New York City Police Officer Merlin Alston Convicted In Manhattan Federal Court For Participating In A Drug Distribution Conspiracy

   Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), James J. Hunt, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that New York City Police Officer MERLIN ALSTON, 33, was convicted today of narcotics and firearms charges for his role in a long-running conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine and molly in the Bronx.  The jury convicted ALSTON on both counts in the controlling indictment following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon.   

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated:  “Rather than use his police badge and gun to serve and protect the citizens of New York City, Merlin Alston instead chose to protect and serve major Bronx drug dealers.  Today’s unanimous jury verdict demonstrates that no one is above the law.”

DEA Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt said:  “Merlin Alston’s crimes were an about-face to law enforcement.  As members of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force worked to rid our communities of drugs, he was pushing drugs into them.  I applaud our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of New York for their efforts in this investigation.” 

According to court papers and evidence admitted at trial:

From 2010 to 2014, MERLIN ALSTON, who at the time was an active NYPD police officer, conspired with others to distribute large quantities of narcotics.  ALSTON personally delivered approximately 40 kilograms of cocaine during that time.  In addition, ALSTON provided armed security to a cocaine trafficker, using a shotgun and his NYPD service weapon to do so.  ALSTON also provided confidential information about law enforcement operations, including arrests and surveillance, to several Bronx drug dealers.

For these activities, ALSTON was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy.  ALSTON faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.  ALSTON is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2017, before Chief Judge McMahon.  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. 

U.S. Attorney Bharara thanked the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York for its invaluable assistance, and praised the DEA, the FBI, and the NYPD for their outstanding work in this investigation.  The DEA New York Drug Enforcement Task Force comprises agents and officers of the DEA, the NYPD, and the New York State Police. 

BP DIAZ DIAZ HOSTS PREVIEW OF 6th ANNUAL ‘SAVOR THE BRONX’ RESTAURANT WEEK

“Savor the Bronx” Restaurant Week, produced by the Bronx Tourism Council and co-hosted by the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), showcases the borough’s best eateries by offering special values and discounts.

More information about the event, as well as a list of participating restaurants, can be found at www.savorthebronx.com.

“Epicureans from around the world are invited to experience the amazing tastes we have to offer in our borough,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “The Bronx has always been home to a tremendous food culture, and ‘Savor the Bronx’ is a great way to sample the many different styles of food our world-class restaurant community has to offer.”   

“Tourism continues to grow in The Bronx, and our restaurants, breweries and world-class food producers have played a major role in encouraging that growth,” said Olga Luz Tirado, Executive Director of The Bronx Tourism Council. “With so many great flavors to offer, we urge those seeking a fresh new culinary experience to celebrate ‘Savor the Bronx’ Restaurant Week with us.”

This 12-day event, which runs from November 7th through November 18th, will feature over 40 participants and is the perfect opportunity to explore your taste buds at various restaurants around The Bronx.  The preview event featured samples from some of the borough’s top eateries and food producers, including the Mott Haven Bar & Grill, Bronx Hot Sauce, Chelsea Craft Brewing Company, Havana Café, The Bronx Brewery, Lloyd’s Carrot Cake and Gun Hill Brewery.

In addition to hosting the preview, Borough President Diaz and The Bronx Tourism Council also unveiled a new “Savor the Bronx” video series, which will highlight Bronx restaurants and other borough culinary businesses.

The series launched with four videos highlighting borough eateries:

Bistro SK: http://bit.ly/2dYH4l8

Ceetay: http://bit.ly/2f5ZJLG

Moss Café: http://bit.ly/2ej955s

Havana Café: http://bit.ly/2evPXir

“Thanks to this new ‘Savor the Bronx’ video series, our borough’s burgeoning culinary scene is having its moment in the sun. Bronxnet and The Bronx Tourism Council have developed a tremendous new series that will help promote our borough’s restaurant and food producers to a new audience, and that is certainly something to be proud of. I look forward to future episodes,” said Borough President Diaz.

Pictured below Havana Cafe, Mott Haven Cafe, Bronx Brewery, and Lloyd's Carrot Cake. 

Bronx Jewish Community Council - Volunteers Needed for Thanksgiving Luncheon!

Nov 5th Bronx Veterans Day Parade - Start at East 175th Street

Empire City Casino will co-host a Veterans Job Fair - November 17th

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF JOHN SIEGAL TO CCRB

   Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the appointment of John Siegal to the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Siegal brings a wealth of experience to this position, with three decades as a trial lawyer, and having worked in both the private and public sectors as a partner at BakerHostetler and chief speechwriter to Mayor David N. Dinkins. 

“John Siegal’s years of private practice and helping clients navigate the litigation process, as well as his commitment to public service, make him a great addition to the Civilian Complaint Review Board,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “John has spent his time deepening his understanding of the law and the responsibilities that come with being a public servant. We also both had the pleasure of working with Mayor Dinkins and his Administration to combat inequality in all its forms. I look forward to working closely with John to address the needs and concerns of every New Yorker.”

"My career has been devoted to advocacy, mostly for clients but for government reform too. I am grateful to Mayor de Blasio for the opportunity to now serve as a fact-finder helping to fairly and judiciously hear and determine civilian complaints to strengthen the NYPD and its relationship with the communities it serves and protects," said John Siegal.

About John Siegal

John Siegal is an accomplished trial lawyer and courtroom advocate in federal and state courts in New York and across the nation. As a partner at BakerHostetler, he advises and litigates primarily for financial services, media and real estate industry clients in private business disputes and matters involving public agencies and controversies.

From 2009 through 2014, Siegal served as the Litigation Group Coordinator of BakerHostetler's New York practice, managing a group that rapidly expanded to more than 100 litigating lawyers. At the same time, and throughout his career, Siegal has been an active participant in New York’s civic and political life.

As a younger lawyer, he served in City Hall as Assistant and Chief Speechwriter to Mayor David N. Dinkins and immediately out of college he worked as a Capitol Hill Staff Aide to U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. He serves on the Boards of Directors of the Fund for Modern Courts, the Center for an Urban Future and, formerly, the Council of Urban Professionals. He also was appointed to the Transition Committee helping staff the Office of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

About the Civilian Complaint Review Board 

The Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) is made up of 13 members: five members designated by the Mayor; five members designated by the City Council; and three members designated by the Police Commissioner. The CCRB is an independent agency that is empowered to receive, investigate, mediate, hear, make findings and recommend action on complaints against New York City police officers alleging the use of excessive or unnecessary force, abuse of authority, discourtesy or the use of offensive language.

COUNCIL MEMBER COHEN ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO KINGSBRIDGE/BROADWAY RETAIL CORRIDOR

  Council Member Andrew Cohen is putting his money where his mouth is.

A long-time advocate of improvements in the look of the Kingsbridge/Broadway business corridor, he has now obtained close to $40,000 for just such a spruce-up. He is allocating the funding to the Kingsbridge Riverdale Van Cortlandt Development Corporation (KRVC) through two City Council initiatives; the NYC Clean-up Initiative and the Neighborhood Development Grant Initiative.

“I am proud to be partnering with KRVC as we accomplish our long-sought goal of improving the look of this shopping corridor,” said Cohen. “It took years of hard work and collaboration by the elected officials and community organizations to support development of Kingsbridge/Broadway as a destination for shoppers. We will now be able to make a number of improvements to our growing retail district with this funding.”

“The Kingsbridge-Riverdale- Van Cortlandt Development Corp./KRVC is honored and excited to work with our community leaders, business owners and elected officials on improvements and the betterment of our Kingsbridge Commercial Corridor," added Tracy Shelton, Executive Director, KRVC.

Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Council Member Cohen and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz convened a working group back in 2014 to study the corridor and suggest recommendations. The group completed its work and issued a report in September 2015 summarizing their recommendations. The report sought to improve the aesthetic of Broadway and these funds will be used to beautify the corridor by standardizing and modernizing trash receptacles and street furniture, install community bulletin boards, as well as beautifying tree pits.

Commenting on the funding, Borough President Diaz said: “Last year, my office partnered with Council Member Cohen and numerous other elected officials and community organizations to issue a report on the future health of the Kingsbridge/Broadway Retail Corridor, especially in light of the opening of several major retail hubs at its north and south ends. This funding will help implement some of the improvements we recommended for the strip, such as improved street furniture and graffiti removal, and I thank Council Member Cohen for his commitment to the continued betterment of this important commercial strip.”

Members of the public with ideas for improvements are invited to participate in a walk-through of the corridor with Council Member Cohen and KRVC, set for Thursday, November 17 at 2:00 pm. Meet at the Council Member’s Office at 277 West 231st Street if you’d like to join in for the walk.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES ONLINE BAIL PAYMENT, HELPING TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY JAIL TIME

Changes are part of the Bail Lab, launched in October 2015 to safely reduce New York City’s reliance on money bail

     Mayor de Blasio and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice today announced the creation of an online bail payment system that will help avoid unnecessary jail time by making it easier to post bail. The system – developed as part of the Bail Lab – will allow the friends and family of those incarcerated on cash bail to pay bail online, by phone or by kiosk rather than make the costly and time-consuming trip to a Department of Correction facility. This service will be available system-wide by Spring 2017.

“Nobody with the ability to pay bail should sit in jail just because the bail process is an inconvenience,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Family members and friends will be able to avoid long lines and traveling during business hours by paying bail online, by phone, or at a kiosk in the courthouse – finally bringing the bail payment process into the 21st century.”

“Online bail is one piece of a suite of tools and strategies that the City is employing to reduce unnecessary incarceration. Currently, approximately 12,000 defendants every year spend a less than a week in jail because their friends and family were not able to reach the courthouse in time to post the required cash bail.” said Elizabeth Glazer, director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. “Technology is part of the solution to the problem of meaningless jail."

"The United States Justice Department recently stated that holding a person in jail because they cannot afford to pay bail is unconstitutional.  For our system to be truly just, we cannot permit  a person to sit in jail because they are indigent. I applaud the City's efforts to reduce reliance on money bail and help ensure that defendants, who are presumed innocent, are not unnecessarily incarcerated,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

“Paying bail online is an idea whose time has long since come, and is consistent with the City Council’s efforts to pair long-term systemic change with simple, common-sense solutions. I commend the Mayor for implementing this program, and look forward to continued collaboration on criminal justice reform,” said Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.

Obstacles to paying bail play a role in an estimated 12,000 unnecessary jail stays every year, Improving bail payment helps reduce the risk of recidivism associated with just a few days behind bars, as well as the high costs of booking and keeping someone into jail.

Bail is set during someone’s first appearance before a judge, at which point a defendant does not have access to their bank account, a cell phone, or their wallet. To pay bail, a defendant needs to have a friend or family member in court who can pay the bail immediately in cash. Friends and family typically only have a couple hours to post bail before the defendant is transferred to jail. Once a defendant is in jail, friends or family must travel to Rikers Island or another Department of Correction facility in order to pay bail. Lengthy travel times, going through security, and long lines in cashiers' offices mean this process can often take hours. A similar online bail payment system in Westchester County saved 77 individuals a collective 625 nights in jail over a three-month period.

The ability to pay bail online and by phone is the latest step the City has taken to make bail payment easier and faster. Additional recent changes include:  

·   Installing ATMs in every courthouse, to ensure that friends and families have easy access to cash at all hours.

·   Providing friends and family with a first-of-its-kind complete guide to the bail system to help navigate a complex system and ensure that a loved one does not spend unnecessary time behind bars.

·   Working with the City Council on legislation to eliminate fees associated with paying bail.

Learn more here. 

Bail amounts in New York City are much lower than the national average. Yet only 10% of people are able to pay bail at arraignment. Another 30% make bail after arraignment, most within one week.This suggests that individuals may be able to come up with the money to pay bail, but inefficiencies in the bail payment process may create delays that result in unnecessary time behind bars. To identify bottlenecks in the bail payment process, the City partnered with the Center for Court Innovation to comprehensively map physical and procedural obstacles to paying bail. The report found that the lack of an online or remote bail payment system was a glaring barrier to bail payment. Today the City takes the next step in tackling this issue.

The City is in the process of entering into a contract with leading online payments processor to construct a system that is accessible and navigable for New Yorkers across the City. The development of the City’s first online bail payment system represents a historic opportunity for the City to modernize its criminal justice infrastructure, create a seamless platform that aggregates data across agencies and provide a much-needed service to the public. As part of this initiative, the City will evaluate the effectiveness of this online bail payment system to ensure it is accessible across the City and that it assists the City in promoting the overarching goals of reducing unnecessary incarceration, enhancing fairness and ensuring individuals appear in court. The City plans to track statistics about how often the system is used, whether it reduces the length of stay for those who are eventually bailed out, and whether its use affects people’s appearance rate in court to ensure the system is working well for all New Yorkers.