NYC DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY TO ENGAGING IN CRIMINAL SEX ACT WITH INMATE IN RIKERS ISLAND JAIL

Defendant Will Register As A Sexual Offender 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a New York City Department of Correction Officer has pleaded guilty to third-degree Criminal Sex Act for an incident with an inmate in Rikers Island. 

   District Attorney Clark said, “Correction Officers or any other staff in Rikers Island cannot use their position to abuse inmates. We will prosecute any jail employee who undermines the public’s trust and tarnishes the honest, hardworking employees of the Department of Correction.” 

  Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark G. Peters said, “As a correction officer or member of DOC staff, engaging in a sexual act with an inmate is indefensible. DOI takes allegations of this nature extremely seriously and will continue to investigate this illegal conduct and make arrests where appropriate.” 

  District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Jose Cosme, 37, of Manhattan, pleaded guilty today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio to third-degree Criminal Sex Act and will be sentenced on August 3, 2017 to ten years of probation and must register as a Sexual Offender. 

  According to the investigation, on November 30, 2015, in the Rose M. Singer Center on Rikers Island, Cosme engaged in sexual conduct with a female inmate, who is unable to consent by reason that she is incarcerated.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR BASEBALL BAT KILLING OF MAN

Defendant Also Seriously Injured a Second Victim; Pleaded Guilty to Murder As Trial Was Starting

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for killing one man and seriously injuring another in an attack with an aluminum baseball bat. 

  District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree Murder for an attack that left one man dead and another with long-term injuries. He will now serve 20 years to life in prison for his brutality.” 

   District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Kishoto Stanback, 45, of 156 West 174th Street, was sentenced on June 8, 2017 to 20 years to life in prison by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Lester Adler. Stanback pleaded guilty to second-degree Murder, the top charge on his indictment, on May 22, 2017. 

  According to the investigation, on October 15, 2014, in 1314 Nelson Avenue, Stanback pushed his way into an apartment and struck Julian Cleveland and Sandy King multiple times in the head with an aluminum bat, and left the weapon behind when he fled. Cleveland, 47, died of his injuries on December 1, 2014, and King required months of rehabilitation.

  District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Francis Orlando and Ernest Dorvil of the Bronx Homicide Squad for their work in this case.

Twelve Alleged Gang Members Variously Charged With Conspiracy and Attempted Murder in Bushwick Turf War

Defendants Shot at Rivals on Busy Streets, Sometimes in Broad Daylight;

Innocent Bystanders Struck, Others Narrowly Escaped Harm in 10 Shooting Incident

  Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, today announced that 12 alleged members of the Bushwick- based street gang True Bosses Only have been variously charged in a 59-count indictment with conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, weapons possession and other charges in connection with 10 separate shootings that left seven people injured.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This indictment describes a terrifying mix of deadly force and mindless obsessions with turf, leading to serious consequences for innocent bystanders. We will never stop fighting against gun violence and this kind of senseless disregard for the safety of our children and neighbors.

The Acting District Attorney further said, “Many of these territorial disputes, in this and other cases, revolve around New York City Housing Authority developments. To that end, I have recently launched a Public Housing Crime Suppression Unit that will work to reduce crime in housing developments using data-driven intelligence focusing on the drivers of crime. The Unit will work closely with resident associations, community members, NYCHA and the NYPD to proactively suppress crime and violence, maintain safety and develop trust.”

Commissioner O’Neill said, “Today’s charges allege a series of shootings in Bushwick, among other things, that left several injured. Today’s arrests and indictment will continue helping reduce violence that have helped make our City the safest big city in America.”

The Acting District Attorney said that nine of the defendants were arraigned last week and this week before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice William Miller and Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Guy Mangano and variously held on bail. Three of the defendants are awaiting arraignment. All of the defendants are charged with second- and fourth-degree conspiracy. They are variously charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree criminal use of a firearm, first- and second-degree attempted assault, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree assault, and first-degree reckless endangerment. The defendants face up to 25 years in prison on the top conspiracy count. (See defendant addendum).

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, the defendants, who now range in age from 17 to 26, are alleged to be members of True Bosses Only (“TBO”).  TBO is alleged to be a violent street gang operating within the confines of the 83rd Precinct, bordering the 73rd and 81st Precincts. TBO’s purported territory extends north and south approximately between Broadway and Wyckoff Avenue, and east and west approximately between Cooper Street and Madison Street.

Between July 2015 and the present, the indictment alleges, members of TBO have been feuding with three other violent street gangs: Elm Street Piru, which operates within the 83rdPrecinct just west of TBO territory, approximately between Palmetto Street and DeKalb Avenue; Loot Gang, which operates out of the New York City Housing Authority Ocean Hill Houses, to the south of TBO territory within the confines of the 73rd Precinct; and 900 Gang, which operates largely out of the NYCHA Sumner Houses within the confines of the 79thPrecinct.

During the course of the conspiracy the defendants allegedly agreed to commit crimes, including murder and assault, in order to maintain their dominance over their claimed geographic area.  Gang members are accused of using social media to direct their acts of violence toward rival gang members, as well as take credit after crimes occurred. At other times the defendants taunted their rivals by taking photos and videos of themselves in rival territory and posting them on Facebook and YouTube. They allegedly made use of so-called “community guns,” which were made available to various TBO members for the purpose of shooting at rivals.

Furthermore, according to the indictment, in addition to the struggle for geographical control, much of TBO’s violent activity was driven by the desire to retaliate for prior shootings targeting TBO members, particularly the September 27, 2013 shooting death of TBO member Bashiek Reddick, a.k.a., Bless.

Among the acts of violence charged in the conspiracy are the following:

• On July 8, 2015, at approximately 9 p.m., Hector Lleras and other TBO members were in front of the Hi-Mango Market at 341 Knickerbocker Avenue, in Elm Street Piru territory, when Lleras allegedly fired shots across the street, missing his target. The bullet went through window of a car parked in the vicinity, narrowly missing a man sitting in the front seat.
• On October 30, 2015, defendant Gilbert Arciliares was in front of 180 Wyckoff Avenue, in Elm Street Piru territory, at approximately 2:40 p.m., when he allegedly fired three shots. One of the shots struck an MTA bus, shattering a window and narrowly missing a passenger, who suffered cuts to her forehead from the broken glass.
• On September 11, 2016, at approximately 9:30 p.m., in the vicinity of 290 Central Avenue, Gilbert Arciliares, who was with another TBO member, allegedly fired a .380 caliber pistol multiple times at rival Elm Street Piru members, striking instead two innocent women who were walking in the area.
• On March 1, 2017, at approximately 4:20 p.m., at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Harman Street, defendant Gilbert Arciliares allegedly fired shots down Myrtle Avenue at two Piru gang members on bicycles. Arciliares missed his targets, but struck an innocent bystander in the torso and sent passersby, including children, running to escape the gunfire.

Additionally, three alleged rival gang members were shot and injured during the course of the conspiracy.

The investigation was conducted by New York City Police Department Detectives Shane Maynard and Robert Nelson, of the Gun Violence Suppression Division, under the supervision of Sergeant Andrew Dunton and the overall supervision of Assistant Chief James Essig.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Owen Sucoff and James Slattery, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jonathan R. Sennett, Deputy Chief of VCE and Assistant District Attorney Nicole Chavis, Chief, and the overall supervision of Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

An indictment is merely an accusation and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

DEFENDANT ADDENDUM:

1. Carlos Lucas, a.k.a., Skrap, 22, of Ocean Hill, Brooklyn.
2. Hector Lleras, a.k.a., Kash, 26, of Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
3. Gilbert Arciliares, a.k.a., Gilly, 22, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
4. Patrick Tucker, a.k.a., Holly, 25, of Canarsie, Brooklyn.
5. Tyrece Findlay, a.k.a., Preme, 20, of West Farms, Bronx.
6. Malik Cherry, a.k.a., Euros, 20, of Gravesend, Brooklyn.
7. Anthony Gooding, a.k.a., Gunna, 21, of Bushwick, Brooklyn.
8. Yasin Shearin, a.k.a., Ya-Ya, 19, of Graniteville, Staten Island.
9. Jamar Lovander, a.k.a., Headache, 26, of Arverne, Queens.

TWO BRONX MEN INDICTED FOR GANG ASSAULT FOR ATTACKING STREET VENDOR, CAUSING LIFE-ALTERING INJURIES

Defendants Beat Victim As He Tried to Stop Them from Stealing

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that two Bronx men have been indicted for first-degree Gang Assault for pummeling a street vendor into a coma. 

  District Attorney Clark said “This unprovoked attack – in front of the victim’s wife and children – was a sickening crime. Surveillance video of it shows a vicious beating of a man just trying to provide for his loved ones. The victim is now awake but he faces a difficult road to full physical recovery. We will continue to work for justice for him and his family.” 

  District Attorney Clark said the defendants, Enrique Foote, 18, of E. 145 Street and Octavious Profit, 24, of Heath Avenue, were arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. Foote was continued h e l d on $150,000 and bail was set at $500,000 for Profit. They are due back in court on September 12, 2017. If convicted on the top charge, they face up to 25 years in prison. Three other men have been arrested in the attack. 

  Both men were indicted on first- and second-degree Gang Assault, second- and third-degree Assault and Petit Larceny. 

  According to the investigation, on the evening of March 2, 2017, at the corner of 149 Street and Third Ave., Foote, Profit, and three other apprehended males repeatedly stuck Souleymane Porgo, 53, a street vendor who tried to stop them from stealing some of his merchandise. Profit and another individual continued to beat the victim after he lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

  Porgo was hospitalized in critical condition with multiple facial fractures and required surgery for swelling and bleeding in his brain. He is undergoing rehabilitation.

  An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

TWO MEN INDICTED FOR MANSLAUGHTER IN DEATH OF FDNY BATTALION CHIEF MICHAEL FAHY AT GROW HOUSE BLAST

Defendants Allegedly Caused Leaking Gas to Become Trapped in Building; Resulting Explosion Blew Off Roof and It Struck Fahy 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that two men have been indicted for second-degree Manslaughter in the explosion in an alleged marijuana grow house that killed FDNY Battalion Chief Michael Fahy, who had responded to a reported gas leak in the building in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx. 

   District Attorney Clark said, “Chief Fahy responded to a situation that was a catastrophe waiting to happen. These defendants allegedly were growing marijuana, and had sealed the windows of the building, trapping leaking gas. Chief Fahy ordered residents out of the building- - including one of the defendants--and saved their lives. When the gas exploded, it blew off the slate roof and a section of it struck and killed him.” 

   District Attorney Clark said the defendants, Garivaldi Castillo, 32, of 465 W. 166 Street, Manhattan, and Julio Salcedo, 34, of 3450 Kingsbridge Avenue, the Bronx, have been indicted on second-degree Manslaughter. Castillo and Salcedo were arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett and are due back in court on September 5, 2017. 

  They had previously been indicted on charges of first-degree Assault, second-degree Assault, and first-degree Criminal Possession of Marijuana. If convicted of the top charge of first-degree Assault, they could face up to 25 years in prison. 

 According to the investigation, on September 27, 2016, firefighters responded to the two story building at 300 West 234 Street for a possible gas leak. They found numerous marijuana plants as well as heaters, fertilizer and tanks of helium, allegedly maintained by Castillo and Salcedo.

  According to the new indictment, the defendants recklessly caused Chief Fahy’s death by sealing the windows of the building, in furtherance of a marijuana grow house operation, causing leaking gas to become trapped inside the building, causing it to explode, which caused the roof to strike Chief Fahy, killing him.

  An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Operation Toothache: A.G. Schneiderman Announces Separate Convictions Of Unlicensed Dentist And Nurse

Alexander Hollander Continued To Practice Dentistry After Losing License For Medicaid Fraud In 2000; Defendant Could Serve Up To 4 Years In Prison 

Noucheline Jean Impersonated Licensed Practical Nurse For 18 Months

Schneiderman: My Office Will Continue To Prosecute Phony Professionals Who Undermine The Integrity Of New York’s Healthcare System

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the separate convictions of former dentist Alexander Hollander, 70, and former Park Nursing Home employee Noucheline Jean, 45, both of Brooklyn, NY for providing patient care as unlicensed medical professionals. On June 7, Hollander was convicted by a Kings County Supreme Court jury of Unauthorized Practice of a Profession (Dentistry) in violation of the New York State Education Law, a Class E Felony. On June 2, Jean was convicted by a Queens County jury for the felony crime of Unauthorized Practice of a Profession (Nursing), and Unauthorized Use of a Professional Title, a misdemeanor.

“My office has zero tolerance for those who purport to be medical professionals but lack the proper licenses to provide patient care,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “We will continue to prosecute phony professionals who undermine the integrity of our healthcare system and put patients at risk.”

In June 2000, Hollander lost the authority to practice dentistry following his conviction for Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and multiple other felonies for Medicaid fraud. However, an investigation conducted by Attorney General Schneiderman revealed that Hollander continued to practiced dentistry at the 7^th Avenue Dental Office P.C. located at 5610 7^th Avenue, in Brooklyn, NY.        

The investigation began when the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) of the Attorney General’s Office, then conducting an internal review of individuals who still owed the State restitution, discovered that Hollander was working at the 7^thAvenue Dental Office and had advertised an open dentist position at that location. At the time of the review, Hollander still owed the State over $140,000 in restitution from the 2000 conviction.

The MFCU subsequently sent an undercover investigator posing as a patient into Hollander’s office on April 19, 2013.  The undercover investigator complained of tooth pain and asked Hollander if he was a dentist, to which Hollander replied that he was and provided the investigator with a business card that listed his professional title as Clinical Director and Doctor of Dental Surgery. 

On May 9, 2013, during a second undercover visit to Hollander’s office, the defendant assisted the undercover investigator with paperwork and then told him to wait while he treated another patient. While waiting, the undercover investigator observed the defendant, who was wearing a lab shirt and plastic gloves, treat another patient in an adjoining examining room. The investigator captured the defendant’s conduct on video. Later, the defendant invited the investigator into the same examining room and discussed treatment and x-rays with the investigator. Immediately following a third undercover visit to the defendant’s office on May 30, 2013, the defendant was placed under arrest and subsequently indicted on felony charges.  

Hollander faces a maximum of four years in state prison on each count. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2017.

In an unrelated case of unlicensed practice, defendant Noucheline Jean provided medical care to patients at the Park Nursing Home without a license for 18 months. Under the guise that she was a licensed nurse and had recently passed the written Licensed Practical Nurse test, Jean accepted a promotion from her employer. However, Jean had previously been informed by the New York State Office of the Professions that she would not be issued a license because she had not satisfied significant requirements.

Defendant Jean is scheduled to be sentenced on August 4, 2017.

MFCU’s investigation into Alexander Hollander was conducted by Special Investigators Shavaun Clawson, Nancy Calo-Kenny, and Alexander Kats and Principal Auditor-Investigator Cristina Marin with the assistance of Supervising Investigator Victor Maldonado and Deputy Chief Investigator Kenneth Morgan.

A.G. Schneiderman Announces Indictment Of Brooklyn Medical Supply Company Owner For Stealing Over $1 Million From Medicaid

Kester Atumonyogo, Owner Of Monack Medical Supply, Inc., Allegedly Billed Medicaid For An Expensive Nutritional Formula, Supplied An Inexpensive Over-The-Counter Substitute—Stealing Over $1 Million 

AG’s Investigation Also Alleges History Of Identify And Welfare Fraud; Defendant Could Face 4 To 25 Years In Prison

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that Kester Atumonyogo, of Valley Stream, NY, and his company Monack Medical Supply, Inc. were arraigned on an indictment charging Atumonyogo and Monack with billing Medicaid and Healthfirst, a Medicaid managed care organization, for an expensive nutritional formula while supplying patients with a lower-priced substitute and stealing over $1 million in the process. Atumonyogo, 49, was arraigned in New York Supreme Court, Kings County, by the Honorable Danny K. Chun.

“New Yorkers pay into Medicaid to meet the healthcare needs of the most vulnerable in our communities. They deserve to know their dollars are going to help people, not profit unscrupulous business owners,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who steal from our Medicaid programs to enrich themselves with taxpayer dollars.”

According to the indictment, Atumonyogo used a fraudulent social security number to enroll Monack as a Medicaid-participating provider of medical supplies. The company then allegedly filed false claims to Medicaid and Healthfirst that Monack had dispensed to pediatric patients a highly specialized and expensive enteral nutritional formula, which is prescribed by physicians for patients who must obtain nutrients via a feeding tube and cannot metabolize dietary nutrients from substantive food.  

The investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) revealed that Medicaid and Healthfirst paid Monack for the specialized formula, although Monack only dispensed “Pediasure” or similar over-the-counter nutritional supplements, and at times administered nothing at all. The Medicaid reimbursement rate for specialized enteral nutritional formula is substantially higher than off-the-shelf or over-the-counter nutritional supplements. In total, Atumonyogo and Monack allegedly stole over $1 million from the Medicaid program.

The investigation also uncovered that Atumonyogo allegedly used two different dates of birth and claimed to have been born in two countries. Using that false identifying information, Atumonyogo allegedly obtained two different social security numbers that he has used interchangeably since the 1990’s. According to prosecutors, the defendant used the second social security number he obtained to enroll Monack in the Medicaid program. 

Prosecutors also allege that Atumonyogo used a different social security number in 2006 to obtain welfare benefits, and that in October 2012 and September 2013 Atumonyogo filed false income verifications with the New York City Human Resources Administration, claiming that he only made $200 or less per week.  The Attorney General’s investigation revealed that between March 1, 2012 and December 31, 2014, the defendant received at least $575,806.88 from Monack.

Today’s indictment charges Atumonyogo with Health Care Fraud in the First Degree, a class B Felony, three counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C Felony, Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, a class D felony, and two counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E Felony. If convicted, the defendant faces a prison sentence of 4 to 25 years. 

The Attorney General would like to thank the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, the United States Social Security Administration, the United States Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General, and the New York City Human Resources Administration for their valuable assistance in the investigation.  The Attorney General acknowledges the cooperation and assistance provided by Healthfirst throughout the investigation.

A.G. Schneiderman And Acting Tax Commissioner Manion Announce Indictment Of “Taxi King” Evgeny Freidman For Allegedly Stealing Nearly $5 Million In MTA Taxes

Freidman And Company CFO Allegedly Withheld Nearly $5 Million In MTA Passenger Surcharges From The State Of New York

If Convicted, Defendants Could Face 8 1/3 To 25 Years In Prison

Schneiderman: No One Is Above The Law; We Will Hold Accountable Those Who Cheat The System

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Acting Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Nonie Manion announced today the arrests of Evgeny A. Freidman, 46, of New York, NY, and Andreea Dumitru, 41, of Sunnyside, NY, on a five-count indictment charging them jointly with theft and failure to remit to the New York State Tax Department over $5 million in 50 cent MTA surcharges between 2012 and 2015. During this time period, Freidman and Dumitru—respectively the CEO and CFO of Taxiclub Management Inc.—managed a fleet of over 800 medallion taxicabs out of locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Woodside, and Long Island City.

“The ‘Taxi King’ built his empire by stealing from New Yorkers – pocketing money that should have instead been invested in our transportation system,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “No one is above the law, and my office will use every tool available to hold accountable those who cheat the system.”

“This indictment exposes a blatant scheme to short-change the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the transportation infrastructure relied on by millions of New Yorkers,” said Acting Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Nonie Manion. “Hundreds of honest taxi drivers did their part in collecting the proper fare, however Mr. Freidman and his business partner are accused of manipulating tax filings to put this money right into their own pockets. We will continue to work with the Attorney General’s Office and all of our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who accumulate personal wealth with tax schemes and ill-gotten gains face justice.”

This case was the result of a joint investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Taxation and Finance. Additionally, the Attorney General’s Taxpayer Protection Bureau is conducting an ongoing parallel civil investigation into Mr. Freidman’s conduct. Separately, the Attorney General’s Labor Bureau has investigated Freidman’s failure to properly pay drivers; those investigations resulted in a 2013 settlement for $1.2 million and a 2016 consent order in New York Supreme Court requiring Freidman and four of his taxi medallion management agencies to pay over $275,000 in damages and fines and to hire an independent monitor to examine compliance with TLC driver-related rules. 

The Attorney General’s indictment, unsealed today in Albany County Court, charges Freidman and Dumitru jointly with four counts of Criminal Tax Fraud in the First Degree, a class B felony, and one count of Grand Larceny in the First Degree, a class B felony. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years’ imprisonment.

According to statements made by prosecutors and documents filed in court today, Freidman’s Taxiclub Management, Inc. oversaw the operation of four NYC taxicab medallion management agencies: 28^th Street Management Inc. (located at 313 10^th Ave., New York, NY); Downtown Taxi Management LLC (located at 330 Butler St., Brooklyn, NY); Tunnel Taxi Management LLC (located at 44-07 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, NY); and Woodside Management Inc. (located at 49-13 Roosevelt Ave., Woodside, NY).

Freidman is also the beneficial and managing owner of over 120 companies, each of which held multiple taxicab medallions. Through these companies and the four managing agencies, Freidman served as both the licensed owner and managing agent of a fleet of over 260 medallion taxicabs. In addition to the hundreds of medallions he owned, Friedman’s managing agencies leased hundreds of additional medallions from other owners. Taxi Club Management Inc. and the four managing agencies are believed to have controlled over 800 medallion taxicabs between 2012 and 2015.

During this three-year period, these taxicabs provided millions of rides to millions of New York City passengers. The vast majority of those rides were subject to a 50 cent New York State Tax known as the “MTA Tax,” which was automatically collected from passengers as part of their fare. Instead of remitting that tax to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance as required by law, Freidman, together with Taxiclub Management CFO Andreea Dumitru, allegedly orchestrated a scheme to withhold that money by improperly filing returns, failing to file returns, failing to remit the tax on filed returns and by filing falsified returns which underreported the true number of taxable rides. Through this scheme, Freidman and Dumitru withheld nearly $5 million in taxes from the State of New York that had been collected from passengers.

Freidman and Dumitru were arraigned in Albany County Court before the Honorable Peter A. Lynch. Bail was set in the amount of $500,000 bond or cash for Freidman and $400,000 bond or cash for Dumitru.

The Office of the Attorney General thanks the New York State Tax Department’s Criminal Investigations Division for its invaluable assistance on this case.

The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

BP DIAZ CELEBRATES GLOBAL HIP-HOP DAY

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joined dozens of hip-hop celebrities and hundreds of music lovers to celebrate "Global Hip Hop Day" on Thursday, June 8, 2017, as part of a celebration honoring past and present artists who help put the musical genre on the map.

Borough President Diaz joined hip-hop trailblazers such as Funkmaster Flex, DJ Kid Capri, Remy Ma, Fat Joe, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, hip-hop producer Larry Smith, Fever Records founder Sal Abbatiello, Commissioner Julie Menin of The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Council Member Vanessa Gibson, The Universal Hip Hop Museum, Generation Hip Hop, The BulLion Foundation, Windows of Hip Hop and HOT 97 to commemorate the genre’s immense impact on music and pop culture across the world.

As part of the celebration, a portion of Sedgwick Avenue was rechristened “Hip Hop Boulevard,” to honor the Bronx neighborhood that give birth to hip-hop.

"The Bronx is an iconic, internationally renowned hip-hop destination, the home of a rebellious and innovative musical art-form that has, over several generations, become a worldwide powerhouse,” said Borough President Diaz during his remarks at the event. “To see so many generations of artists, who not only have paved the way but made powerful contributions in the arts and society, coming together to celebrate and honor this music and culture, it’s like I died and I went hip hop heaven.”

Senator Marisol Alcántara Rallies with Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., Victims of Hate Crimes, Association of Livery Base Owners, The Taxi Worker Alliance, and the New York Immigration Coalition

Bill responds to racially charged attack on Sikh taxi driver in April

Senator Marisol Alcántara, together with Senator Reverend  Ruben Diaz Sr., victims of passenger crime, the New York Immigration Coalition, the Taxi Workers Alliance, and the Association of Livery Base Owners, celebrated the passage of a bill protecting drivers from hate crimes and on-the-job attacks this Friday afternoon at the dispatcher of the Audubon Car and Limousine Service, 2129 Amsterdam Avenue, in Washington Heights.

On April 17th, 2017, The New York Daily News reported that Harkirat Singh, a Sikh immigrant from India, was assaulted by an intoxicated passenger, in an altercation that led to the passenger punching him and stealing his turban, which is the primary symbol of his faith.

The bill, S.5690B, sponsored by Senator Marisol Alcántara, would protect for-hire drivers, including taxi drivers, from being assaulted on the job by creating a violent Class D felony, punishable by up to seven years imprisonment for assaulting a for-hire driver. Postings in taxis would alert passengers of the new protections for drivers.

State Senator Marisol Alcántara said: “Taxi and livery drivers are very vulnerable to attacks or crime from their passengers, and in New York State, many of those drivers are Muslim or Sikh. Considering the uptick in bias crimes in New York after the 2016 election and the high overall risk of harassment or assault drivers face on the job, I thought it was important that both passengers and drivers knew that assaulting a driver would have serious consequences, not just a slap on the wrist. I urge the Assembly to pass this important piece of legislation.”

State Senator Reverend Rubén Diáz said: "I am proud to stand beside Senator Marisol Alcantara to announce this important piece of legislation. Our taxi and livery cab drivers are too often criminal targets, and it is our expectation that when this bill is signed into law, it will not only further punish the guilty, but also, deter crime."

Health + Hospitals/Jacobi Doctor, Using 3D Printing, Creates Prosthetic Forearm and Hand for Youngest Patient Yet

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi has created a prosthetic arm and hand using 3D printing for its youngest patient yet. Born without forearms or hands, three-year-old Isaac Cruz is adjusting well to his new limb, which he has nicknamed “Mano” (“hand,” in Spanish).

The development of Isaac’s arms was halted in utero because of congenital amniotic bands. Cesar Colasante, MD, a burn surgery fellow in the Plastic Surgery Department, measured Isaac for the device using both traditional measuring tape and photogrammetry scanners. He used the measurements to custom-design a prosthetic device using CAD/CAM software. He imported Isaac’s scan and modeled the parts in contact with the boy to be a perfect fit. “This is probably the first one like this made for such a young patient,” said Dr. Colasante. (Dr. Colasante’s work is supervised by Ralph Liebling, MD, Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, who is Isaac’s attending physician.)

Because reimbursement models for 3D-printed prosthetics aren’t yet established, Dr. Colasante paid out of his own pocket for the needed supplies on two versions of the prosthetic: wires, elastics, screws, a harness, and a spool of poly-lactic acid—a raw material for 3D printing. Assisted by Andrew Peredo, MD, another burn surgery fellow, he worked on the designs and construction nights and weekends. “The printer used to be in the call room, but the residents weren’t happy that I had prints going at night, since it can be loud,” Dr. Colasante said. “That’s why our printer has since been moved to the Occupational Therapy gym.”

Once the overall construction was completed on the latest version, several sessions were required to fit the device and adjust it for Isaac. The system was created to allow Isaac to close the “hand” by using one arm to position the prosthetic and the other to pull a trigger to grab things.

An earlier version required that Isaac bring his shoulders forward--thereby pulling a wire that extends from shoulder to shoulder in the harness he wears on his back—to grab things. But the elastic bands on this prosthetic provided more resistance than practical for the three-year-old. Moreover, Isaac was instinctively trying to activate the grip using his other arm—even though the earlier device didn’t work that way—so Dr. Colasante redesigned the prosthetic to work the way the boy instinctively wanted it to work.

Weeks after receiving the new device, Isaac’s father, Alan Cruz, says his son has adjusted well to the prosthetic arm, noting that he is thrilled to show his friends how colorful the device is. He’s now using the device to play with his toy cars.

“The more he uses the arm, the better,” explains Dr. Colasante. “With patients like Isaac, the issue is that it takes forever to get a prosthesis, or they never get it at all. They get used to not having the limbs and fully compensate with other body parts. While that is great for independence—for example, learning how to feed themselves with their feet—they have a hard time adjusting to a prosthesis later because their brain is then wired to not having arms. And using the feet for everything creates tremendous strain on the spine.”

The doctor guesses Isaac will outgrow this prosthesis in six months to a year, but since Isaac is a pioneer, how many times this device can be recalibrated before a new device is needed is unknown.

“Dr. Colasante really helped Isaac with creating this device,” said Mr. Cruz.  “He’s a great person, and this arm has helped Isaac a great deal with his everyday tasks.”

“For his other arm, I am creating a myoelectric prosthetic that senses muscle contractions and sends a signal to a computer board that drives a motor to close the hand,” adds Dr. Colasante.

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi began pioneering 3D printing two years ago. Dr. Colasante wrote the original grant proposal to secure a 3D printer and has been pairing patients with these low-cost yet highly durable devices. Approximately 20 patients at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi have received 3D printed prosthetics.

Dinowitz: DOT Breaks Promises, Sedgwick Avenue Traffic Hazard Remains

  Assemblyman Dinowitz sent a letter to New York City Department of Transportation(DOT) Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and Bronx DOT Commissioner Nivardo Lopez regarding the recent installation of caution signs on the Sedgwick Avenue pedestrian island at Van Cortlandt Avenue West.

Assemblyman Dinowitz has been calling for the pedestrian island to be redesigned by DOT since 2014. The island, which sits awkwardly at the three-way intersection, is frequently hit by vehicles and has caused innumerable traffic incidents. In October of 2014 Assemblyman visited the traffic island with former Bronx DOT commissioner Constance Moran to highlight his concerns that the island was a danger to vehicles and residents of the community. Commissioner Moran agreed at that meeting to have DOT redesign the island as well as in subsequent correspondence.

Several have gone by and despite continued and numerous phone calls, emails and letters by Assemblyman Dinowitz to both the former Bronx DOT Commissioner as well as the current Commissioner, nothing was done to remediate this dangerous traffic island.

Finally, in January of this year, Assemblyman Dinowitz personally met with both NYC DOT Commissioner Trottenberg and Bronx DOT Commissioner Lopez to personally address the Sedgwick traffic island situation, and visited the traffic island with Lopez. Assemblyman Dinowitz was promised verbally and in a letter by Commissioner Trottenberg that they would address the situation and that “Borough Commissioner Lopez will share these design plans with you prior to construction this summer, as you requested”.

Instead, Assemblyman Dinowitz learned from an announcement made by a Bronx DOT staffer at Community Board 8’s district service meeting, that several caution signs had been installed in lieu of redesign and reconstruction of the traffic island. “Not only was the DOT promise to keep me appraised of the development and plan for redesign of the island not kept, but the promise to redesign the island itself was not kept. In my opinion these caution signs do not constitute a redesign at all and do nothing to remediate the problem of vehicles constantly hitting the island when they make left turns from northbound Sedgwick Avenue to westbound Van Cortlandt Avenue West. I was never informed that there was a new plan, and I was not even notified by DOT after they installed those pathetic caution signs instead of doing what they explicitly said they would do,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz.

Wave Hill Events Jun 23–Jun 30 Pollinators Weekend and the first Sunset Wednesday!

I know I touted Pollinators Weekend last week, but it deserves another shout-out, especially since it will soon be crowded out by our first Sunset Wednesday of the summer, featuring a performance by Mary Courtney & Morning Star on our glorious Great Lawn overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades.

Sat, June 24    Family Art Project: Butterfly Habitat Hats

See them and sketch them flying and sipping the nectar of their favorite flowering shrub or bush. Then learn about local butterfly species and make a butterfly-habitat hat filled with flowers and insects in an active landscape. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.  Pollinators Weekend event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, June 24    In The Shop: Meet the Grower―Eric Rohsler of Rohsler’s Nursery

After strolling in the gardens to observe pollinators in the gardens, stop by The Shop for a special plant sale featuring locally-grown plants perfect for attracting pollinators to your garden or terrace. Horticulturist and garden designer Eric Rohsler of Rohsler’s fifth-generation nursery in Allendale, NJ, has collaborated with Wave Hill staff to select plants that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, native bees and more, many of which are featured in Wave Hill's gardens. Eric will be on hand on both Saturday and Sunday to chat about your garden needs, provide expert horticultural advice, and to suggest pleasing plant combinations that also attract a plethora of pollinators. Familiar plants such as milkweed as well as more unusual plants for both sun and shade will be featured, all grown at Rohsler's 5th-generation family nursery in Allendale, NJ. Pollinators Weekend event.

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM–3PM

Sat, June 24    Pollination Headquarters

Get your pollinator info here! See butterfly and insect displays, pick up self-guided tours, take home pollinator-friendly plant lists and adopt a bee-condo. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.Pollinators Weekend event. 

ON THE GROUNDS, 11AM–4PM

Sat, JUNE 24    Meet the Bees: A Hands-on Adventure in the Apiary

Observe bee behavior in the gardens, then suit up in a hat and veil to peek inside a hive filled with 50,000 honeybees. Search for worker bees, drones, brood (baby bees) and maybe even catch a glimpse of the elusive queen. Horticultural Interpreter Charles Day leads this fascinating foray into the world of the honeybee. Appropriate for curious adults and kids ages 14 and older accompanied by an adult. $35/$25 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM–1PM

Sat, June 24    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Sat, June 24    Family Gallery Tour

Explore artwork on view in Glyndor Gallery on a family-friendly tour with a Curatorial Fellow. Children ages six and older welcome with an adult. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT WAVE HILL HOUSE, NOON

Sat, June 24    Butterfly Block Party

Calling all swallowtails, fritillaries, skippers and hairstreaks! Everyone’s invited to the Butterfly Block Party in the Flower Garden. Mingle with guest naturalists and meet your local Lepidoptera. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT FLOWER GARDEN, NOON−3PM

Sat, June 24    Native Pollinators Walk

Flowers attract the attention of both human and animal visitors. Honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies are easily spotted in the garden, but solitary bees, beetles and other native pollinators are often overlooked. Entomologist Lawrence Forcella and naturalists Gabriel Willow and Paul Keim lead these fascinating walks to observe our local pollinators at work. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult.Repeats at 3PM. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sat, June 24    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow will lead a tour of current exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. The group show,Outcasts: Women in the Wilderness, explores how women have been treated and portrayed as outcasts in history, myth and biblical legend. In the Sunroom Project Space, Sonya Blesofsky’s sculptural installation is inspired by the history of Glyndor House, while Sindy Butz’s includes enlarged photographs and videos of her performing with Wave Hill fireplaces. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Sat, June 24    Talk & Tour: The Horticulturalist’s Eye

Tour the Hudson River Museum’s summer exhibition, Robert Zakanitch: Garden of Ornament, with Wave Hill’s Assistant Director of Horticulture Matthew Turnbull and Hudson River Museum Curatorial Chair Laura Vookles. This event is part of the Museum’s “Talk and Tour” series. Free with admission to the Museum; admission is free to Wave Hill Members through the Fairfield Westchester Museum Alliance.

MEET AT THE HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM, 2PM

Sat, June 24    Native Pollinators Walk

Flowers attract the attention of both human and animal visitors. Honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies are easily spotted in the garden, but solitary bees, beetles and other native pollinators are often overlooked. Entomologist Lawrence Forcella and naturalists Gabriel Willow and Paul Keim lead these fascinating walks to observe our local pollinators at work. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. This walk also takes place at 1PM. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 3PM

Sat, June 24    Marvelous Moths Talk and Walk

Often overshadowed by their more flamboyant butterfly relatives, moths play an important role in the ecosystem as pollinators for night-blooming flowers, and as food for many larger creatures. Join Environmental Educator Pam Golben of the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum for a peek into the fascinating world of moths. This evening program includes a short, indoor presentation and a twilight foray into the gardens to look for moths. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. $20/$10 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 7:30–9PM

Sun, June 25    Family Art Project: Butterfly Habitat Hats

See them and sketch them flying and sipping the nectar of their favorite flowering shrub or bush. Then learn about local butterfly species and make a butterfly-habitat hat filled with flowers and insects in an active landscape.  Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sun, June 25    In The Shop: Meet the Grower―Eric Rohsler of Rohsler’s Nursery

Eric Rohsler of Rohsler’s Nursery will be on hand to guide you in selecting the best plants for attracting pollinators to your own green space. Also for sale will be upscale bee-condos, crafted in Wave Hill’s own woodshop. Pollinators Weekend event.

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM–3PM

Sun, June 25    Yoga in the Garden

Enjoy a morning yoga class on the lawn. Participants should bring a mat, dress appropriately and expect to be outside, unless precipitation or excessive humidity occurs. Classes are offered in partnership withYoga Haven. All levels welcome. Continues Sundays through June and July 9. $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Pre-registration recommended at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

ON THE GROUNDS, 10AM–11AM

Sun, June 25    Pollination Headquarters

Get your pollinator info here! See butterfly and insect displays, pick up self-guided tours, take home pollinator-friendly plant lists and adopt a bee-condo. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.Pollinators Weekend event. 

ON THE GROUNDS, 11AM–4PM

Sun, June 25    Butterfly Block Party

Calling all swallowtails, fritillaries, skippers and hairstreaks! Everyone’s invited to the Butterfly Block Party in the Flower Garden. Mingle with guest naturalists and meet your local Lepidoptera. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT FLOWER GARDEN, NOON−3PM

Sun, June 25    Native Pollinators Walk

Flowers attract the attention of both human and animal visitors. Honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies are easily spotted in the garden, but solitary bees, beetles and other native pollinators are often overlooked. Entomologist Lawrence Forcella and naturalists Gabriel Willow and Paul Keim lead these fascinating walks to observe our local pollinators at work. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult.Repeats at 3PM. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sun, June 25    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Sun, June 25    Native Pollinators Walk

Flowers attract the attention of both human and animal visitors. Honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies are easily spotted in the garden, but solitary bees, beetles and other native pollinators are often overlooked. Entomologist Lawrence Forcella and naturalists Gabriel Willow and Paul Keim lead these fascinating walks to observe our local pollinators at work. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. This walk also takes place at 1PM. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event. 

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 3PM

Mon, June 26    

Closed to the public.

Tue, June 27    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Tue, June 27    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow will lead a tour of current exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. The group show,Outcasts: Women in the Wilderness, explores how women have been treated and portrayed as outcasts in history, myth and biblical legend. In the Sunroom Project Space, Sonya Blesofsky’s sculptural installation is inspired by the history of Glyndor House, while Sindy Butz’s includes enlarged photographs and videos of her performing with Wave Hill fireplaces. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Wed, June 28    Sunset Wednesdays Outdoor Music: Mary Courtney & Morning Star

Mary Courtney hails from a large musical family in Castlegregory, Co. Kerry, Ireland. Now residing in the Bronx, she is the lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, and bodhrán (Irish hand-held drum) player with her trioMorningstar―Mary Courtney, guitar and vocals; Patrick Madden, fiddle; Donal Ryan, tenor banjo. She uses her voice to spread Irish culture, educate her audience about the struggles of her people and capture her experience in the US. From rock ‘n’ roll to the ethereal strains of an ancient Celtic band, she can sing anything and make every song unforgettable. Courtney has three recordings to her credit, has collaborated with Larry Kirwan and the Black 47s and appeared on stage at the BB King Blues Club for the opening night party for the Tony Award winning play “The Lieutenant of Inismore”. At Wave Hill, she offers traditional Irish folk songs, so many of which draw their inspiration from the wild flowers of the Irish countryside, and her own unique tunes. Free with admission to the grounds. On Sunset Wednesdays, admission is $10, $6 for students and seniors 65+, and $4 for children ages six to 18. Free to Members and children under six.

ON THE GROUNDS, 7PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–5:30PM, starting March 15.  Closes 4:30PM, November 1–March 14.

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesdaymornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.