Margaret Garnett, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today the arrest of a Housing Inspector with the City Department of Housing Preservation & Development (“HPD”) on charges of sexually abusing a Section 8 tenant during an inspection of a Brooklyn home in the HPD affordable housing program. DOI initiated this investigation after NYPD referred to DOI allegations of misconduct during a housing inspection. The Office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez is prosecuting the matter.
DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said, “All tenants, including those in the Section 8 program, must feel safe and comfortable when allowing an inspection of their apartment by a City housing inspector. These charges gravely undermine the implicit trust that tenants should have when they open their door to the City and demonstrate troubling and unacceptable behavior for anyone, most especially someone assigned to go into New Yorkers’ homes. DOI thanks the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for its partnership in investigating and prosecuting this matter and HPD for its cooperation in this investigation.
DAVID MARTINEZ, 70, of Ozone Park, Queens, was charged with two counts of Forcible Touching, a class A misdemeanor; two counts of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor; and one count of Harassment, a violation. Upon conviction, a class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year’s incarceration; a class B misdemeanor is punishable by up to three months’ incarceration; and a violation is punishable by up to 15 days’ incarceration.
MARTINEZ has been employed by HPD since June 2004 and has been placed on modified duty as a result of this investigation. MARTINEZ currently earns an annual salary of approximately $61,598.
According to the criminal complaint and DOI’s investigation, in January 2020, the defendant was routed by HPD to a Section 8 tenant’s Brooklyn apartment to conduct a Housing Quality Standard inspection, a biennial inspection conducted in Section 8 apartments. During the inspection, the defendant placed his hands on the tenant’s body, and just prior to leaving the apartment the defendant engaged in sexual contact.
DOI Commissioner Garnett thanked Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and his staff for their partnership on and prosecution of this matter. Commissioner Garnett also thanked HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll for her and her staff’s cooperation on this investigation.
A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
No comments:
Post a Comment