BRONX MAN SENTENCED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING OF 17-YEAR-OLD RUNAWAY GIRL

Defendant Will Register as Sex Offender Following Release 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to four to 12 years for the sex trafficking of a Manhattan teen who was forced into having sex with several men after running away from home. 

  District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant preyed upon this young girl’s trust and forced her into prostitution using violence and intimidation. Thankfully, she was able to escape him and help bring him to justice. His plea ensures he will be on the Sex Offender Registry.” 

  District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Raymond Johnson, 29, of 2350 Valentine Avenue, was sentenced on December 20, 2016 by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary to four to 12 years. Johnson pleaded guilty to the first charge on the indictment of Sex Trafficking on Oct. 31, 2016.

  According to the investigation, in April 2015, Johnson offered the teen a place to stay after she had an argument at home. On the second day, he forced the girl, now 18- years-old, into commercial sexual work out of his Valentine Ave. apartment. The teen was able to escape after a month of abuse. On February 10, 2016, following a joint investigation between the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD Vice, Major Case/Human Trafficking unit, Johnson was arrested for sex trafficking and related offenses. 

  The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lauren DiChiara of the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau under the supervision of James Goward, Chief of the Criminal Enterprise Bureau, and Joseph Muroff, Chief of the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau. District Attorney Clark also thanked Detective George Munoz of the NYPD Vice, Major Case/Human Trafficking Unit.

Happy Holidays from the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park

  Happy Holidays from all of us at the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park.  We hope you and your family have a safe and happy holiday season.  Van Cortlandt Park is beautiful in the winter and we hope to see you out in the Park soon.  

Warmest Wishes from the FVCP Staff

Pictured from the left to right: John Butler, Sara Kempton, Christina Taylor and Alex Byrne

KINGSBRIDGE PREDICTED TO BE 2017’s HOTTEST NYC NEIGHBORHOOD BY LEADING REAL ESTATE MARKETPLACE

  Years of efforts by elected officials and community stakeholders to revitalize the business climate and housing prospects in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx have now paid off.

The realty marketplace StreetEasy, which combines and publishes listings from hundreds of metro NYC brokers, today predicted Kingsbridge would be 2017’s hottest NYC neighborhood, stating that the neighborhood “long overshadowed by Riverdale,” its neighbor to the west, is where “apartment shoppers are expected to turn their attention in the coming year.”  StreetEasy’s ranking of Kingsbridge as the hottest neighborhood in the five boroughs was based on a series of key performance indicators, including rising rentals and sales prices, population growth, and customer interest in listings in the area.

Council Member Andrew Cohen and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. have long advanced business improvements to make the Kingsbridge-Broadway retail corridor more appealing.  They convened a working group which studied local conditions and issued a report. In fall 2017, Council Member Cohen announced funding for aesthetic improvements to the streetscape, through two City Council initiatives.

The area has already attracted other large anchor retail stores, including BJ’s and Bob’s Discount Furniture, as well as desirable establishments like Starbucks, Blink Fitness, and Smashburger.    

Council Member Cohen said:  “It took years of hard work and collaboration by elected officials and community organizations to spur the development of Kingsbridge/Broadway as a destination for shoppers. Now, the interest of New Yorkers seeking to buy or rent real estate here has taken off, as well.  Kingsbridge has great transportation options and proximity to Manhattan, as well as numerous Bronx cultural and recreational sites. It’s fantastic for the area to receive this recognition from StreetEasy.”        

“Kingsbridge is an amazing neighborhood, and has seen considerable interest from developers of all types in recent years. It is no surprise that Kingsbridge is being recognized as possibly the hottest neighborhood in New York City," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “My office will continue to work with local stakeholders to bring new resources to this burgeoning Bronx neighborhood.”

HOME-STAT INITIATIVE HOUSES ALMOST 700 FORMERLY STREET HOMELESS NEW YORKERS

  Since the launch of HOME-STAT in March 2016 through October, the new initiative has helped 690 street homeless individuals transition from the streets through connecting them to permanent housing or transitional housing options, such as safe havens. HOME-STAT remains the most comprehensive street homeless outreach initiative in any major national city. It has doubled the number of street homeless outreach staff members working to connect individuals to the resources they need to place them in housing, and has expanded outreach services into indoor spaces such as libraries and hospitals.

“HOME-STAT has already proven to be an essential lifeline for connecting individuals living on the street, and the hidden homeless who have historically evaded outreach, to the housing and services they need,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We will continue to generate innovative solutions and make strategic investments to improve our ability to identify and serve homeless New Yorkers.”

Increasing staff members and resources has meant that street homeless outreach workers can connect with more individuals living on the street and offer expanded, personalized case management services:

·           The City’s by-name list of street homeless or formerly street homeless clients is now at 2,976.

·           The list includes 1,373 people with whom HOME-STAT outreach workers are still working to bring off the street, an increase of 512 since March.

·           The remaining 1,603 were formerly street homeless and are now in either permanent or transitional housing or still receiving care to help them stay off of the street and in housing.

HOME-STAT is based on the premise that homelessness is a citywide problem that requires a citywide solution – a one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient as individuals that are living on the street present complex challenges. Many have fallen through available safety nets, and experienced trauma that may make outreach more complicated. HOME-STAT focuses on connecting with each individual living on the street to begin establishing trust and building relationships that will help nonprofit service providers bring them indoors. It also provides aftercare services, continuing to work with individuals who receive placements to ensure they receive the support they need and stay off of the street. 

Other HOME-STAT accomplishments include:

·         Increasing the number of street outreach workers from 191 to 387 (a 103 percent increase). They do the hard work of talking to street homeless individuals and gaining their trust.

·         Expanding case management services to now provide this help to anyone living on the street, rather than first requiring individuals to be homeless for a certain number of months to be eligible for these critical services.

·         Bringing street homeless outreach indoors by forming partnerships with libraries and hospitals to connect with homeless individuals who have historically evaded street homeless outreach workers by using indoor public spaces as de facto shelters. 

·         Creating continuity for the homeless individuals on the streets and public accountability for the City agencies that serve them through a new citywide case-management and case-conferencing model.

·         Increasing the tools outreach workers need to bring homeless individuals off the streets, including 284 Safe Havens already opened or in process for a new total of 813.

·         Using the daily canvassing of key areas and the most extensive quarterly count in the country to help make sure as many people on the street as possible are identified and offered services. 

·         Publishing daily and monthly dashboards online for the public, alongside other data quality and transparency measures.

“HOME-STAT recognizes that each individual living on the street has a story and faces unique challenges, and it uses targeted resources to help meet these individuals where they are. It takes an average of almost five months of intensive contact by outreach workers to bring street homeless individuals into transitional housing and more than a year for permanent housing,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks.

“HOME-STAT offers a first-ever opportunity to pull the camera back for a wider angle on who is on the street and how best to meet their needs,” said Mayor’s Office of Operations Director Mindy Tarlow. “HOME-STAT allows outreach workers to expand their engagement with individuals before they become chronically homeless, and broadens the participation of multiple agencies in providing services and bringing systemic solutions to the table.”

As part of HOME-STAT, the City has committed to bringing on 500 additional safe haven beds, 284 of which have already been secured, bringing the current total to 813. According to the most recent daily data report, 717 of these beds are currently in use. Safe Havens are an essential tool for helping outreach workers bring people in from the streets and can be used as a stepping stone to help clients get from the street to shelter or transitional or permanent housing.

Through new partnerships with 35 public library branches and nine hospitals across the city, HOME-STAT helps street homeless outreach staff members locate and provide services to the hidden homeless. Historically, many street homeless individuals have used these public locations as de facto shelters, evading outreach workers who respond to individuals on the street. Based on their initial success, the City will work to continue to grow these partnerships.

HOME-STAT has also increased transparency on homelessness in New York City through the publication of an online dashboard containing figures updated daily, monthly and quarterly. HOME-STAT quarterly counts and the City’s annual HOPE count data indicate there are about 2,700 people living on New York City streets. HOME-STAT’s outreach teams continue to engage these individuals and work to bring them onto their caseloads. The HOME-STAT daily and monthly dashboards are available through the NYC Mayor’s Office of Operations website. 

2016 Quarterly Counts	Number of People Located
Winter (HOPE)	2,794
Spring	2,535
Summer	2,746
Fall	2,738

“While HOME-STAT has provided immediate impact in terms of additional funding for staffing and resources, its long-term affect will be most felt in the individualized approach it promotes for the clients we serve,” said BronxWorks Homeless Outreach Team Program Director Juan Rivera. “HOME-STAT has heightened accountability and improved outcomes. The additional resources maximize the chances of success of every individual we work with. The initiative promotes collaboration between City agencies and not-for-profit partners that reduce obstacles and improve service delivery to our clients. No one wants to be homeless, especially when the temperature dips. HOME-STAT connects our clients to essential resources and permanent housing.”

"We appreciate the City and State's collaborative efforts to help unsheltered New Yorkers, and we ask that all New Yorkers work with us to help the people we serve come in from the cold," said BRC Executive Director Muzzy Rosenblatt.

MAYOR DE BLASIO LAUNCHES GETCOVEREDNYC INITIATIVE TO ENROLL MORE NEW YORKERS IN HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS

Goal to enroll 50,000 New Yorkers through 2017; open enrollment period ends Jan 31, 2017

   Mayor Bill de Blasio was today joined by Health + Hospitals Interim CEO Stan Brezenoff, Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T Bassett, Community Service Society President and CEO David R. Jones and Public Health Solutions President and CEO Lisa David at Health + Hospital/Gouverneur to launch the GetCoveredNYC campaign focused on enrolling more New Yorkers in health insurance and providing them with access to primary and preventive care at public Health + Hospitals facilities. The campaign’s goal is to enroll 50,000 New Yorkers through 2017 who are eligible for health insurance but are not taking advantage of existing enrollment options.

The Mayor’s Office has partnered with Health + Hospitals, the Human Resources Administration, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and MetroPlus to launch this ambitious campaign. On December 10, the City hosted five enrollment events focused on engaging potential youth applicants and assisting them in applying for coverage.

“We don’t know the future of the Affordable Care Act, but we do know that Obamacare and Medicaid expansion are helping New Yorkers every day,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We must continue to enroll eligible residents in these vital programs, paying special attention to those most appealing to low-income residents, such as Medicaid and the Essential plan.”

Throughout the campaign, GetCoveredNYC outreach teams will proactively engage uninsured New Yorkers who have visited Health + Hospitals facilities. In order to reach the maximum number of New Yorkers, the campaign will include at-home outreach as well as office hours at community partner or elected officials’ offices, providing direct access to in-person assistance from outreach specialists. Specialists will schedule individuals for an enrollment appointment and case-manage each applicant through the entire process. The open enrollment period will end on January 31, 2017. 

Depending on income and other criteria, applicants may be eligible for Medicaid at no cost. Those whose earnings exceed Medicaid limits may be eligible for the Essential Plan, which also offers a comprehensive coverage package for either $20 monthly premium or no cost, depending on income. Those earning more – between 200 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level – may be eligible for Qualified Health Plan coverage, offered by MetroPlus and others, with public subsidies on a sliding scale reflecting income. All the plans cover inpatient and outpatient care, physician services, diagnostic services, mental healthcare and prescription drugs.

While NYC Health + Hospitals makes care available to all New Yorkers, regardless of ability to pay, the public health system emphasizes the importance of insurance enrollment as a tool to best engage patients in their healthcare – as opposed to waiting until health issues reach critical levels and require emergency room or inpatient care, the most expensive care for the system. Further, to address its financial challenges, Health + Hospitals needs more of its patient population to gain access to insurance to help close its growing budget gap.

“Our national healthcare landscape has changed, and much as we’ve had to re-imagine ways to more effectively deliver care, we’ve also had to think creatively as to how that care will be paid for,” said Health + Hospitals Interim President and CEO Stan Brezenoff. “Increasing healthcare enrollment is the best thing for New Yorkers in need, and the best thing for our essential healthcare network.”

“Health insurance makes it easier to see a primary care physician regularly and catch health problems early,” said Health Commissioner Mary T. Bassett. “As we work to address health disparities among New Yorkers, the Health Department encourages everyone to apply before the January 31st deadline. Health insurance is a right, not a privilege.”

Broadway Bridge Reconstruction to Run for Years

  At last night's Community Board 8 Traffic and Transportation Committee meeting the reconstruction of the Broadway Bridge by the Department of Transportation and the replacement of the #1 Subway tracks by the MTA were discussed in two separate presentations. 

  The DOT said that the lift span on the bridge would be overhauled with new cables and lifters among the many items that are to be replaced in the three year project covering three phases where different parts of the roadway would be closed. It was said that two lanes of traffic would be maintained at all times, but a detour route would be in place to ease the congestion of the work. The DOT project is expected to begin in April of 2018, and that there would be more information released to the Community Board as the date approaches. There may be sporadic closures of the bridge for short periods of time during the construction period with the bridge having to be opened five times a day each day for 150 openings and closings the last month of construction. Hence the detour to Bailey Avenue to Sedwick Avenue to Fordham Road and the University Avenue Bridge to West 207th Street. It was said that traffic agents would be on hand to help the already overcrowded University Avenue Bridge, and the rest of the detour when in use. An interesting note on the design of the new roadway is a bike lane on both sides of the Broadway Bridge after reconstruction. It was said that the Broadway bridge is part of the Appalachian Trail which leads into Van Cortlandt park. I asked since CB 8 has only one official bike lane, if there would then be a bike lane going up Broadway to VCP. The answer was maybe, that would have to be worked out first with the traffic on Broadway. It was said by DOT that there is some bike usage of the current Broadway Bridge and that is why the bike lane was put into the roadbed to promote more bike usage.

The proposed detour route with Broadway and West 225th Street in the circle as the starting point.

  The MTA then gave a presentation on track replacement of the #1 line of 665 linear feet of track on the Broadway Bridge. There are three tracks on the bridge and the MTA will be replacing them in three different phases. Before the DOT begins work on the bridge the MTA will replace the southbound track in February of 2017. Cranes will be set up on West 225th Street and on the mainland Manhattan side at 9th Avenue. It was said that only daytime work can be done by the MTA, and that the cranes will be moved after the days work is finished to return the next day. For the February MTA track replacement one side of traffic on the bridge would be closed w, while the other side would be divided into two way traffic. The other work would be in July of 2017 to replace the center and northbound tracks. Photos of the MTA plan are below.

Above - Where the crane would be placed on West 225th Street on the west side Broadway.

Below - How traffic would flow on the bridge during the MTA construction only.  

Above -The schedule for the MTA February construction.

Below - The impact on the Broadway Bridge during the MTA construction.

Above - The impact on subway service during the MTA construction.

Below - The July MTA construction schedule.

“Ygz” Gang Members Plead Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court To Murders And Other Crimes In Connection With Racketeering Conspiracy

Terrance Williams Pleads Guilty To The Murder Of An Innocent Bystander; Wendell Belle Pleads Guilty To The Brutal Stomping Death Of Moises “Noah” Lora

  Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TERRANCE WILLIAMS, a/k/a “TA,” and WENDELL BELLE, a/k/a “Delly Dell,” pled guilty in Manhattan federal court to racketeering and firearms charges involving multiple acts of violence.  WILLIAMS pled guilty yesterday and BELLE pled guilty this morning before United States District Judge Valerie E..Caproni.  Through their guilty pleas, WILLIAMS admitted his murder of Curtis Smith on July 3, 2011, and BELLE admitted his murder of Moises “Noah” Lora on April 16, 2012.  Both of these murders were committed in the South Bronx within the confines of the New York City Police Department’s 40th Precinct, and both were committed in connection with WILLIAMS and BELLE’s membership in the violent “Young Gunnaz” street gang (“YGz”). 

As part of his guilty plea, WILLIAMS admitted to shooting and killing Curtis Smith, a 23-year-old, on Park Avenue near the Jackson Houses in the South Bronx, and to shooting and injuring a rival gang member in front of the Sweet Corner convenience store at Park Avenue and 158th Street in the South Bronx.  On August 31, 2016, WILLIAMS pled guilty under a prior plea agreement with this Office before Judge Caproni to racketeering conspiracy based on his commission of certain acts of violence and drug crimes for the YGz gang.  As a result of law enforcement’s continuing investigation in this case, at yesterday’s plea proceeding before Judge Caproni, WILLIAMS withdrew his previously entered guilty plea and pled guilty under a new plea agreement with the Office to racketeering conspiracy based on the murder of Curtis Smith and the separate attempted murder described above, and based also on his commission of the acts of violence and drug crimes that he had previously admitted on August 31, 2016.  In light of WILLIAMS’s guilty plea in federal court yesterday, WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of life in prison. 

As part of his guilty plea, BELLE admitted to the brutal assault of Moises “Noah” Lora, during which BELLE and others stomped Lora to death in the courtyard of a residential housing complex located at 700 Morris Avenue in the South Bronx.  BELLE also admitted to the attempted murder of another rival gang member on November 16, 2013, immediately in front of the Bronx Criminal Courthouse, during which BELLE fired multiple shots at his rival. WILLIAMS was previously arrested for murdering Curtis Smith based on state charges filed by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, but the charges were later dismissed.  In light of BELLE’s guilty plea today, BELL faces a maximum term of life in prison and mandatory term of 30 years in prison.  Both WILLIAMS and BELLE are scheduled to be sentenced later this year before Judge Caproni.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said:  “For far too long, members of the YGz gang and their rival gangs have terrorized communities in the Bronx by engaging in all manner of mayhem – including murder, attempted murder, and other racketeering activities.  Terrance Williams and Wendell Belle almost got away with murder, but thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, they have both pled guilty to murders they committed as members of the Ygz gang.”

According to the charging and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made during the plea proceedings:

WILLIAMS was a member of the Bronx-based street gang known as the YGz, a leading member of a set of the YGz based in Maria Lopez Plaza in the Bronx, and committed acts of violence with other YGz gang members to further the goals of the gang.  BELLE was a leading member of the YGz set based in the River Park Towers in the Bronx, and also committed multiple acts of violence with other YGz gang members.  From at least 2005 to 2016, members and associates of the YGz enriched themselves by committing robberies and by selling drugs, such as crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, and committed acts of violence, including murder and attempted murder, against various people, including rival gang members, rival drug traffickers, and innocent bystanders.  As part of this enterprise, members and associates of the YGz killed and attempted to kill other individuals. 

As part of their involvement in the YGz gang, WILLIAMS and BELLE each participated in acts of violence, as well as narcotics trafficking, with other YGz members.  

For example, on July 3, 2011, WILLIAMS and several other YGz members rode on bicycles from YGz territory on Morris Avenue near 151st Street northbound to the territory of a rival gang on Park Avenue near 158th Street in the South Bronx.  Upon arriving in the rival gang’s territory, WILLIAMS saw a rival gang member standing at the corner of Park Avenue and 158th Street in front of the Sweet Corner convenience store.  From his bicycle, WILLIAMS pulled out a gun and fired gunshots at this rival gang member, two of which hit and injured the rival, who survived the shooting. 

On the same date, after that shooting was complete, WILLIAMS decided to ride his bicycle southbound on Park Avenue with the goal of returning to YGz territory.  While WILLIAMS was riding south on Park Avenue, he saw a group of people who appeared to be running at him from an apartment building in the rival gang’s territory.  WILLIAMS fired gunshots at this group of people, and hit one of them – 23-year-old Curtis Smith – in the head.  Smith died several days later.           

Meanwhile, on November 16, 2013, only days before his attempted murder in the shadow of the Bronx County Criminal Court, BELLE and other YGz members and associates approached members of a rival gang based on Courtlandt Avenue in the Bronx and fired several shots in the hope of killing those rivals.  In the chaos of that shooting, one of BELLE’s fellow gang members struck and injured an innocent bystander.   

WILLIAMS, BELLE, and multiple other YGz members were included in a December 2015 federal racketeering prosecution captioned United States v. Ramel Matthews, et al., now before Judge Caproni, in which all of the defendants were charged with racketeering conspiracy for participation in the YGz gang, and various of the defendants were also charged with participation in several murders, attempted murders, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses.    

WILLIAMS was the third defendant and BELLE was the fourth defendant in a racketeering prosecution by this Office of multiple YGz members to admit participation in YGz gang-related murders.  Earlier this year, as part of guilty plea proceedings before Judge Caproni in that case, co-defendant Anthony Scott, a/k/a “Tyson,” admitted to shooting and killing Darrel Ledgister on June 27, 2009, in the South Bronx within the 40th Precinct, during an attempted robbery, and Paul Gilbert, a/k/a “2Fly Tay,” admitted to participating in the murder of Cody Dubose on September 27, 2014, near the Taft Houses in Manhattan during an attempted robbery.

WILLIAMS was previously arrested for murdering Curtis Smith based on state charges filed by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, but the charges were later dismissed.  Through the subsequent federal investigation of the YGz gang, this Office and its law enforcement partners further developed the evidence of WILLIAMS’s guilt, culminating in his plea yesterday.  

Mr. Bharara praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York City Police Department in the investigation of this case.  He also thanked the Bronx District Attorney’s Office for their support in this case.

Former Police Officer Charged In White Plains Federal Court With Quadruple Homicide

Four Victims of Alleged Homicide Had Not Been Seen or Heard From Since April 11, 2016

  Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), George P. Beach II, the Superintendent of the New York State Police (“NYSP”), and Peter J. Graziano, Jr., Chief of the Village of Chester Police Department (“Chester PD”), announced charges against NICHOLAS TARTAGLIONE, a retired police officer, for a quadruple murder committed in Chester, New York, in April 2016.  TARTAGLIONE was arrested yesterday and charged in a five-count Indictment for his participation in a conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms and more of cocaine and for the murders of Martin Luna, Urbano Santiago, Miguel Luna, and Hector Gutierrez in furtherance of that conspiracy.  He was presented in White Plains federal court yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated: “While all murders tear at the fabric of our communities, when the alleged perpetrator of a gangland-style, quadruple homicide is a former police officer, that strikes at the heart of civilized society.  As alleged, Nicholas Tartaglione, a former Briarcliff Manor police officer, participated in the senseless murder of four people in a bar in Chester, New York.  These four men had not been seen or heard from since the day of their alleged murder.  We hope that today’s arrest brings some measure of comfort to the victims’ families and loved ones.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. stated:  “The despicable acts of murder are more egregious in this case because the alleged murderer, a former police officer, once swore to serve and protect people from harm.  The FBI Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force works day after day to battle the crimes that accompany the drug trade to keep criminals and their illegal actions from impacting innocent people.  We hope the victims’ families and community find some solace in an arrest being made.”

NYSP Superintendent George P. Beach II said:  “Once again the work of a strong law enforcement partnership has resulted in an alleged dangerous man being taken off the streets.  These brutal murders are prime examples of the dangerous crimes that are associated with drug distribution.  Narcotics destroy communities and put lives at risk. State Police and our partners will continue to work together to rid our communities of these dangerous substances, and the violence that comes with them.”

Chester PD Chief Peter Graziano, Jr. stated:  “I am grateful for the hard work everyone put into this case and the cooperation of the agencies involved.  This unspeakable crime shows how destructive the drug trade is and why we must all endeavor to continue the fight.  This scourge is not limited to large urban areas, but small rural ones as well.  I hope the victims’ families can find some peace and closure as a result of this arrest.”

As alleged in the Indictment filed today in White Plains federal court[1]:

From June 2015 up to April 2016, TARTAGLIONE and others conspired to sell five kilograms or more of cocaine.  In April 2016, TARTAGLIONE participated in the killing of Martin Luna, Urbano Santiago, Miguel Luna, and Hector Gutierrez in furtherance of that cocaine distribution conspiracy, some of whom were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  The murders all took place in and around a bar called the Likquid Lounge in Chester, New York. 

A chart containing the charges and maximum penalties faced by TARTAGLIONE, 49, of Otisville, New York, is attached.  The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the New York State Police, and the Village of Chester Police Department.  Mr. Bharara also thanked the City of Middletown Police Department for its assistance in the case.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Maurene Comey and Michael Gerber are in charge of the prosecution.

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

United States v. Nicholas Tartaglione, S1 16 Cr. 832 (KMK)

CHARGES	MAXIMUM PENALTIES
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.	Life in prison Mandatory minimum: 10 years in prison
Murder of Martin Luna in furtherance of a conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.	Life in prison or death Mandatory minimum: 20 years in prison
Murder of Urbano Santiago in furtherance of a conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.	Life in prison or death Mandatory minimum: 20 years in prison
Murder of Miguel Luna in furtherance of a conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.	Life in prison or death Mandatory minimum: 20 years in prison
Murder of Hector Gutierrez in furtherance of a conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.	Life in prison or death Mandatory minimum: 20 years in prison

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