A.G. Schneiderman Announces Sentencing Of Former Non-Profit Employee For Diverting $400,000 For Personal Use

Former Human Resources Manager Of Hope Community Inc. Sentenced To 1-3 Years In Prison

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the sentencing of the former Human Resources Manager of the non-profit Hope Community, Inc., Chantel Rodriquez Pierre, for using her position to steal over $400,000 from the organization. Hope Community owns and operates low-income housing in Manhattan and is currently under contract with the New York City Department of Homeless Services for $8.9 million over five years to operate a homeless shelter for families. Rodriquez Pierre previously admitted that from June 2014 to February 2016, she manipulated the payroll system in order to issue bogus vacation time and additional reimbursements to employees at Hope Community. Instead of sending the money to the employees of the organization, Rodriquez Pierre ended up sending the money into accounts that she controlled. Rodriquez Pierre will serve 1 to 3 years in state prison, and will pay full restitution over time. Rodriquez Pierre was sentenced in front of Acting Supreme Court Justice Abraham Clott.

“Non-profit employees who steal from taxpayers and use their organizations as a personal piggy bank will be punished,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “I thank our law enforcement partners in the Department of Investigation for their continued partnership as we work to root out fraudsters who think they can skirt the rules.”

DOI Commissioner Mark G. Peters said, “This defendant committed a reprehensible crime: Stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a not-for-profit that provides refuge to some of the City’s most vulnerable New Yorkers.  She cheated the system for personal gain. Now, she’ll serve prison time. DOI thanks the New York State Attorney General’s Office for their collaboration and partnership on this case.”

The Attorney General would like to thank the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for their assistance with the investigation.

A.G. Schneiderman Announces New Legislation To Criminally Crack Down On Tenant Harassment

New Legislation Would Broaden And Strengthen Existing Tenant Harassment Laws, Make It Easier To Criminally Prosecute Landlords Who Force Rent-Regulated Tenants To Vacate

Schneiderman: With Affordable Housing As Scarce As Ever, It’s Time For Lawmakers To Give Prosecutors New Tools To Stop The Menacing - And Often Dangerous - Measures These Landlords Use To Force Tenants Out Of Their Homes

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman unveiled new legislation today aimed at holding the city’s most unscrupulous landlords criminally accountable for tenant harassment. Current state law demands prosecutors reach an inexplicably high bar in order to criminally charge landlords with harassment of rent-regulated tenants—which is why in the past twenty years, not a single landlord has ever been convicted of the crime of Harassment of a Rent Regulated Tenant. The AG’s legislation would change that, by setting a more reasonable standard that removes the need to prove physical injury to a tenant, and opens the door to prosecutions arising out of more commonplace and insidious tactics, such as turning off heat and hot water, exposing young children to lead dust, and making rent-stabilized buildings deliberately uninhabitable for current tenants and their families.

The legislation introduced today is just the most recent action taken by the AG to stem a rising tide of tenant harassment complaints across New York City. The AG's other work includes:

• Launching a new team to enhance and streamline the office’s resources to combat tenant harassment, deceptive lending practices, deed theft, bank fraud, and other housing issues facing constituents.
• Charging landlords and management companies for alleged illegal practices to harass or endanger rent-regulated tenants.
• Filing felony charges against landlords who allegedly commit mortgage fraud or fraudulently refinance loans.
• Formed the Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force with city and state officials

“Our current laws are outdated, ineffective, and totally inadequate to keep tenants safe from unscrupulous landlords seeking to unlawfully evict New York families. With affordable housing as scarce as ever, it’s time for lawmakers to give prosecutors new tools to stop the menacing - and often dangerous - measures these landlords use to force tenants out of their homes,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Protecting vulnerable tenants has been, and will remain, a top priority of my office.”

“Toughening up criminal penalties helps us level the playing field and protect tenants victimized by greedy, negligent landlords who put their own profit ahead of the rights of those paying the rent,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I applaud Attorney General Schneiderman's move to make it harder for bad actors to harass tenants, and will join him in advocating for this important penal law change.”

“Stronger tenant harassment legislation will deter potential unconscionable acts and help tenants feel more secure in filing charges against any unscrupulous landlords,” said New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “I commend Attorney General Schneiderman for his work on this very important bill that will extend protections to all tenants. The New York City Council last week introduced a tenant harassment protections package of legislation that will work conjunction with this bill, and we will continue to partner with the Attorney General to protect everyone in our City — especially the most vulnerable.”

Under the existing Harassment of a Rent Regulated Tenant statute, a prosecutor must not only prove that the offending landlord intended to cause the tenant to vacate their home, but also that the tenant sustained physical injury due to the landlord’s actions and that the landlord actually intended to cause (or acted with criminal recklessness in causing) such injury. This existing Penal Law statute creates an inexplicably high bar that – in the nearly two decades since the law was enacted – has never been met. In fact, a recent analysis of NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services data shows that not a single landlord has ever been convicted of the crime of Harassment of a Rent Regulated Tenant.

The Attorney General’s legislation would eliminate the need to prove physical injury to a tenant, and a landlord’s specific intent to cause it, in order to secure a criminal conviction against an offending landlord. Specifically, the legislation:

• Adds a new class A misdemeanor that would apply to landlords and their agents who, with the intent to cause a rent regulated tenant to vacate their home, engage in a “course of conduct” that is reasonably likely to, and does in fact, interfere with and disturb the comfort, repose, peace and quiet of such tenant in the use of their home;
• Expands the existing class E felony Penal Law statute to make it unlawful for landlords or their agents to attempt to force tenants in two or more rent-regulated units to move out by engaging in a “systematic ongoing course of conduct” or “repeatedly committing acts over a period of time” that “is or are reasonably likely to interfere with and disturb, and does or do interfere with and disturb, the comfort, repose, peace and quiet” of such tenants in the use of their homes; and
• Makes it a class E felony for a landlord to commit the new class A misdemeanor offense after he or she has been convicted of that crime within the preceding five years.

These provisions make it easier for prosecutors to curb common tactics used by landlords to force out tenants, including long and disruptive construction projects, deprivation of hot water and heat for extended periods of time. The new class A misdemeanor imposes a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail. The class E felony carries a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison.

Earlier today, Attorney General Schneiderman released new “Know Your Rights” guidance for immigrant tenants facing landlord harassment on the basis of immigration status.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 25-YEARS-TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER OF 28-YEAR-OLD AFTER DRUG DEAL

Defendant Bludgeoned Victim Over Counterfeit Bill 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 25 years-to-life in prison for the fatal beating of a 28-year-old man, who was pummeled to death with a wooden tree stake after a drug deal went sour. 

  District Attorney Clark said “The defendant viciously beat to death a young man, ending his life over fifty dollars. Now, at the age of 20, Mr. Rodriguez will spend the majority of his life behinds bars for this brutal crime.” 

  District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Ruben Rodriguez, AKA Butta, 20, of 1424 Walton Avenue, was sentenced today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Alvin Yearwood to 25 years-to-life in prison. Rodriguez was convicted by a jury of second-degree Murder on March 24, 2017. His co-defendant, Marquis Carter, 24, pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter and was sentenced on April 4, 2017 to 14 years in prison followed by five years post-release supervision. 

  According to trial testimony, on the early morning of April 23, 2014, in the area of Grand Concourse and Rockwood Street in Mount Eden, Rodriguez and Carter met with Luis Melendez to engage in a drug deal. After receiving a fake $50 bill from Melendez, the defendants repeatedly hit the victim with wooden sticks, striking his head and body, and causing his death.

  DA Clark thanked Detective Edwin Perez of the 44th Precinct and Detective Peter Cullen from Bronx Homicide, as well as the BXDA Video Unit and BXDA Detective Investigators for their assistance.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEX ACTS WITH 13-YEAR-OLD BOY

Defendant Will Also Have Ten Years Post-Release Supervision and Register as Sex Offender Bronx 

 

  District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for criminal sex acts involving a 13-year-old boy, and will register as a sex offender. 

  District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant committed heinous crimes against a child, a jury convicted him and now will serve time in prison and register as a sex offender. We hope the victim can now move on with his life knowing this predator is behind bars.” 

  District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Edward Gordon, 56, of 1451 Washington Avenue, was sentenced today by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Efrain Alvarado to eight years in prison, followed by ten years of post-release supervision. Gordon will have to register as a sex offender. He was convicted by a jury on February 10, 2017, of three counts of second degree Criminal Sexual Act, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. 

  According to trial testimony, on February 25, 2014, Gordon engaged in oral sexual conduct and anal sexual conduct with the child in Gordon’s apartment.

NEW INDICTMENT IN 2012 MURDER OF HANSEL ARIAS; TWO GANG MEMBERS CHARGED IN FATAL STABBING

Re-Investigation of Killing Followed Bronx DA Darcel D. Clark’s Dropping of Charges Against Enger Javier in 2016 

   Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that, after a thorough reinvestigation of the murder of Hansel Arias, two Bronx men have been indicted for fatally stabbing Arias on August 19, 2012 in the Claremont section of the Bronx. 

   District Attorney Clark said, “After I moved to dismiss the case against Enger Javier in February, 2016, Bronx Homicide started a re-investigation of the crime, and I assigned a new Assistant District Attorney to the case. They re-interviewed witnesses and re-examined physical evidence. We re-examined the killing of Hansel Arias very carefully and we would not be pressured or hurried to a conclusion.

  “We needed to make sure that we could bring justice and a semblance of closure to Hansel Arias’ family. Now, two men will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for this brutal crime.” 

  District Attorney Clark said that defendants, Jose Rodriguez, AKA “Bebo,” 24, of 184 East 164th Street and Jesus Reyes, AKA “Cibao,” AKA Darinso Marte, 26, of 291 East 162 Street were arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. They were remanded and are due back in court on September 5, 2017.

  The defendants were indicted on second-degree Murder, first-degree Manslaughter and first-degree Gang Assault. They face up to life in prison if convicted.

   According to the investigation, on August 19, 2012, at about 2:15 a.m., the defendants, members of the Trinitarios gang, were part of a large group that had been dispersed by police and then re-congregated near 1645 Webster Avenue.

  Arias was asked about his gang affiliation and an argument broke out, and Arias was attacked by several people. According to the investigation, Rodriguez allegedly grabbed a knife from Reyes and allegedly stabbed Arias in the chest, killing him.

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

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROSE ANNOUNCE $5.7 MILLION COMMUNITY CENTER RENOVATION ON STATEN ISLAND

Investment will expand Cornerstone Program at Mariner’s Harbor Houses  

   Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Member Debi Rose announced the City would invest $5.7 million to renovate a community center at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Mariner’s Harbor Houses on Staten Island. The renovated community center will expand the Department of Youth and Community Development’s (DYCD) Cornerstone Program at Mariner’s Harbor Houses, providing an additional 150 residents with access to quality, community-based programming in two facilities that span more than 5000 square feet. The renovation is expected to be completed in early 2020.

Opened in 2016, the Cornerstone Program at Mariner’s Harbor Houses is funded by DYCD and operated by United Activities Unlimited. The initiative offers community members a variety of programming determined by residents, including homework assistance, sports clinics, mentoring programs, clothing drives and special events and trips.

“Community centers are the heart of our neighborhoods, and provide a place for all New Yorkers to come together, learn and have fun,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This renovation will ensure that more residents have access to engaging programs and activities, and strengthen the community as a whole.”

“We know that when our young people have nowhere to go after school, they are far more likely to run into trouble with the law” said District Attorney Michael E. McMahon. “This substantial investment into the Mariners Harbor Community Center will provide invaluable programming, services, and most importantly a safe place for the residents of that community to learn & play. Investments like these have ripple effects throughout the neighborhood, and I applaud Mayor De Blasio, NYCHA, DYCD, for recognizing that all Staten Islanders need spaces like this to feel safe in their communities.”

"I commend Mayor de Blasio and Council member Rose for their investment in the renovation of this important program. Mariner's Harbor is a community that is farthest away from much of the North Shore development, so important upgrades to the community like this ensure the residents are getting the vital services they deserve,” said New York State Senator Diane Savino.

  

“The addition of a renovated center right next to the Cornerstone Program funded by DYCD and operated by United Activities Unlimited will give residents access to even more vital community services, and another place to keep them safe and engaged,” said Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Bill Chong.

“For NYCHA residents, community centers are more than just a building, they are a foundation for our​ neighborhoods,” said NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly. “Investing in Mariner's Harbor Houses to double the current community center space means Staten Island youth will have an expanded area to call their own whether they're receiving help at a computer lab or homework assistance. Today, with the partnership of Mayor de Blasio, we're moving closer to achieving our NextGen NYCHA goal of creating safe, stable and connected communities.”

Mariner’s Harbor is one of 94 Cornerstone Programs at NYCHA community centers in all five boroughs. Started in 2010, the program is a joint NYCHA and DYCD effort to create vibrant, multi-generational community centers on NYCHA developments that are responsive to local needs and improve quality of life and well-being of neighborhood residents.

This investment is a part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to build stronger neighborhoods through enhanced community engagement and expanded programming for NYCHA residents. In March, Mayor de Blasio pledged $1 million to help build a community center at NYCHA Marcy Houses. In 2014, Mayor de Blasio expanded summer hours at 107 community centers in NYCHA developments, including Cornerstones, so that they remain open until 11 P.M. The later hours provide young people with a safe space for recreation and learning.

Bronx Chamber of Commerce Irish Heritage Celebration

It may not have been St. Patrick's Day as Bronx Chamber of Commerce President Nunzio Del Greco explained why the Irish Heritage Celebration was being held during Easter Week. Mr. Bob Nolan was the emcee of the event which honored five fine Irish Americans. The Honorees were Ms. Carolyn Murphy VP of Marketing for Country Bank, Mr. John Doyle local civic activist, Mr. John McEvoy NYC Account Manager for Optimum Lightpath, Mr. Brian Anderson Community Outreach Director for Woodlawn Cemetery, and Mr. Mark Doyle (no relation to John Doyle) of Just Nuts entertainment. Sister Purificacion Ferrero gave the invocation, and blessed the BCC Luncheon. 

  

Left - Bob Nolan Emcee of the BCC Irish Heritage Luncheon.

Right - Sister Purificacion Ferrero giving the invocation.

Left - BCC President Mr. Nunzio Del Greco welcomes everyone, and tells of how the BCC has grown in the past year.

Right - The packed room for the BCC event.

Above - The proud Doyle family of Honoree John Doyle (center rear) includes his mother, father, brother, and friends. 

Below - BCC Chairman Joseph Kelleher sings some Irish songs with the Just Nuts Entertainment Group with Honoree Mark Doyle.

A group photo of the honorees, Sister Purificacion Ferrero, and the President and Chairman of the BCC, Mr. Nunzio Del Greco and Mr. Joseph Kelleher.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul Explains New State Budget at Bronx House

  Joined by State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, and Councilman Jimmy Vacca (Not pictured), Bronx House Executive Director Howard Martin, and a full room of area residents Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul gave a power point presentation on major aspects of the newly passed New York State budget.

Above - The elected officials and the audience listen to Councilman Jimmy Vacca who is pictured below.

Above - Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul shows her enthusiasm about the just passed state budget while she explains some of the key points of the state budget.

Below - Senator Klein and Assemblyman Gjonaj thank her for the informative presentation.