Foreign National Charged with International Drug Trafficking

 

An indictment was unsealed in the District of Columbia charging a foreign national with international fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana trafficking.

According to court documents, between January 2017 and April 2021, Juan Carlos Morgan Huerta, aka Cacayo, conspired to import large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana from Mexico into the United States. 

Morgan Huerta is charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one kilogram or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana for importation into the United States. If convicted, Morgan Huerta faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram, and Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) supported the case.

The FBI Tucson Field Office, OCDETF Strike Force, DEA Nogales Field Division, and HSI Tucson Field Office are investigating this case.

Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance.  

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BIG Week Ahead for KRVC & Riverdale!

 

Upcoming Events at KRVC

Join us for all these great events! Book Presentation, Book Club, Karaoke, Meditation

Join us for our next Book Club Meeting on Wednesday, December 6th, 1-3pm at 505 West 236th Street to enjoy a light lunch and a discussion of M Train by Patti Smith. See below for book description and our 2024 Book Selections.

Braiding despair with hope and consolation, illustrated with her signature Polaroids,  M Train is a meditation on travel, detective shows, literature, and coffee. It is a powerful, deeply moving book by one of the most remarkable multiplatform artists at work today.y

Look forward to seeing you! 505BX.org

THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ANNOUNCES SENTENCING OF FORMER EMPLOYEE CONVICTED OF FRAUDULENTLY OBTAINING MORE THAN $800,000 IN UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUNDS

 

The New York State Department of Labor announced the sentencing of a former employee convicted of perpetrating an Unemployment Insurance fraud scheme to exploit the system and unlawfully obtain funds. Wendell Giles was sentenced Thursday in US District Court Northern District of New York to 36 months in federal prison followed by a two-year period of supervised release. Giles was also ordered to repay NYSDOL $826,530 in restitution. Giles’s co-conspirator, who has also plead guilty, is jointly responsible for a portion of that sum.  

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “This betrayal of trust and exploitation of a vital safety net for hardworking New Yorkers is intolerable, and we condemn Wendell Giles's actions in the strongest terms. His sentence is a stark reminder that there are consequences for individuals who would brazenly abuse their authority and seek personal gain at the expense of the very people they were meant to serve. When this matter was brought to light, NYSDOL investigators readily assisted the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Labor in the investigation.”

Mr. Giles’s crimes occurred as NYSDOL staff was engaged in a comprehensive response to an unprecedented surge in unemployment insurance benefit claims resulting from the COVID-19 global health pandemic. The $105 billion delivered by NYSDOL during the pandemic was equivalent to more than 50 years’ worth of benefits.

“Despite the actions of this former employee, the Department’s commitment to maintaining the highest ethical standards and the integrity of our operations remains unwavering,” Commissioner Reardon said.

During the sentencing hearing, NYSDOL Associate Commissioner for Worker Protection Jacqueline Kagan Dupiche read an impact statement on behalf of Commissioner Reardon.

New Yorkers seeking to report UI benefits fraud can do so in three ways:

• Using NYSDOL’s Online Form
• Calling our hotline toll-free at (888) 598-2077. Calls can be made anonymously.
• Reporting by mail to:
  New York State Department of Labor, Office of Special Investigations
  Bldg 12 - Room 200, W. Averell Harriman Campus
  Albany, NY 12226

To report employers committing fraud, please visit the Employer UI Fraud page.

VCJC News & Notes 11/10/23

 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

Reminders

1. Shabbos
   
   
   Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.
   Here are the times you need:  
   Shabbos Candles Friday 11/10/23 @ 4:24 pm
   Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely. 
   Shabbos Ends Saturday 11/11/11 @ 5:27 pm
    

2. Kristallnacht Commemoration, Sunday, 11/12/23
   Lecture and program in observance of the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht
   ”The Nazi Eugenic Programs and Their American Origin”
   Presented by Larry Hartstein
   10:30 AM refreshments, 11:00 AM Program
   Please email if you plan to attend.

3. Rosh Chodesh Kislev is Tuesday 11/14/23
   

4. Help VCJC Support Israel as it recovers from and responds to the terrorist attack from Hamas.
   VCJC urges you to help support Israel following the terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas. We have set up a webpage at https://vcjc-israel.brizy.site/ where you can get some more information. That page will direct you to the UJA Federation’s Israel Emergency Fund page where you can make a donation directly to the fund.

   You can go directly to the UJA page from here, if you prefer.

   There are many ways in which we can support Israel in this hour of need, as it recovers from the brutal attack and tries to remove Hamas as a player on the world stage.

   If you wish to provide support, but prefer to use another channel, you can find a list of channels here.

   If you do make a donation as a result of the VCJC, we’d love to hear about it! Please drop us a note.

Our mailing address is:

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

3880 Sedgwick Ave

Bronx, NY 10463

Bronx Man Charged With Stealing Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars’ Worth Of Construction Utility Vehicles From NYCHA Housing Developments

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging MAXIMO NUNEZ with theft of government property and conspiracy to commit theft of government property in connection with a years-long scheme in which he and others stole valuable construction utility vehicles (“Utility Vehicles”) from New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) developments.  NUNEZ was arrested this morning and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn later today.  

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant and others carried out a brazen scheme for years, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in valuable construction equipment that NYCHA needed to maintain the many public housing developments that thousands of New Yorkers call home.  Thanks to the persistent efforts of the New York City Department of Investigation and the Special Agents and career prosecutors of my Office, this man now stands charged with this bold scheme.”

 

DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “As charged, Nunez and other co-conspirators stole at least 16 utility vehicles worth over several hundred thousand dollars from NYCHA.  These vehicles are used to maintain NYCHA facilities for residents.  NYCHA referred this matter to DOI and cooperated in this investigation, which involved the placement of GPS tracking devices on certain NYCHA utility vehicles and allowed law enforcement to recover one of the allegedly stolen vehicles.  I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their partnership in this investigation and their commitment to hold accountable those who steal valuable government property.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]

From in or about January 2021 through in or about September 2022, on at least 13 different occasions, NUNEZ and three other co-conspirators (“CC-1,” “CC-2,” and “CC-3”) stole at least 16 Utility Vehicles from over a dozen NYCHA developments throughout New York City.  Utility Vehicles are pieces of heavy equipment that NYCHA uses to complete regular construction and maintenance tasks. 

NUNEZ and others stole the Utility Vehicles in the middle of the night when NYCHA employees were not present.  They often used large trucks to carry out their scheme so that they could steal more than one Utility Vehicle at a time.  Photographs taken from surveillance video of two of the thefts are below:

Utility Vehicles often retail for anywhere from $25,000 to $65,000 each.  NUNEZ and others made hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling the Utility Vehicles to individuals who did not know that they were stolen. 

NUNEZ, 28, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit theft of government property, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, and one count of theft of government property, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of DOI and the Special Agents and Investigative Analysts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Delligatti is in charge of the prosecution. 

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

MAYOR ADAMS LEADS COALITION OF MORE THAN 60 MAYORS IN URGING U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER JOHNSON TO PASS ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN

 

Letter to Speaker Johnson Follows Mass Shooting in Lewiston, Maine, Where Shooter Used Assault Weapon To Kill 18 and Wound 13 More 

 

Mayors: “Congress Must Act To Get Weapons of War Off Our Streets” 

Following another mass shooting in recent weeks — this time in Lewiston, Maine, where 18 people were killed and 13 more were injured by a shooter with an assault rifle — New York City Mayor Eric Adams today led a coalition of 62 mayors from cities across the nation in drafting a letter urging new Speaker of the House U.S. Representative Mike Johnson to pass a strong federal assault weapons ban. The signatories include mayors of cities like Buffalo, New York and Highland Park, Illinois that have experienced mass shootings perpetrated with assault weapons. 

 

“In some states in this country, it’s easier to buy a weapon of war than it is to buy a Sudafed,” said Mayor Adams. “As a result, we can’t feel safe in the places where we should feel safest — our movie theaters, our music festivals, our houses of worship, and even our schools. Just a few weeks ago, 18 Mainers were stolen from us by yet another disturbed man, wielding an assault rifle that had no business on our streets. And no matter how strong some state gun laws are, we’re only as safe as the weakest link. We will continue to work tirelessly in New York City and in cities across the nation to drive shootings down and prevent every form of gun violence — whether it’s the mass shootings that make the headlines or the daily gun violence and gun suicides that don’t. But we need our partners in Washington, DC to do their part as well. That’s why we’re coming together to let Speaker Johnson know that we need a federal ban on assault weapons now.”  

 

“Weapons of war have no place on the streets of New York City or anywhere else in the nation,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, co-chair, Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. “In the fight to end gun violence and save lives, we must use every tool at our disposal, including the power of Congress. This administration stands in solidarity with this coalition to deliver real action and results in stopping mass shootings.” 

 

"It doesn’t take a career law enforcement professional to understand that assault weapons have no place on our streets and that we must prioritize the safety and well-being of our communities above all else,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phillip Banks III. “In the wake of another horrific mass shooting, we must redouble our efforts to prevent these senseless tragedies and pass this commonsense measure to create a safer America for all. An assault weapons ban made our streets safer once before; it can do so again." 

 

“Semiautomatic assault weapons — designed solely to kill as many people as quickly and efficiently as possible — have no place in our communities because they pose an obvious, outsized risk to our police officers and all the people we serve,” said New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “Passing a federal assault weapons ban is a crucial step toward ensuring that our cities do not surrender the crime-fighting gains of recent years. Failing to act means that gang members, drug dealers, terrorists, and others will continue to have ready access to these weapons of war.” 

 

“From mass shootings in Maine and Texas to everyday gun violence, communities are being torn apart by these heinous acts. As President Biden has said, this is not normal, and it does not have to be this way. This Biden-Harris administration and the Office of Gun Violence Prevention is committed to taking every step we can to invest in proven solutions and implement laws like the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,” said White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Deputy Director Rob Wilcox. “But we continue to call on Congress to pass more commonsense gun laws, such as reinstating the ban on assault weapons, passing universal background checks, and enacting a national red flag law to save lives. We can and must do more to protect individuals, families and kids from this epidemic of gun violence.” 

 

Of the 10 deadliest mass shootings that have taken place since 2015, eight involved an assault weapon. Between 1994 and 2004 — when the federal assault weapons ban was in effect — there were 137 mass shooting deaths; but in the 10 years after the ban expired, there were 326. Mass shooting deaths were 70 percent less likely to occur when the federal prohibition on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines was in effect. While New York State does have strong gun laws, including a prohibition on assault weapons, those weapons are legal in nearby states, including Rhode Island, Vermont, and Pennsylvania, and they can easily be brought across state lines. 

 

The Adams administration has systematically driven down homicides and shootings in New York City through an approach that utilizes both prevention and intervention strategies. This summer, Mayor Adams’ Gun Violence Prevention Task Force released “A Blueprint for Public Safety,” outlining a forward-thinking roadmap with upstream solutions to address gun violence throughout the five boroughs. The report built upon all the work the Adams administration has undertaken to reduce gun violence by double digits and culminated months of engagement with communities most impacted by gun violence, including young people, whose feedback was critical in shaping the strategies and recommendations that will ensure the city continues to build on the public safety gains made since January 2022. 

 

Co-chaired by First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Man Up! Inc. Founder A.T. Mitchell, the task force represents a multi-agency, cross-sector effort to address the root causes of gun violence and develop recommendations to promote long-term safety across all communities. As part of this effort, more than 50 members of the task force, representing 20 city agencies, engaged roughly 1,500 community residents over the course of spring 2023 through community convenings and youth town halls. 

 

In his first month in office, in January 2022, Mayor Adams released the “Blueprint to End Gun Violence” — laying out his priorities to immediately address the crisis of guns on New York City streets. In March 2022, Mayor Adams and the NYPD also created Neighborhood Safety Teams to focus on gun violence prevention, and, early in the administration, Mayor Adams funded the city’s Crisis Management System — which brings teams of credible messengers to mediate conflicts on the street and connect high-risk individuals to services that can reduce the long-term risk of violence — at a record $86 million for Fiscal Year 2024. Over the course of the administration, the NYPD has removed nearly 13,000 illegal guns from New York City streets. 

 

During National Family Caregivers Month NYSOFA Announces New Offerings for Family Caregivers Using Free NYS Online Support Portal

 

Highlights include sitewide Spanish language translations, new community chat rooms, mental health content, caregiving for kids with complex needs

During National Family Caregivers Month, the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) today announced several new offerings for subscribers of New York’s Caregiving Portal – a powerful resource that is available free of charge for any person in New York State providing unpaid caregiving supports to a family member or friend. New offerings include sitewide Spanish language translations, community chat rooms, mental health content, and tools to help caregivers of children with complex needs. 

The New York Caregiving Portal is made possible through a partnership of NYSOFA, the Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY), and Trualta, which developed and operates the portal. Funding support was provided in the Fiscal Year 2024 state budget.

The New York Caregiving Portal helps families build skills to manage care at home for loved ones of any age. It also connects to local resources and support services by delivering personalized education, training, and information links.

New Yorkers can access the service at https://newyork-caregivers.com. To create a free user account, select “Sign Up.” Once registered, caregivers can select personalized training and track their progress on topics like self-care, stroke recovery, dementia care, medication management, and more. Users can log-in from any computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Some new highlights include: 

• Site-wide Spanish translations. While audio and PDF translations were previously available throughout the platform, a new site-wide toggle provides a more inclusive experience for Spanish speakers.

• Community Chat Rooms. The portal now offers topic and condition-specific chat rooms, moderated by Trualta, where caregivers can post tips, success stories, and offers of encouragement to others in similar situations. Each chat room centers on high-level learning topics, such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, Depression and Anxiety, Heart Health, Parkinson’s, Caring for Kids, LGBTQ+ Support and more.

• New Mental Health Content, including Depression and Bipolar Disorder Care, Anxiety & PTSD Care, Mental Health 101. Each new toolkit builds caregiver knowledge and strength in disproving mental health myths, building a strong support network, and becoming more aware of how to care for one’s own mental health when providing care for others.

• Caring for Kids. Parents and guardians of children with complex needs – including grandparents who are "kinship caregivers" – now have content to help them manage stress, confidently navigate through school and health care systems, advocate for the child’s needs, establish necessary community relationships, and build resiliency.

• Virtual Support Groups: Trualta's online support groups bring together caregivers and a Trualta facilitator for engaging discussions about caregiving experiences, tips, and challenges. The small groups meet weekly and are a judgement-free zone with time for everyone to share.

There are an estimated 4.1 million caregivers in New York State who provide 2.68 billion hours of unpaid care. Sixty-one percent worry about caring for a loved one and 70 percent reported at least one mental health symptom during the pandemic. The caregiving portal teaches critical skills to reduce caregiver stress levels and increase confidence in one's caregiving abilities.

A 2021 study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports found a high rate of retention and engagement among caregivers who used the Trualta-developed platform to support their care for loved ones with dementia:

• 84% of participants reported using at least one skill they learned from the Caregiving Portal.

• More than half of caregivers (56%) reported allocating more time for self-care after using the portal.

• 75% reported that the platform helped keep their care recipient at home longer.

NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen said, “New York’s Caregiving Portal is providing even more ways for caregivers to connect with one another, learn evidence-based skills, relieve personal stress, and improve quality of life when navigating the complexities of caregiving for a loved one of any age. Nobody should have to go through the caregiving process alone. New York’s Caregiving Portal provides tools and information to help validate the caregiver experience, connect caregivers with support resources, and build confidence in day-to-day tasks and decision-making to help care for a loved one at home.”