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VAN NEST FOOD GIVEAWAY 7.9.2020

Acting U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Leader And Members Of Cross-Country Drug Trafficking Organization

  Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JOSE SERGIO MARTINEZ-AGUILAR, a/k/a “Orejon,” a/k/a “Andy,” a/k/a “Pa,” VLADIMIR PULSTILINKOV, a/k/a “The Russian,” MIGUEL LOVOS, SEBASTIAN RAMOS, a/k/a “Nimo,” and RICARDO RUIZ-SALINAS with narcotics trafficking offenses based on their alleged participation in an international drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine.  MARTINEZ-AGUILAR, PULSTILINKOV, and LOVOS also are charged with possessing and using firearms in connection with the narcotics trafficking.

MARTINEZ-AGUILAR and LOVOS were previously charged in Complaints filed in the Southern District of New York, and were taken into custody in California on June 26, 2020, and subsequently presented before magistrate judges in the Central District of California.  RAMOS and RUIZ-SALINAS were taken into custody in New York earlier today, and will be presented before Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn today in Manhattan federal court.  PULSTILINKOV currently remains at large.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain.

Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “As alleged, Jose Sergio Martinez-Aguilar led an international drug trafficking organization that imported potentially lethal drugs from Mexico and distributed them throughout the U.S., including right here in New York.  Now, thanks to the efforts of HSI, Martinez-Aguilar and his co-defendants are in custody and facing serious federal charges.”

HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said:  “As alleged, Martinez-Aguilar and his crew funneled highly addictive drugs across the southern border and from coast to coast, seeking to make a hefty profit off those addicted to his product.  This case makes it clear that HSI’s capabilities across borders and across the country leave no one safe from the long arm of the law, and justice will be served.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court, the Complaints charging MARTINEZ-AGUILAR and LOVOS, other court filings related to this matter, and statements made in court[1]:

Since at least June 2019, MARTINEZ-AGUILAR has led a drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) that imports narcotics into California from Mexico, and then distributes those narcotics in California and other parts of the country, including New York City.  The DTO is responsible for distributing large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine.  PULSTILINKOV, LOVOS, RAMOS, and RUIZ-SALINAS are members of the DTO who worked with MARTINEZ-AGUILAR to traffic the DTO’s narcotics.

During the investigation, communications among members of the DTO intercepted pursuant to court orders revealed a significant drug trafficking operation, led by MARTINEZ-AGUILAR, that imported and distributed multi-kilogram quantities of narcotics across the country.  On one occasion, LOVOS discussed with MARTINEZ-AGUILAR obtaining a job near the U.S.-Mexican border, “because things are hot over there” and he could “cross people” and narcotics into the United States.  On another occasion, MARTINEZ-AGUILAR bragged to an associate that narcotics distributed by other drug trafficking crews “[wa]s not even half the quality of what I have.”  The DTO supplied drugs to dealers for distribution on the streets of New York City.  For example, in June 2020, law enforcement seized a package shipped by MARTINEZ-AGUILAR and his DTO associates from California to the New York City area that was found to contain over nine kilograms of fentanyl and more than a kilogram of a heroin/fentanyl mixture. 

On June 26, 2020, law enforcement searched a stash house operated by the DTO in California, pursuant to a court-authorized warrant.  During the search, law enforcement recovered a stash of heroin, methamphetamine, and other suspected narcotics, as well as multiple handguns and assault rifles.  LOVOS was found and arrested at the stash house during the execution of the warrant.  LOVOS, MARTINEZ-AGUILAR, and PULSTILINKOV possessed and used firearms in connection with the DTO’s narcotics trafficking business.

MARTINEZ-AGUILAR, 39, of Thermal, California, and LOVOS, 31, of Indio, California, are each charged with three counts of narcotics conspiracy and one count of firearms possession in connection with drug trafficking.  PULSTILINKOV, 44, of Indio, California, is charged with two counts of narcotics conspiracy and one count of firearms possession in connection with drug trafficking.  RAMOS, 29, and RUIZ-SALINAS, 43, of Brooklyn, New York, are each charged with one count of narcotics conspiracy.  A chart containing the charges and maximum and minimum penalties for the defendants is set forth below.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Count	Charge	Defendant(s)	Maximum/Minimum Penalties
1	Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics – Cocaine 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(b)(1)(A)	JOSE SERGIO MARTINEZ-AGUILAR VLADIMIR PULSTILINKOV MIGUEL LOVOS SEBASTIAN RAMOS RICARDO RUIZ-SALINAS	Life imprisonment Mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment
2	Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics – Fentanyl, Heroin 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(b)(1)(A)	JOSE SERGIO MARTINEZ-AGUILAR MIGUEL LOVOS	Life imprisonment Mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment
3	Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics - Methamphetamine 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(b)(1)(A)	JOSE SERGIO MARTINEZ-AGUILAR VLADIMIR PULSTILINKOV MIGUEL LOVOS	Life imprisonment Mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment
4	Firearms Offense 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)	JOSE SERGIO MARTINEZ-AGUILAR MIGUEL LOVOS	Life imprisonment Mandatory minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment
5	Firearms Offense 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)	VLADIMIR PULSTILINKOV	Life imprisonment Mandatory minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI, the New York City Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.  She also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance in connection with the arrests of certain of the defendants.

The charges contained in the Indictment and the Complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and Complaints, and the descriptions set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY LAUNCHES VIRTUAL ANTI-GUN VIOLENCE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR NEW YORK CITY YOUTH

Anti-Gun Violence Employment Program (AGVEP) will engage approximately 700 young New Yorkers from communities impacted by gun violence with employment and virtual enrichment programs

  New York City’s Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) today announced the virtual launch of the Anti-Gun Violence Employment Program (AGVEP), offering employment and enrichment opportunities to approximately 700 young people.

Starting July 13, AGVEP will employ New Yorkers between the ages 14 and 24 living in neighborhoods and NYCHA housing developments most significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will engage in 10 to 15 hours of activities for a 6-week period, with the potential to earn a stipend of $850 to $1,200.

ONS, which is part of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ), oversees the Office to Prevent Gun Violence (OPGV) and the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP). Both teams will help guide participants through enrichment activities held virtually and in socially distanced in-person settings with local organizations in their communities.

With an infusion of support from the Young Men’s Initiative (YMI), ONS developed a network of virtual programming organizations that will offer training in youth leadership and organizing, career readiness, financial empowerment, web development and coding, urban planning, music and film production, civic engagement, and more.

AGVEP is a year-round employment program that increases employment opportunities for participants who may be at risk of being victimized or perpetrating violence. First launched in 2016 by MOCJ and the New York City Council, it is currently budgeted at $1.5 million with funding from both the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years. Participants work at community-based organizations engaged in positive activities to cultivate self-efficacy and leadership skills designed to contribute to their social, educational, and professional growth.

"The most powerful route to safety is to provide meaningful opportunity to New Yorkers. The Anti-Gun Violence Employment Program, with its proven track record, does just that with youth who play a vital role in our neighborhoods,” said Elizabeth Glazer, Director of the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice. “These investments are even more important at this juncture in our city’s history as we turn more and more to a community-first approach to safety."

“The youth in our communities are our future innovators and leaders — we have to invest in them today,” said MOCJ Deputy Director Eric Cumberbatch, who leads ONS. “The Anti-Gun Violence Employment Program is another crucial way in which the City is creating opportunity for our young people, especially at this incredibly important moment where we are redefining what safety and well-being mean for our communities.”

"Empowering communities — and young people in particular — should be the foundation of all justice reforms,” said Young Men's Initiative Executive Director Jordan Stockdale. “YMI is proud to support the Anti-Gun Violence Employment Program, which provides engaging learning opportunities and meaningful stipends to our future leaders. We commend the civil servants at ONS for their hard work to ensure our youth have more enrichment opportunities this summer."

Launched in December 2019, ONS was created to improve the sharing of resources and access to holistic assistance to New Yorkers affected by violence. The Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety organizes residents, multiple city agencies, and numerous community-based organizations in 15 NYCHA developments into an effective neighborhood-based, problem-solving effort. The Office to Prevent Gun Violence works through multiple programs, including the Crisis Management System, to coordinate and amplify the work of a network of community-based non-profits across 22 precincts in the city.

For questions about AGVEP, interested applicants can email OPGV@cityhall.nyc.gov for more information.

NYPD Announces Citywide Crime Statistics for June 2020

  For the month of June 2020, the number of people victimized by gun violence and murder in New York City spiked significantly, when compared to the same period in 2019. Between June 1 and June 30, there was a 130% increase in the number of shooting incidents across the city (205 v. 89) as the number of shootings rose in every borough of New York. The number of people murdered citywide increased to 39 v. 30, (+ 30%) for the month, while the number of burglaries increased to 1,783 v. 817 (+118%) and the number of auto thefts increased to 696 v. 462 (+51%) citywide.

While the NYPD has made approximately 40,000 fewer overall arrests so far this year compared with last year, gun arrests year-to-date as of July 5 are 1,679 vs. 1,683. We have also seen the impacts of legislative mandates sending offenders no longer eligible for bail back to the streets where they are being regularly rearrested and contributing to overall crime in the city.

Every day our officers are taking innovative actions to meet the challenges of policing in a during the COVID-19 pandemic. They respond in real-time to crime spikes by gathering timely intelligence, analyzing crime trends and disseminating preventative measures to ensure safety for all.

“The sharp increase in shootings and violence in New York puts innocent people at risk and tears at the fabric of life in our city,” said NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. “The challenges are great for an NYPD facing the strain of deep budget cuts, changes to the criminal justice system that are impacting the courts and the continuing international health pandemic. But through it all, I have seen our hardworking men and women display an unwavering commitment to the kind of fair and effective policing that defines our agency and that New Yorkers expect and deserve.”

Increase in Shootings: New York City has seen an increase in gunfire in the last month – measured in the number of separate shooting incidents occurring across the city, and, more concerning, in the number of victims injured and killed. Every injury from a bullet can be a millimeter away from being a death. For the first weeks of June, the number of shootings in the city more than doubled compared to the same period a year ago. Through June 30, overall shootings citywide rose to 205 – with 270 victims. Currently, the number of parolees involved in shooting incidents or murders is at a 15-year high. Meanwhile, from January through the end of June, more than 2,000 people arrested in a crime with a gun recovered had cases against them that remain open in the courts.

Ongoing Challenges: The NYPD is enduring a round of deep budget cuts that have led to a class of 1,163 recruits being canceled. The department has also seen an increase in retirements. The NYPD’s facilitation of peaceful protest continues to utilize department resources. While the NYPD uses a lighter touch in regard to enforcement, offenders no longer eligible for bail are being rearrested: they have been rearrested for approximately 750 additional major felonies through June 26, compared with the population of those released in the same period a year ago.

Last month, Commissioner Shea announced a series of personnel changes to positon the department for the 21st Century policing by continuing to strengthen the bonds between officers and residents. He promoted Jeffrey B. Maddrey, the longtime chief of the NYPD’s Patrol Borough Brooklyn North, to the position of Chief of Community Affairs, at a moment of historic importance in the relationship between the police and the public. Other appointments the commissioner made will allow seasoned NYPD leaders to see the city and the residents we serve through these challenging times.

Key highlights from this month's crime statistics:

• Murder is up +23.1% (181 v. 147) for the first six months of 2020 when compared to the first six months of 2019.
• There were 205 citywide shooting incidents in June 2020, compared to 89 shooting incidents in June 2019, a 130.3% increase. Year-to-date, through June 30, there is a +46% spike in citywide shooting incidents (528 v. 362).
• Burglary increased +118.2% (1,783 v. 817) in June and is up +46.3% (7,234 v. 4,943) year-to-date through June 30.
• For the month of June, rape decreased by -21% (109 v. 138). Rape continues to be underreported. If you have been a victim of sexual assault, please come forward. The NYPD Special Victims Division's 24-hour hotline is 212-267-RAPE (7273).
• Year-to-date, through June 28, citywide hate crimes declined -38% (134 v. 212).

 Statistics on Index Crimes

	Jun-20	Jun-19	+/-	%
Murder	39	30	9	30%
Rape	109	138	-29	-21.00%
Robbery	948	1,153	-205	-17.80%
Assault	1,947	1,953	-6	-0.30%
Burglary	1,783	817	966	118.20%
Grand
Larceny	2,317	3,744	-1,427	-38.10%
G.L.A.	696	462	234	50.60%
TOTAL	7,839	8,297	-458	-5.50%

Additional Statistics For June 2020

	Jun-20	Jun-19	+/-	%
Transit
106	210	-104	-49.50%
Housing
444	436	8	1.80%
Shooting
Incidents
205	89	116	130.30%

Hate Crimes Statistics Summary from January 1, 2020 – June 3, 2020

These statistics represent the time period between January 1, 2020 – June 3, 2020 for the respective years of 2019 and 2020.

Motivation	2020	2019	+/-	%
Asian	2	3	-1	-33%
Black	16	20	-4	-20%
Ethnic	0	3	-3	-100%
Gender	5	7	-2	-29%
Hispanic	0	3	-3	-100%
Muslim	2	9	-7	-78%
Other Corona	20	0	20	--
Other	15	8	7	88%
Semitic	57	123	-66	-54%
Sexual Orientation	8	24	-16	-67%
White	4	12	-8	-67%
Religion	6	4	2	-50%
Total	135	216	-81	-38%

Note: Recent Coronavirus-related incidents fall under the anti-other category as there are primarily two motivating factors behind those crimes: The victim’s race (Anti-Asian) and the perception that they have Coronavirus. Also, all crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revisions, or change.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES POSTPONEMENT OF ANNUAL TAX LIEN SALE UNTIL SEPTEMBER

 Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Finance Commissioner Jacques Jiha announced today the postponement of the annual tax lien sale until September 2020, as the city continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We must build a fair and equitable recovery for the working people of our city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Postponing the lien sale will give some relief to those struggling to make ends meet, and more time for New Yorkers to apply for our hardship programs.”

“While New York City begins to rebound from the effects of COVID-19, many property owners continue to face serious financial challenges from the effect of the virus,” said Department of Finance Commissioner Jacques Jiha. “Postponing the sale allows property owners to better assess their situations and to apply for assistance or a payment plan, if necessary.”

The lien sale is administered by the NYC Department of Finance, which sells overdue property taxes, water and sewer charges, and other property charges to a non-profit trust. The agency sends out four warning notices to property owners starting three months prior to the sale, alerting them that the property is at risk of being on the lien sale list. More than 80 percent of owners pay the full amount owed, enter into payment plans, or obtain an exemption that removes them from the at-risk pool. DOF also advertises at risk properties and conducts extensive outreach to property owners at risk of having their liens sold, often partnering with community groups and elected officials to reach as many property owners as possible.

The sale was originally scheduled to occur in May 2020, but it was previously postponed until August 2020 as the City focused its efforts on the COVID-19 outbreak.

Property owners who are facing hardships making their property tax payments can take advantage of several existing DOF programs. These include exemption programs to lower the amount of taxes owed, standard payment plans, or a new Property Tax and Interest Deferral (PT AID) program, for those who qualify. DOF also provides a monthly property tax billing service to facilitate budgeting for property owners billed on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. More information on those programs can be found on the agency’s website.

Rally and March For Black Lives Matter for Elijah From Bronx Park East to Morris Park

  It was billed as a Black Lives Matter March for Elijah, but was there a different agenda to this rally and march through Allerton and Morris Park?

Elijah McCain was a 23 year old Black Man stopped by police in Aurora Colorado last August on his way home from a convenience store. The Aurora police department is reported saying that a 911 call came in about a suspicious person in a ski mask. It continues that he resisted arrest and when captured was put in a carotid hold. Elijah suffered a heart attack on the way  to the hospital, where he died days later after being declared Brain Dead.

So why hold a rally and march for Elijah more than one month before the anniversary of his death? Could there be a connection to the Pro Police rally that took place one week ago in Morris Park, where Black Lives Matter supporters were heckled and vastly outnumbered? 

There were expectations of up to five-hundred people showing up, but the heavy afternoon thunder showers kept that number down to over one-hundred people. The start was pushed back as the weather got better with the rally starting about 7 PM, The march began shortly after 8 PM. 

Marchers chanting various things such as names of Black people killed in police custody, Black Live Matter, and several other chants as they went across Allerton Avenue, to Williamsbridge Road, down to Morris Park Avenue, winding up not at Loreto park, but the Matthews Muliner playground, which was locked at dusk. There was a stop at Assemblywoman Fernandez's office where water and the use of the bathroom was available. The Police Department had officers set up along the parade route, and escorted the marchers. They did not control the light traffic on the streets, which was handled by different people on bikes. The police moved away as the destination was arrived at, but they continued a presence on Morris Park Avenue. 

This was a peaceful rally and march through Allerton and Morris Park with no counter rally, march, or attempt to disrupt this Black Lives Matter march through Morris Park.

Above - Assemblywoman Fernandez' office with lots of water and the door open for marchers who needed to relive themselves. 
Below - Assemblywoman Fernandez talks with march captains as marchers wait in the street across from the assemblywoman's office.

Above - Police officers were walking on the sidewalk as marchers cross Rhinelander Avenue walking on Williamsbridge Road. 

Below - Marchers turn onto Morris Park Avenue from Williamsbridge Road. 

Above - Marchers have passed Loreto Park as they proceed across Morris Park Avenue chanting various sayings associated with the BLM movement. 
Below - Marchers cross Bronxdale Avenue on the way to their destination.

Above - The marchers arrive at a locked Matthews Muliner Playground.

Below - Assemblyman Michael Blake was one of the marchers.