BRONX MAN INDICTED FOR KIDNAPPING AND RAPING WOMAN

 

Defendant Held Victim Captive for Days; Beat Her with Tire Iron

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been indicted for kidnapping a woman and raping her over the course of five days in an abandoned building in Kingsbridge. 

  District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant allegedly held a 28-year-old woman captive for days, raping and beating her with a tire iron. The victim managed to escape with the help of a passerby. The defendant has been indicted on multiple charges for terrorizing this woman.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Timothy Harnett, AKA Lawless, 44, who is homeless, was arraigned today on three counts of first-degree Kidnapping, second-degree Kidnapping, first-degree Rape, third-degree Rape, four counts of first-degree Criminal Sexual Act, four counts of third-degree Criminal Sexual Act, first-degree Sexual Abuse, Attempted Sex Trafficking, Attempted Sexual Assault in the first degree, and second-degree Assault before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Raymond Bruce. The defendant was remanded and is due back in court on August 9, 2022.

 According to the investigation, on April 29, 2022, the defendant allegedly offered the victim, a 28-year-old woman, money in exchange for sex. He took her to 2667 Briggs Avenue where an abandoned three-story building damaged by a fire was located and took her upstairs. When the victim turned her back to the defendant he allegedly hit her leg with a tire iron, causing her to fall to the floor. Harnett allegedly continued to beat her with the tire iron and punched her, leaving her with a fractured wrist and dislocated knee. The defendant allegedly took off the victims’ clothes, tied her feet with a cloth and handcuffed her wrists.

 Between April 29, 2022 and May 2, 2022, Harnett allegedly held the victim captive and raped her multiple times a day. He also threatened to kill her if she tried to escape. On May 2, 2022, the defendant left the building to go to a nearby laundromat. While he was gone, the victim used the tire iron to break a window and used glass to cut the restraints on her feet. The victim waved down a passerby who called 911 and flagged down a NYPD patrol car. The victim was taken to the hospital for her injuries.

 It is believed the defendant may have had other victims. Anyone who may have been victimized, or anyone with information about a victim of this defendant should please call the Bronx District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit at 718-838-6535.

 If you are a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888, or the Bronx DA’s Crime Victims Assistance Unit, (718) 590-2115.

 District Attorney Clark also thanked Detective Jordan Gambino of the NYPD Bronx Special Victims Squad, Detective James Barrenger of the NYPD DNA Cold Case Squad, and Detective Michael Summa of the NYPD Bronx Warrants Squad for their work in the investigation. 

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

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - MAY 23, 2022

Statewide 7-Day Average Case Rate Has Declined Over Past Six Consecutive Days - Lowest Since May 7

Nearly All New York State Regions Show Weekly Average Cases Down Slightly

Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

24 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"As we continue to monitor the numbers, I encourage New Yorkers to continue using the tools to protect against and treat COVID-19," Governor Hochul said. "The best way to stay out of the hospital with COVID-19 is by keeping up to date with your vaccination and booster doses. Be sure to get tested to ensure you're not spreading the virus to your loved ones. And, if you test positive, talk to your doctor about treatment. The worst thing we could let happen is let our guard down, so let's keep looking out for each other so we can move forward safely through this pandemic."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Cases Per 100k - 33.06
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 47.30
• Test Results Reported - 68,436
• Total Positive - 6,460
• Percent Positive - 9.10%**  
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 8.04%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,587 (+112)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 412
• Patients in ICU - 232 (-4)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 92 (+3)
• Total Discharges - 304,616 (+281)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 24
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 55,944

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.     

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.       

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.  

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 71,403

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.      

• Total vaccine doses administered - 38,787,038
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 16,829
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 114,904
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 92.5%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 84.0%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 87.3%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 83.5%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 73.4%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 82.1%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 74.4%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 90.5%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 77.3%  

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:      

Borough	Friday, May 20, 2022	Saturday, May 21, 2022	Sunday, May 22, 2022
Bronx	4.23%	4.15%	4.29%
Kings	6.67%	6.50%	6.48%
New York	6.86%	6.88%	6.97%
Queens	6.69%	6.45%	6.52%
Richmond	7.73%	7.70%	7.74%

Former CEO Of NYC Non-Profit Sentenced To Prison For Honest Services Fraud

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VICTOR RIVERA was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for conspiring to commit honest services fraud. RIVERA, who used to lead Bronx Parent Housing Network (“BPHN”), a non-profit organization that operated soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and affordable-housing facilities in New York City, schemed to enrich himself through bribes and kickbacks from BPHN’s contractors. RIVERA was sentenced by United States District Judge Sidney H. Stein.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Victor Rivera abused his position of authority at a non-profit established to help the most vulnerable in order to line his own pockets. For this egregious violation of trust, he is now sentenced to prison.”

According to allegations in the Information, other court filings, and statements made in court:

RIVERA was the President and Chief Executive Officer of BPHN, which annually spent millions of dollars in public funds on real estate, security, cleaning, construction, and food expenses, among other costs related to the housing and social services BPHN provided. From at least in or about 2013 until in or about 2020, RIVERA engaged in a scheme to enrich himself and his relatives by soliciting and accepting bribes and kickbacks from contractors doing work related to or for BPHN. The scheme yielded RIVERA hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit gains. 

In addition to his prison sentence, RIVERA, 62, of Stony Point, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release. RIVERA was also ordered to forfeit $1,249,158.93, and to pay BPHN $902,269.23 in restitution.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the New York Department of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the Internal Revenue Service for its assistance.

New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce - Invites you to The Return of the 116th Street festival

 

SATURDAY, JUNE 11th, 2022 10:00am - 5:00pm The biggest National Latin Festival in the North East will  be returning on for its 37th Celebration. The 116th  Street Festival will host two stages with various  artist’s live music performances, community art, and  food influenced by the Puerto Rican and Hispanic culture,  with an added extra spark of excitement as the festival  celebrates its 37th year celebration.

Former NYC Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. - Those who called For Defunding the Police are partly responsible For The increase in crime

 

You should know that the tragic killing of Kayhara Tay, an innocent 11-year-old girl, in the Bronx County, has sparked a parade of politicians and dignitaries demanding justice and calling for a reduction in crime and violence.

 

You Should also Know that most of these elected officials, who are now demanding justice, and an end to crime and violence, are responsible for the rise in crime and violence we are now experiencing in the Bronx, and throughout our city.

 

These elected officials, who are elected to serve the people they represent and work to defend and ensure the safety of our communities, are the authors of laws, which promote, the lack of respect for law enforcement officers, violent assaults on taxi drivers, bodegueros, the elderly, children, and young people.

 

The murder of Kayhara Tay, together with the murders of 19-year-old Kristal Bayron, who was murdered while working at a Burger King in East Harlem and the death of the young man Leandro "Junior" Guzmán, who was brutally murdered in Bronx County, by a gang of thugs carrying machetes.

 

These are just some of the consequences due to the laws passed and rhetoric of some of these Legislators when they supported and approved Defunding of the Police, cut the funding of vital resources to the NYPD, and instituted Bail Reform Laws.

 

It is important for you to know that Bronx County has a delegation of (9) Elected Members to The New York City Council.   In the year 2020, the NYC Council decided and voted in favor of cutting One-Billion Dollars from the NYPD Budget. Most of the Bronx City Council members voted in favor of this outrageous legislation, with the exemption of two members Mark Gjonaj and I Rubén Diaz Sr. 

Mark Gjonaj and I voted against cutting resources to the Police, because to us, it was obviously clear that Defunding the Police would negatively impact the city and the consequences would be an increase in crime. When law enforcement does not have the necessary support and resources to protect and serve, crime will increase. We also knew that this would embolden the criminal mind and as a result it would gravely hurt those communities who are in dire need of protection.  We are now experiencing and living the consequences of Defunding the Police and what happens when you cut off vital resources and safety measures.

 

Vanessa Gibson, now the Bronx Borough President, back then together with Council Members Fernando Cabrera, Andrew Cohen, Diana Ayala, Andy King, Richie Torres, and Rafael Salamanca, were among those Council Members who voted to Defund the Police.  Recently some of these legislators visited the street, where Kayhara Tay was killed by a drive-by shooter. These Bronx Legislators recently visited the site to publicly ask for an end to the violence, but not one of them asked for reinstituting the vital funds and resources, which they themselves cut off, from the NYPD budget.

 

Today, although I am retired as an elected official, for all those who sincerely want to protect our communities and decrease crime and violence, I would like to offer 5 suggestions.  My five suggestions to reduce crime are:

 

1. Restore the "Anti-Crime Unit", also restore all the authority it once had which proved positive in the reduction of crime and violence in our city.

 

2. Eliminate The Bail Reform laws, passed by the same legislators who favored Defunding the Police. This law has proven to benefit and embolden the criminals, while risking the safety of our people and communities.

 

3. Increase the Age Laws of those Committing Felonies and Violent Crimes.   16-17 years old’s, who commit felonies and violent crimes, must be tried as an adult and not as a minor in a family court. This does nothing at all to decrease or combat violent crime. 

 

4. Reinstate the One-Billion Dollars that the NYC Council cut from the NYPD budget, and not only restore those funds but increase its budget, to enable our law enforcement officers to faithfully execute their duty to Protect and Serve.  While also restoring morale within the NYPD.    

    

5.  Reinstate "Stop and Frisk" When and if necessary, this helped to greatly reduce illegal guns in our streets.

 

As you can see, my dear reader, crime in New York City and State can indeed be managed when you take “political correction” out of the equation.   The problem is that when crime is controlled in our Neighborhoods, and the rate of violent crime is reduced, our legislators would have one less campaign theme or issue to run on and this does not serve them well. So, instead they meet on the street where tragedies occur and call for an end to a problem that they themselves helped to create.

 

I am Rev. Ruben Diaz, and this is "What You Should Know."

Attorney General James and CFPB Shut Down Predatory Debt Collection Operation

 

AG James and CFPB Ban Debt Collection Operation from Industry, Require Them to Pay $4 Million in Penalties and Damages

Debt Collectors Used Illegal and Deceptive Tactics That Hurt Thousands of Consumers Nationwide

 New York Attorney General Letitia James and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today shut down a predatory debt collection operation that used deceptive and abusive tactics to illegally collect millions of dollars from hundreds of thousands of consumers. The debt collection operation — comprised of several companies including JPL Recovery Solutions — falsely threatened consumers with harsh consequences if they did not pay, inflated the true amount of debts owed, and contacted consumers’ friends, family members, and employers to harass consumers. As a result of today’s action by Attorney General James and CFPB, this debt collection operation, its owners, and managers are required to pay $4 million and are permanently banned from the debt collection industry. This resolves an earlier lawsuit filed against the operation by Attorney General James and CFPB.

“This debt collection operation used illegal and deceptive tactics to prey on consumers, and now they are paying the price for the harm they caused,” said Attorney General James. “Predatory debt collectors make their profit by targeting hardworking consumers and then illegally saddle them deeper into debt. These debt collectors used harassing calls and false threats to coerce consumer to pay, actions that are both illegal and downright shameful. Today’s action should send a strong message to debt collectors nationwide that we will not hesitate to use the full force of the law to hold them accountable if they hurt consumers.”

“It is illegal for debt collectors to orchestrate smear campaigns using social media to extort consumers into paying up,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “Our action with the New York Attorney General bans the ringleaders of this operation from the industry to halt further misconduct.”

This debt collection operation was comprised of interrelated businesses based out of a location in Getzville, New York. Together, they purchased defaulted consumer debt for pennies on the dollar. The debt came from high-interest personal loans, payday loans, credit cards, and other sources. The operation then attempted to collect debts from up to about 293,000 consumers, generating gross revenues of approximately $93 million between 2015 and 2020. 

The companies involved in this operation included JPL Recovery Solutions, LLC; Regency One Capital LLC; ROC Asset Solutions LLC, which does business as API Recovery Solutions; Check Security Associates LLC, which does business as Warner Location Services and Orchard Payment Processing Systems; and Keystone Recovery Group. These companies were owned by Christopher Di Re, Scott Croce, and Susan Croce, and were managed by Brian Koziel and Marc Gracie.

Attorney General James and CFPB alleged that the operation used deceptive and harassing methods, violating several state and federal consumer protection laws. Specifically, the complaint alleged that the owners, managers, and companies used the following illegal tactics to collect debt: 

• Falsely claimed arrest and imprisonment: On occasion, collectors working for these companies falsely threatened consumers with arrest and imprisonment if they did not make payments. In fact, consumers are not subject to arrest or imprisonment for failure to pay debts. 
• Lied about legal action: The companies falsely threatened consumers with legal action, including wage garnishment and seizing property.
• Inflated the debts and misrepresented amounts owed: The defendants deceptively inflated the amount owed to convince people that paying the amount they actually owe represents a substantial discount. To coerce consumers even further, collectors said it was an offer that would only be available for a short period of time. 
• Created “smear campaigns”: The collectors contacted consumers’ immediate family members, grandparents, distant family members, in-laws, ex-spouses, employers, work colleagues, landlords, Facebook friends, and other known associates, to pressure people to pay. The collectors did this even after consumers told the collectors to stop contact. Victims described these tactics as “emotional terrorism.”
• Harassed people with repeated phone calls: The collectors repeatedly called people multiple times every day over periods lasting a month or longer. Collectors were, in fact, instructed to let the consumer hang up on each call so they can maintain a pretense in their call logs that they were disconnected, and then call back as soon as the next day. The collectors also used insulting and belittling language and engaged in intimidating behavior when calling. 
• Failed to provide legally mandated disclosures: The collectors did not provide to consumers the statutorily-required notices, which detail their rights. When people asked for them, some collectors refused to provide them.

As a result of today’s settlement, this operation is required to pay $2 million to New York and $2 million to CFPB. If they fail to pay the $4 million judgment in a timely manner, they will be required to pay another $1 million.

This case follows a long line of actions taken by Attorney General James to seek justice on behalf of consumers in New York state. Just last year, Attorney General James banned debt collector, Andrew Fanelli and his company Northwood Asset Management Group, from the consumer debt collection industry, for allegedly collecting debts using similar deceptive and illegal tactics. In 2019, Attorney General James announced a $60 million judgment against debt collection kingpin, Douglas MacKinnon, who engaged debtors using similar deceptive and illegal tactics. Attorney General James and CFPB have been taking vigorous steps to enforce this judgment, including brining a civil contempt motion against MacKinnon.

Governor Hochul Announces Swearing in of Antonio Delgado as Lieutenant Governor on May 25

 

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that Representative Antonio Delgado will be sworn in as Lieutenant Governor on Wednesday, May 25. Upon Representative Delgado's resignation from Congress, Governor Hochul will follow the process set out by law and issue a proclamation declaring a special election that will align with the recently set August election date.   

"Antonio Delgado is a phenomenal leader and public servant with a record of getting things done for New Yorkers, and he will serve as a trusted partner as New York's Lieutenant Governor," Governor Hochul said. "I look forward to working together on critical issues including education, affordable housing, economic development and infrastructure, and his experience in Washington will make him a key liaison to our Congressional Delegation. I am grateful to Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for her service during the transition and for our continued partnership."   

"It has been an honor to serve in Congress, delivering results and fighting for the constituents of the 19th District. Now, I am ready to put my years of experience and ability to connect people to work for the entire State of New York," said Lieutenant Governor-Designate Antonio Delgado. "New York needs an experienced leader with a history of getting things done. I am more than ready to step into this role as Lieutenant Governor and work tirelessly, every day, to improve the lives of New Yorkers."  

A native of Upstate New York, Representative Delgado grew up in Schenectady and lives in Rhinebeck with his wife, Lacey, and their twin eight-year-old sons, Maxwell and Coltrane. He attended Colgate University and earned a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford. Then, he received a law degree from Harvard Law School, where he met Lacey. He lived in New York City for several years as a young lawyer.    

In Congress he has delivered for his constituents - providing relief for family farms, helping small businesses rebuild and thrive, creating clean energy jobs, increasing access to broadband, and supporting our veterans. He was first elected to Congress in 2018. Representative Delgado is the Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit, and he serves on the House Small Business and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees.  

Building upon his record in Congress securing historic federal investment in infrastructure, as well as over $10 billion in direct economic relief, Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado will serve as a liaison between local, state, and federal partners to advocate for the Governor's priorities and initiatives.