| from: | Mayor's Press Office |
| date: | Sat, Oct 8, 2016 at 2:53 PM |
| subject: | STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO & FIRST LADY CHIRLANE MCCRAY
|
Saturday, October 8, 2016
STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO & FIRST LADY CHIRLANE MCCRAY
Friday, October 7, 2016
Former New York City Human Resources Administration Supervisor Sentenced To 23 Months In Prison For Defrauding Two Public Assistance Programs Of More Than $1.8 Million
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that CHERRISE WATSON-JACKSON, a/k/a “Reesie,” a former supervisor with the New York City Human Resources Administration (“HRA”), was sentenced in Manhattan federal court today to 23 months in prison for defrauding two public assistance programs, which she helped to administer, of more than $1.8 million. WATSON-JACKSON, who pleaded guilty in early May 2016 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.
U.S. Attorney Bharara stated: “In schemes that netted more than $1.8 million, Cherrise Watson-Jackson looted the very public assistance programs that she was responsible to administer. Not only did Watson-Jackson siphon money meant to assist those less fortunate, by doing so, she committed federal crimes that now leads her to prison.”
According to the Complaint, Superseding Indictment, sentencing submissions, other information in the public record, and today’s proceeding:
HRA is an agency of the City of New York responsible for administering various public assistance programs. Among other things, HRA provides temporary help to individuals and families with social service and economic needs to assist them in reaching self-sufficiency. Its services include, among other things, administering the federally-funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) (more commonly known as “food stamps”), and providing rental assistance to low-income families and individuals.
Starting in 1993, WATSON-JACKSON worked at HRA, most recently as a supervisor in a job center in Queens, New York. In that capacity, she supervised a group of other supervisors who in turn were responsible for teams of employees who review and determine eligibility for public assistance clients. Since early 2012, and continuing until December 2013, WATSON-JACKSON abused her position by engaging in a scheme to defraud two of the public assistance programs that she was charged to help administer. The first of the two schemes involved WATSON-JACKSON fraudulently loading electronic benefit transfer (“EBT”) cards
with funds from SNAP, and the cards were then used by co-conspirators throughout the New York City area. The second scheme involved WATSON-JACKSON fraudulently causing rental assistance checks to be mailed to co-conspirators who posed as “landlords” of low-income tenants. Co-conspirators then cashed and/or assisted others to cash the fraudulently obtained checks. The two schemes resulted in the loss of more than $1.8 million in public funds.
In addition to her 23-month prison term, WATSON-JACKSON, 45, of Queens, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervise release, and ordered to forfeit $1,809,811.75 and to pay restitution in the same amount.
WATSON-JACKSON was arrested in early December 2015, along with Maurice Cromwell, a/k/a “Reese,” 40, of Staten Island, New York; Derrick Williams, a/k/a “Blood,” 35, of Queens, New York; Isaac Allen, 40, of Brooklyn, New York; Corey Brock, a/k/a “Cee,” 36, of Queens, New York; Vernecka Petersen-Fowler, 44, of Brooklyn, New York; Kevin Williams, 38, of Queens, New York; Jaron Annuziata, 36, of Brooklyn, New York; Beverly Franklin, 38, of Queens, New York; Beverly Lord, 54, of Queens, New York; Yesenia Depena, 25, of Brooklyn, New York; and Gerard Stokes, 32, of Queens, New York. To date, all defendants except Lord, Depena, and Stokes have pleaded guilty to their participation in one or both fraudulent schemes, and Cromwell, Derrick Williams, Allen, Brock, Petersen-Fowler, Annuziata, and Franklin have been sentenced. Cromwell and Derrick Williams, who served in managerial roles in both schemes, were sentenced to 27 months in prison and 37 months in prison, respectively; Allen was sentenced to 18 months in prison; Brock was sentenced to five years of probation with special conditions of nine months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service; Petersen-Fowler was sentenced to three years of probation with a special condition of eight months of home confinement; Annuziata was sentenced to three years of probation with a special condition of eight months of home confinement; and Franklin was sentenced to three years of probation. All of the defendants that have been sentenced were also ordered to forfeit proceeds of the fraud and to pay restitution.
U.S. Attorney Bharara praised the work of the New York City Department of Investigation, the New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel C. Richenthal and Andrew D. Beaty are in charge of the prosecution.
The pending charges against Beverly Lord, Yesenia Depena, and Gerard Stokes are merely accusations, and these defendants are presumed innocent.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney To Host Education Forums On Opioid Abuse Epidemic
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that he, along with representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the medical field, and representatives from the community, will host a number of education forums to discuss how best to confront the epidemic of opioid abuse that is ravaging so many of our communities, and the federal government’s response.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Close to 80 Americans die every day from opioid abuse. Indeed, more people die from drug overdoses now than automobile accidents or guns. This growing epidemic is everywhere – in our cities, our suburbs and our rural communities. This problem will not be solved by prosecutions alone, although law enforcement certainly must play its part. All of us – law enforcement, pharmaceutical companies, schools and parents – must work together to combat the scourge of opioid abuse. And that effort starts with education. That is why, over the coming weeks, I will be holding education forums in communities throughout our District to discuss this evolving challenge and will be talking about how our Office, the DEA, and others can help.”
Since 2000, the rate of deaths from drug overdoses has increased 137 percent, including a 200 percent increase in the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids (prescription opioid pain relievers and heroin). Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, eclipsing deaths from motor vehicle crashes and deaths from firearms. Each day, 78 Americans die of an opioid overdose. This increase mirrors large increases in heroin use across the country and has been shown to be closely tied to opioid pain reliever misuse and dependence. Past misuse of prescription opioids is the strongest risk factor for heroin initiation and use, specifically among persons who report past-year dependence or abuse. The increased availability of heroin, combined with its relatively low price (compared with diverted prescription opioids) and high purity, are major drivers of the upward trend in heroin use and overdose.[1]
Mr. Bharara will host the first educational forum on Thursday, October 20, 2016, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at New York University School of Law. Parents, teachers, medical professionals, and members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more about the urgent challenge of opioid addiction. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP here[external link].
A second forum will be held Thursday, December 1, 2016, at Pace Law School in White Plains, New York, and a third forum will be held Thursday, December 8, 2016, at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York.
CORRECTION OFFICER SENTENCED FOR SMUGGLING CELL PHONE TO RIKERS ISLAND INMATE
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a New York City
Department of Correction Officer has been sentenced for bringing a cell phone into a
Rikers Island jail for an inmate with whom she had a personal relationship.
District Attorney Clark said, “The actions of this defendant, whose job is to help
maintain order in an often chaotic environment, are what fuel lawlessness both inside and
outside Rikers Island.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Tessie Clifton, 53, of Manhattan, a
DOC Officer for three-and-a-half years, was sentenced today before Bronx Supreme
Court Justice Steven Barrett to one year in jail. Clifton pleaded guilty to first-degree
Promoting Prison Contraband on September 20, 2016.
According to the investigation, Clifton and inmate Tyrone Williams developed a
personal relationship.
According to the indictment, Clifton placed a black cell phone into
a garbage can inside of AMKC Quad 11 Lower housing area on May 8, 2015, per
Williams’ instructions.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ann Lee of the Public
Integrity Bureau, under the supervision of Omer Wiczyk, Deputy Chief of the Public
Integrity Bureau, and Wanda Perez-Maldonado, Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau.
BP DIAZ HOSTS ITALIAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE CELEBRATION
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. hosted his annual celebration of Italian-American Heritage & Culture Month, "Mese della Cultura Italiana,” at the Schiff Family Great Hall on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo Thursday night.
This year’s honorees included President of the New York State AFL-CIO, Mario Cilento; Bronx County Public Administrator, Frank C. Randazzo, Esq.; and owner of Sanitation Salvage Corp., Steven Squitieri.
Above - BP Diaz with Honoree Frank Randazzo.
Below - BP Diaz with Honoree Mario Cilento.
Above - BP Diaz with Honoree Steve Squiteri.
Below - Honorees Steve Squiteri and Frank Randazzo with Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.
Bronx Council for Environmental Quality - The Harlem River, the Land and the Watershed 2016
The time has come to get ready for the DEP to study our river!
Join us as we celebrate the River and the Land surrounding the River.
Below you will find our Schedule of Events where we share ON THE WATER fun with schools and the community. If you are interested in attending or volunteering to help out, please register at rsvp@bceq.org
- We will be at Roberto Clemente on Monday October 10 (Columbus Day) for the community and on Tuesday October 11 for the Schools. Volunteers are needed and if partners what to take a ride on the Harlem River it is schedule for Tuesday afternoon.
- We will be at Van Cortlandt Park Lake on Thursday October 13 and Friday October 14 for the Schools. Volunteers are needed and if partners what to take a ride on the Lake in Van Cortlandt Park it is schedule for Friday afternoon.
- Finally, the BCEQ Mini Water Conference is on Thursday, October 20. Please attend to learn about the River, the Land and the Watershed. Refreshments will be served.
Monday, October 10: Community Canoemobile with the Wilderness Inquiry
- Location: Roberto Clemente State Park, 301 W Tremont Ave, Bronx, NY 10453
- Schedule & Participants:
- COMMUNITY EVENT 12:00-4:00pm Open To The Public
- Open to the public, canoeing only
Tuesday, October 11: School children
- Location: Roberto Clemente State Park, 301 W Tremont Ave, Bronx, NY 10453
- Schedule & Participants:
- DAY SESSION: 10:00am-2:00pm (150 participants)
- PARTNER PADDLE: 3:00-5:00pm
Thursday, October 13: School children
- Location: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY 10462
- Schedule & Participants:
- DAY SESSION: 9:00am-2:00pm (100 participants)
Friday, October 14: School children
- Location: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY 10462
- Schedule & Participants:
- DAY SESSION: 9:00am-1:00pm (100 participants)
- PARTNER PADDLE: 2:00-4:00pm (100 participants)
Saturday, October 15: Community Canoemobile
- Location: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY 10462
- Schedule & Participants:
- COMMUNITY EVENT: 12:00-4:00pm Open To The Public
Thursday, October 20: Harlem River: Clean Water Quality/Quantity Program & Breakouts
• Location: New Settlement School, 1501 Jerome Ave. (at 172nd Street), Bronx, NY 10452
• Schedule & Participants:
- COMMUNITY EVENT: 6:00-8:00pm Open To The Public
- Bronx Council for Environmental Quality (BCEQ) Mini Water Conference on the Harlem River: Clean Water Quality/Quantity Program & Breakouts
- Sponsored by: Harlem River Working Group, BCEQ, Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, Storm Water Infrastructure Matters (SWIM) and NYC Parks.
- Topic: Community Meeting and Breakouts for Harlem River Watershed Parks and Natural Resources Management Plan for the Bronx side of the Harlem River Watershed/Sewershed: Vision and Goals
This qualifies for the BCEQ Board of Directors
October Meeting:
NOTE CHANGE OF DATE AND DAY
FREE October Events at KRVC!
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October Events at KRVC!!
October Events at KRVC!!
Check out the flyers below and click
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Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman - Bronx Housing Conference this Saturday
On behalf of the Office of the Attorney General, we would like to invite you to a Bronx Housing Rights and Services Conference this Saturday, October 8, 2016. Our office will be joined by community groups, as well as city and state agencies, to discuss important housing issues affecting Bronx residents. The event will take place at the Holy Spirit Church, located at 1940 University Avenue in the Bronx. For more information, please see the flyers below.
Please share with others that might be interested. To confirm your attendance or for more information, please email Lilliam.Perez@AG.NY.GOV or call 212-416-8754.
ASSEMBLYMAN DINOWITZ AND LOCAL LEADERS DEMAND ACTION TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC SAFETY AT PS 81
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Congressman Eliot Engel, a representative of Council Member Andrew Cohen, along with local community leaders and residents of Netherland Gardens, Riverdale Gardens, Skyview and 5601 Riverdale Avenue attended a press conference today demanding that the city install a left turn signal at the intersection of Riverdale Avenue and West 256th Street. This intersection has been plagued with numerous traffic accidents and enormous traffic. The 50th precinct reports that there have been 6 accidents at this intersection alone since January of this year. Several times a day there are significant traffic backups which impede motorists, particularly those who are making a left turn.
“Safety has to be our number one priority. The intersection of Riverdale Avenue and West 256th Street is dangerous and very congested. Alleviating the congestion by installing a left turn signal for north bound traffic will go a long way to improving safety at that intersection. Residents of Skyview, Riverdale Gardens, and Netherland Gardens all turn left there to go west on West 256 Street. Many scores of parents drive to PS 81 to drop off and pick up their children. Traffic backup has gotten out of control and the time is now to take a very simple step to improve the situation,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz.
“Currently, cars turning left onto West 256th Street from Riverdale Avenue are too often jumping the light in hopes of beating the southbound traffic and avoiding a prolonged wait. This is very dangerous for obvious reasons, not the least of which is because hundreds of children cross that street every day to attend school at P.S. 81,” said Congressman Eliot Engel. “But simple traffic calming measures could fix the problem. A left-turn signal for northbound traffic at this intersection would go a long way toward alleviating congestion while also improving motorists and pedestrian safety. I hope DOT heeds our call and works expeditiously to make this area safer for our school children.”
Above - Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz with Congressman Eliot Engel at the corner of Riverdale Avenue and West 256th Street with community residents.
Below - Congressman Engel says while this is not a federal issue, that he supports Assemblyman Dinowitz and the community in trying to get a left turn arrow northbound on Riverdale Avenue at West 256th Street.
STATEMENT FROM MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO AND FIRST LADY CHIRLANE MCCRAY ON HURRICANE MATTHEW
“The impact of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean, as well as Colombia and the U.S., is devastating. Many have lost their homes and their loved ones, and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time.
As the extent of damage continues to be assessed, the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit is working with members of the Caribbean community in New York City and beyond to coordinate resources and relief efforts. The Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City is directing those who can make contributions to reputable humanitarian organizations already working on the ground.
At this time, we ask New Yorkers to do what we do best and show solidarity with our brothers and sisters in their time of need. To donate click here."
Twenty-Two Members Of Bronx Drug Trafficking Organization Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Narcotics Trafficking And Firearms Offenses
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging 22 members of the “Flybridge” drug trafficking organization with narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses. The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Gregory H. Woods. The defendants will be presented before United States Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis later this afternoon.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “With the indictment of 22 alleged members of a violent drug trafficking group, we seek to stem the flow of drugs and the cycle of violence in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx. As alleged, these defendants trafficked in all types of drugs – heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana – peddling it from restaurants, convenience stores, and apartment buildings and protecting their illegal trade with guns and violence. I thank our partners at the FBI and NYPD for their work in this investigation and for their commitment to making our city safer and drug-free.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “As alleged, the ‘Flybridge’ crew conspired to sell narcotics including crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and marijuana in the Highbridge neighborhood out of the Bronx. Selling out of restaurants, convenience stores and apartment buildings, the Flybridge crew brought in violence too. The FBI New York Metro Safe Streets Task Force will continue to go after gangs to clear our communities of violence and drugs.”
Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “These defendants treated a segment of the Highbridge section of the Bronx as their own supermarket for illegal drugs, including marijuana, pills, heroin and cocaine without any regard for the adverse impact on the residents and businesses in the area. As is usually the case, this drug activity went hand-in-hand with illegal firearms and associated violence. Exceptional investigative and case development work went into building the case against these defendants. Once again, the combined efforts of our law enforcement and prosecution partners have paid off with the indictment of those responsible for infecting this Bronx community with the poison of drugs and violence.”
As alleged in the Indictment and in other court papers[1]:
The “Flybridge” drug trafficking organization (the “Flybridge DTO”) is a group of individuals who are engaged in narcotics trafficking and violence in the vicinity of 165th Street and Woodycrest Avenue, in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx. From at least in or about 2014, up to and including in or about September 2016, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, MARC BENVENUTTI, JONATHAN PEREZ, a/k/a “G,” KENNETH LACEN, a/k/a “Montana,” VERDELL PICKNEY, a/k/a “Verdell Davis,” a/k/a “V-12,” PAUL GIST, a/k/a “Peewee,” a/k/a “Sweet Pea,” ROBERT GIST, a/k/a “G-Baby,” CICERO WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Tubes,” a/k/a “Boobie,” JOSEPH ENCARNACION, a/k/a “Cabeza,” KELVIN POLANCO, a/k/a “Psycho,” a/k/a “Fresh,” JABARI ADAMS, a/k/a “Flea,” a/k/a “Bari,” BRANDON SMITH, a/k/a “B Skillz,” JOSEPH RIVERA, a/k/a “Jojo,” LANCE WRIGHT, CYNTHIA WOODS, a/k/a “Brooklyn,” JUNIOR GRIFFIN, KEITH NESBITT, a/k/a “Baldy,” GREGORY HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Kane,” EDUARDO ROSA, a/k/a “Lil Bro Ed,” LUIS CABAN, a/k/a “Jay,” DANIEL RENVILL, a/k/a “D,” AMANDA LOPEZ, and MADELINE OLIVARES conspired to distribute significant amounts of narcotics, including crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, and marijuana, in and around, among other places, the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx, on a daily basis. The Flybridge DTO controlled narcotics sales between 164th Street and 165th Street, between Ogden Avenue and Anderson Avenue, including by selling out of restaurants, convenience stores, and in and around apartment buildings in that area.
In addition, members of the Flybridge DTO protected and maintained their drug business through firearms and acts of violence. For example, in or about March 2016, KENNETH LACEN, a/k/a “Montana,” the defendant, bragged about an incident in which he had attempted to shoot at another individual because of a drug debt. In or about March 2014, JONATHAN PEREZ, a/k/a “G,” the defendant, engaged in a dispute with rival drug dealers that culminated in a shootout on the Major Deegan Expressway, during the course of which PEREZ was himself shot. Other members of the Flybridge DTO, such as VERDELL PICKNEY, a/k/a “Verdell Davis,” a/k/a “V-12,” ROBERT GIST, a/k/a “G-Baby,” PAUL GIST, a/k/a “Sweet Pea,” a/k/a “Peewee,” and AMANDA LOPEZ, stored firearms in the area in which the Flybridge DTO operated, in order to, among other things, protect their drug turf.
Count One of the Indictment charges MARC BENVENUTTI, JONATHAN PEREZ, a/k/a “G,” KENNETH LACEN, a/k/a “Montana,” VERDELL PICKNEY, a/k/a “Verdell Davis,” a/k/a “V-12,” PAUL GIST, a/k/a “Peewee,” a/k/a “Sweet Pea,” ROBERT GIST, a/k/a “G-Baby,” CICERO WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Tubes,” a/k/a “Boobie,” JOSEPH ENCARNACION, a/k/a “Cabeza,” KELVIN POLANCO, a/k/a “Psycho,” a/k/a “Fresh,” JABARI ADAMS, a/k/a “Flea,” a/k/a “Bari,” BRANDON SMITH, a/k/a “B Skillz,” JOSEPH RIVERA, a/k/a “Jojo,” LANCE WRIGHT, CYNTHIA WOODS, a/k/a “Brooklyn,” JUNIOR GRIFFIN, KEITH NESBITT, a/k/a “Baldy,” GREGORY HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Kane,” EDUARDO ROSA, a/k/a “Lil Bro Ed,” LUIS CABAN, a/k/a “Jay,” DANIEL RENVILL, a/k/a “D,” AMANDA LOPEZ, and MADELINE OLIVARES with participating in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics, including crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, and marijuana.
Count Two of the Indictment charges KENNETH LACEN, a/k/a “Montana,” VERDELL PICKNEY, a/k/a “Verdell Davis” a/k/a “V-12,” and CICERO WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Tubes,” a/k/a “Boobie,” with possessing firearms in furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy charged in Count One, which were discharged.
Count Three of the Indictment charges JONATHAN PEREZ, a/k/a “G,” ROBERT GIST, a/k/a “G-Baby,” PAUL GIST, a/k/a “Sweet Pea,” a/k/a “Peewee,” and AMANDA LOPEZ with possessing firearms in furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy charged in Count One.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentences imposed on the defendants will be determined by the Court.
A chart containing the names of the defendants, and the charges and maximum penalties they face, is attached.
Mr. Bharara thanked the FBI and the NYPD, in particular, the New York Metro Safe Streets Task Force, as well as the Criminal Investigators at the United States Attorney’s Office, for their work on the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebekah Donaleski, Kimberly J. Ravener, and Jilan J. Kamal are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Grace Belkin Street Re-Naming
Grace Belkin was the District Manager of Bronx Community Board 8 from 1977 until 2006.
Please join Community Board No. 8 in the Grace Belkin Street Naming event being held on October 15, 2016 at 11am at West 246 Street and Henry Hudson Parkway West.
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
BRONX MAN FOUND GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER FOR KILLING DAUGHTER’S BOYFRIEND
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has
been found guilty of first-degree Manslaughter for the fatal shooting of his daughter’s
boyfriend during a fight inside a Wakefield apartment building.
District Attorney Clark said, “This defendant, who was an off-duty New York City
Correction Officer at the time, responded to a young man’s punches with a gunshot. And
after he shot the victim, he failed to provide any assistance whatsoever. He let him die.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Darryl Brown, 58, of 739 East 242nd
Street, was convicted by a jury on Sept. 30, 2016 of first-degree Manslaughter after a
two-week trial before Acting Bronx Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary. Brown faces up
to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced on October 19, 2016.
According to trial testimony, on March 20, 2014, Brown, a Department of
Correction Officer who was off-duty, noticed Vonde Cabbagestalk, 21, who was in a
relationship with his daughter, speaking to another man in his building’s lobby. Brown
demanded to know why Cabbagestalk was there and an argument escalated, with
Cabbagestalk throwing some punches at Brown.
Brown was seen brandishing a semiautomatic gun, at which Cabbagestalk tried to
swipe. Brown fired one shot, striking Cabbagestalk in the chest and killing him.
According to testimony, a neighbor, who did not witness the incident, heard
Brown’s daughter yell “No, daddy, no!” and called police after Brown and his daughter
left Cabbagestalk bleeding on the floor and ran back to their apartment.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys L.
Newton Mendys, Supervisor of the Criminal Enterprise Bureau, and Jennifer Petersen of
the Public Integrity Bureau.
District Attorney Clark would like to thank the 47th Precinct Detective Squad for
their assistance, as well as Bronx District Attorney’s Detective Investigators Brian
O’Loughlin, John Reilly and Michael Bunyan.
Gas Leak at Wells Fargo Bank on Riverdale Avenue
It is not a good sign when you see firemen outside a bank unless they are going in to make a deposit, withdrawal, or use the ATM machine. This Wells Fargo bank on Riverdale Avenue between West 236th and West 238th Streets however had the two local firehouses respond to a gas leak just after 10 AM. As you will see in other photos the fire department went to other stores and even on to the roof of the bank to try to find out where the odor of gas was coming from. It appeared to be coming from the AC/heating unit on the roof which s[read the odor of the gas throughout the bank and nearby. I was told that this had happened at the same time last year when the unit was converted from an air conditioner to a heating unit. The gas was never lit to heat the bank, and was flowing through the ventilation system. Con Edison arrived a short time after the company which installed the AC/heating unit. Holes were drilled into the sidewalk in front of the building to check for the odor of gas, which was not found, and the bank was reopened later in the afternoon after it was properly ventilated and the heating unit fixed.
Above - Firemen climb up the extended ladder to check the rooftop AC/heating unit which apparently misfired and sent the odor of gas into the bank ventilation system.
Below - Foremen are checking stores near and around the Wells Fargo bank to see if they have an odor of gas, or a gas leak also, but none did.
IDNYC, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Davidson Community Center, and Assembly Member Victor Pichardo Announce New Pop-Up Center in the Bronx
On Thursday, October 6th at 11:00a.m., IDNYC, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and Assembly Member Victor Pichardo will announce a new IDNYC pop-up center at Davidson Community Center. Assembly Member Victor Pichardo will also enroll for IDNYC, immediately following the press event. Located at 2038 Davidson Avenue in the Bronx, the pop-up center will run from October 4th to October 13th with operating hours from Tuesday through Friday, 10:00AM to 6:00PM.
With application materials available in 30 languages and an expansion of documents that youth can now use to apply, the program has extended its outreach efforts to a broad range of New Yorkers. IDNYC benefits every city resident, including the most vulnerable communities – the homeless, youth, the elderly, undocumented immigrants, the formerly incarcerated, and others who may have difficulty obtaining other government-issued ID. One in ten New Yorkers use IDNYC and cardholders range from 14 to over 75 years of age. Benefits of IDNYC include access to libraries, fitness and health benefits, and individuals can use the card to open a bank or credit account at more than a dozen financial institutions.
“IDNYC now provides over 900,000 New York residents with tremendous access to the City,” said Commissioner Nisha Agarwal of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “Trusted and approachable locations like the Davidson Community Center are essential in connecting IDNYC to community members in their neighborhoods.”
“I am extremely thankful to Davidson Community Center for hosting the IDNYC program,” said Assemblymember Victor Pichardo. “I am encouraging all of my neighbors to apply. No matter your walk of life, New Yorkers will be able to apply for an IDNYC card. I am proud to announce this pop-up as it will allow more New Yorkers to gain access to City resources and services. I commend Mayor de Blasio and his administration for their continued work in implementing this program.”
“It is a privilege to have IDNYC at the Davidson Community Center, providing Bronx residents of this community an opportunity to join the ranks of IDNYC cardholders in 2016, absolutely free, so that members feel confident to interact with law enforcement, enter a government building, or pick up their kids from school and proudly identify themselves as New Yorkers. The Davidson Community Center is a work/voluntary self-help organization with the unique history of cooperative programming involving the NYPD, African-American, Hispanic and other ethnic group communities including youth, adults, seniors, community residents, businessmen, municipal service workers, and civic leaders,” said Angel Caballero, Executive Director, Davidson Community Center, Inc..
Today, all local residents can set up their appointment to apply for their IDNYC card by calling 311 in the language that they speak or online at nyc.gov/idnyc.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
NYCC 2016: "The Legend of Korra" Returns with Graphic Novel "Turf Wars" from Dark Horse Comics
THE LEGEND OF KORRA RETURNSWITH GRAPHIC NOVEL “TURF WARS”FROM DARK HORSE COMICS | ||||
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Dark Horse Comics will release the first volume in a brand-new The Legend of Korra graphic novel series, The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars in June 2017. This three-part graphic novel series is written by Nickelodeon TV series co-creator and executive producer Michael Dante DiMartino, drawn by Irene Koh (Batgirl, 1602, TMNT), with covers by Heather Campbell (Free Comic Book Day 2016: The Legend of Korra), colors by Jane Bak, and consultation by TV series co-creator and executive producer Bryan Konietzko.
Turf Wars begins with Korra and Asami leaving the spirit world and returning to Republic City only to find political hijinks and human vs. spirit conflict, as a pompous developer plans to turn the new spirit portal into an amusement park, potentially severing an already tumultuous connection with the spirits. In addition, the triads have realigned and are in a brutal brawl at the city’s borders where hundreds of evacuees have relocated. In order to get through it all, Korra and Asami vow to look out for each other—but first, they’ve got to get better at being a team.
Dark Horse’s award-winning Avatar: The Last Airbender program has seen multiple number-one New York Times bestsellers and continues to grow with the current North and South series written by Gene Luen Yang, an Eisner Award winner and the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Turf Wars is the latest release in an ongoing partnership between Nickelodeon and Dark Horse to bring fans the very best in graphic novels.
The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars Parts 1–3 will serve as the official continuation of The Legend of Korra television series.