrity of our democracy and ensure that no citizens’ votes are diluted.”

“Protecting the integrity of federal elections is a fundamental responsibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma for the Western District of Wisconsin. “The charge against this defendant reflects our commitment to enforcing the law and ensuring that every vote cast complies fully with federal requirements. No one is above these obligations, and my office will continue to pursue cases where unlawful voting occurs.”

“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s election systems and ensuring that allegations of unlawful voting, fraudulent registration, and other election-related crimes are thoroughly investigated,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The American people deserve confidence that our elections are protected from fraud and criminal exploitation, and that those who seek to undermine the law are held accountable. As reflected in these cases, HSI special agents worked alongside our federal partners to identify alleged criminal conduct, follow the evidence, and support prosecutions that reinforce public trust and uphold the rule of law.”

Middle District of Pennsylvania

Thomas Holtzman, 68, and his wife Marisol Guzman, 50, both of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to Guzman illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Guzman was charged with voting as an alien. Holtzman, a U.S. citizen, was charged with false statement of citizenship in order to vote and aiding and abetting and fraudulent registration and aiding and abetting. 

Katya Rodriguez, 30, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Specifically, Rodriguez was charged with false statement of citizenship in order to vote, fraudulent registration, and voting as an alien. 

If convicted, Holtzman faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Guzman faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of 11 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Any sentence would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

HSI investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is prosecuting the cases.

District of New Jersey

Mercedes Alexandra Cardoso of Union County, New Jersey, was charged with voting by an alien in a federal election. According to the complaint, Cardoso was a non-citizen when she registered online via the New Jersey Division of Elections Online Voter Registration System. On her voter registration form she falsely certified and attested that she was a U.S. citizen, which is required to register to vote and vote in federal elections. 

Cardoso allegedly cast a ballot in the June 2024 primary election, which included candidates who were vying for election for the office of President and Vice President of the United States. At the time she cast her ballot, Cardoso, who entered the United States from Ecuador on a B-2 visa, was not a U.S. citizen and was therefore not authorized to vote in federal elections.

If convicted of voting by an illegal alien, Cardoso faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison. She is scheduled to have an initial appearance on Sept. 8.

The FBI, HSI, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren for the District of New Jersey is prosecuting the case.

Western District of Wisconsin

Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Beloit, Wisconsin, was charged on Sept. 2, with illegally voting as an alien in the November 2022 election. 

According to a criminal information, on Nov. 8, 2022, Jurado Garcia, knowing he was not a U.S. citizen, illegally voted in an election held in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the offices of Member of the Senate and Member of the House of Representatives. 

If convicted, Jurado Garcia faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison. Any sentence would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

A complaint, indictment, and information merely contain accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WORST OF THE WORST: ICE Arrests Homicide Offenders, Pedophiles, Attempted Murderers, Kidnappers, and Violent Assailants

Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, ICE is arresting and deporting illegal aliens to make America Safe Again  

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens, convicted for heinous crimes such as manslaughter, sexual abuse of a child, attempted murder, and kidnapping. 

“The brave men and women of ICE law enforcement work every single day to remove illegal aliens from our communities,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “ICE arrested killers, pedophiles, attempted murderers, and other public safety threats. Under President Trump’s leadership, we will never apologize for arresting and deporting illegal aliens in order to keep America safe.” 

Arrests include: 

Cesar Abraham Castellon-Flores, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for TWO counts of manslaughter and aggravated assault in West Valley City, Utah.

Filberto Matus-Morales, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for continuous sexual abuse of a child in Santa Ana, California. 

Obed Pineda-Ordonez, an illegal alien from Guatemala, convicted for attempted murder and first-degree arson in Broward County, Florida. 

Hugo Alexander Sanchez, an illegal alien from El Salvador, convicted for use of firearm in the commission of a felony, abduction, and kidnapping in Fairfax, Virginia.

 

Adan Martinez-Onofre, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for conspiracy with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in the Middle District of Florida, United States District Court. 

Americans can see more public safety threats arrested in their communities on our webpage WOW.DHS.Gov. 

Office of the New York State Comptroller DiNapoli - This Week: Happy Labor Day

 

A Labor Day Message from Comptroller DiNapoli

Returning Lost Money at the New York State Fair

A highlight of Comptroller DiNapoli’s visit to The Great New York State Fair was helping residents reconnect with unclaimed funds, including nearly $40,000 to non-profit organizations that will help support their important efforts. With over $200 million in unclaimed funds from the Central New York region alone, everyone is encouraged to check if they are missing any money.

If you’re heading to the Fair this weekend, make sure to stop by the Office of Unclaimed Fund's booth in the Center for Progress to see if you have lost money to recover or check by clicking on the button below!

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Common Retirement Fund Opposes Nike’s Executive Compensation Plan

The Common Retirement Fund (Fund) votes by proxy on all director nominees, advisory votes on executive compensation, and shareholder proposals at annual and special meetings for each of the U.S. companies in the Fund’s public equity portfolio, as well as those of select non-U.S. companies. The Fund is voting against Nike’s executive compensation plan at their Annual General Meeting on September 8. Amid ongoing compensation concerns and poor performance, the compensation committee awarded substantial one-time retention bonuses to the CEO and other executives without sufficient disclosure of the rationale, size and structure of the awards.

NYC Agencies Need Better Guardrails in AI Use

Comptroller DiNapoli released a follow-up report to his February 2023 audit on New York City agencies’ use of Artificial Intelligence and AI governance which found that while the City had made some progress on AI oversight efforts, key accountability measures were still incomplete.

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OSC Announces 1000 NY HELPS Appointments

The Office of the State Comptroller is proud to announce that it has surpassed 1000 NY HELPS appointments since the program started in January 2024!

NY HELPS has streamlined the appointment process to allow New York State agencies to hire diverse, qualified permanent employees quickly and without examinations while increasing employment options for all individuals, including current state employees. The NY HELPS program has been extended until June 2028 and we look forward to utilizing this opportunity to continue to fill critical vacant positions within the agency.

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• Op-ed | Expanding opportunity: Why early college savings matter for every New York child
• State audit finds room for improvement in NYC’s AI governance
• Huntington weighs tax cap override as growing number of New York municipalities face similar budget pressures
• NY Comptroller to Present Nearly $40K at State Fair

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Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Sept. 8th Community Event

 

The Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association is excited to announce that Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr will be our featured speaker when our monthly meetings restart on Tuesday Sept 8th at Bx House. 990 Pelham Parkway South Bx NY 10461. Starting at 7 pm sharp. We have also attached a list of ALL our meeting dates for the NEW season.

Do YOU have any issues,problems or concerns in District 80? Then Show Up. Speak Up. Be Heard.

Governor Hochul Announces Completion of New ‘Cataract Stairs’ at Niagara Falls State Park

Former ‘Crow’s Nest’ Rebuilt, Expanded and Renamed

New Experience Offers Visitors a Powerful Location to Get Offline, Get Outside

$12 Million Project Improves Safety and Enhances the Maid of the Mist Experience

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the completion of the Cataract Stairs and Overlook – a new stairway and overlook structure at Niagara Falls State Park formally known as the Crow’s Nest. Located alongside the American Falls, the Cataract Stairs allow visitors to climb next to the Falls and experience breathtaking, up-close views for a one-of-a-kind experience of one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders.

“The Cataract Stairs are a magnificent addition to Niagara Falls State Park,” Governor Hochul said. “The ability to stand so close to the American Falls is sure to bring more visitors to the park and leave even more lasting memories. This is the perfect place to ‘Get Offline, Get Outside’ and experience the incredible power and beauty of this wonder.”

The $12 million expansion project added 163 new stairs to the existing staircase, creating a total of 274 stairs top to bottom. The project also includes a new overlook located within 35 feet of the American Falls, offering visitors an extraordinary new vantage point with the Niagara Gorge. Rising approximately 180 feet, the Cataract Stairs also provide a non-mechanical, alternate route out of the Niagara Gorge, enhancing visitor circulation and safety. During a portion of the off-season, the stairs will provide two-way access to the overlook.

As part of the project, the former partial stairway known as the ‘Crow’s Nest’ has been renamed the ‘Cataract Stairs and Overlook’, a name that reflects its dramatic location alongside the mighty Niagara Falls.

Work was performed by Mark Cerrone Inc. and was funded by OPRHP capital funds, The Maid of the Mist Corporation, The Niagara River Greenway and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. 

Homeland Security Task Force Yields 30 Year Prison Sentence for Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization Leader

 

Celso Navarro Diaz (65, Colombia) has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for conspiring to traffic more than five kilograms of cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States. A federal jury found Navarro Diaz guilty on January 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to testimony and evidence presented during the five-day trial, Navarro Diaz was the head of an organization in Colombia that transported cocaine and marijuana from the Pacific coast of Colombia to Costa Rica. Over a two-year period, Panamanian, Colombian, and U.S. Coast Guard authorities interdicted four of his organization’s vessels. The investigation revealed that Navarro Diaz discussed the smuggling operations in heavily coded language and had talked about the seizures in coded language after three of the events. The cocaine was intended to be smuggled from Costa Rica through Central America and Mexico prior to importation into the United States. Navarro Diaz was previously convicted of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and pleaded guilty to that offense in 2010, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Colombian National Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá worked with the Government of Colombia to secure the arrest and September 2024 extradition from Colombia of Navarro Diaz. 

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death Case

 

An Ohio corporation pleaded guilty in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to a charge of negligent endangerment. The criminal charge is related to an explosion that resulted in the death of one employee and injuries to several more. 

Yenkin Majestic Paint Corporation operated a coatings and resin manufacturing facility in Columbus. As part of the resin manufacturing process, Yenkin would heat ingredients in large steel vessels known as “kettles.” In 2020 Yenkin decided to fabricate and install a new door, known as a “manway” on the top of Kettle 3. Working in conjunction with a local fabrication company, Yenkin installed the new manway in December 2020. Despite several examples of Kettle 3 seeing high pressure spikes, Yenkin never pressure tested the new manway before placing it back in service. Once installed, it immediately began leaking. Nevertheless, Yenkin continued to utilize Kettle #3, opting instead to add a thicker gasket, which Yenkin erroneously believed to be made of Teflon (but was actually silicone). 

On April 8, 2021, Yenkin was in the process of producing a resin in Kettle #3. Unbeknownst to the operator, the agitator inside Kettle 3 had stopped, likely due to electrical work Yenkin was conducting at the time. Around midnight, the operator turned the agitator back on, causing the contents to vaporize and increasing the pressure inside the kettle. Moments later, Kettle 3’s closed manway and gasket could no longer contain the pressure and began to release a mixture of hot resin liquid and flammable solvent vapor into the resin plant and then into adjacent operating areas of the plant. 

Multiple flammable gas detectors inside the facility started detecting an increasing concentration of flammable vapors during the release. However, the flammable gas detectors were not configured to sound an audible alarm. At 12:04 a.m., the released flammable vapors found an ignition source and exploded, which led to the death of one employee and severe injuries to several others. The explosion also damaged the resin plant and nearby structures.

“When safety protocols aren’t followed, pressurized equipment can cause terrible accidents like the tragedy at Yenkin in 2021,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The company is pleading guilty to negligent endangerment, because their actions, or inactions, created a manufacturing environment that resulted in death and severe injury. Our hope in highlighting this case is that other manufacturers will vigilantly protect the safety of their workers and properly operate their equipment.”

“Companies that use hazardous chemicals have a responsibility to prevent releases that put people in danger of death and serious bodily injury,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The resulting incident caused a tragic loss of life, injuries, and property damage. EPA will continue to hold companies accountable when they put workers and the public at risk by ignoring basic safety and emergency procedures.”

“Employees deserve to be protected from danger in the workplace – and we will hold companies accountable to that obligation,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “This tragic circumstance serves as a stark reminder to all manufacturers that safety requirements must be followed.”

“Companies have an obligation to protect their workers,” said Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson. “Yenkin failed to keep its employees safe, and as a result, one person died and several others were injured. This guilty plea provides a measure of accountability for Yenkin’s failures.”

“This devastating incident underscores the serious consequences of why environmental safeguards and proper operating procedures matter,” said Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director John Logue. “Ohio EPA remains committed to protecting Ohio’s communities and natural resources and holding regulated facilities accountable for meeting their environmental obligations.” 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Special Investigations Unit, with support from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.