MAYOR DE BLASIO AND SPEAKER MARK-VIVERITO RELEASE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT TASK FORCE REPORT

Report provides recommendations to enhance City’s youth workforce programming

  Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito today released the Youth Employment Task Force Report, which provides recommendations to enhance youth workforce programming and services to the City’s most vulnerable youth. The task force was convened in September 2016, after the City’s FY2017 $85 million in funding for the Summer Youth Employment Program and Work, Learn, Grow allowed a record breaking 60,000 young people to participate in SYEP during Summer 2016.

  “When we invest in our City’s kids, we invest in our future. For more than 50 years, the Summer Youth Employment Program has offered the kind of real world training and support necessary to prepare our most vulnerable kids for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This report will help strengthen our programming, so we can continue to connect the next generation to job opportunities for years to come.” 

“For decades SYEP has allowed thousands of young New Yorkers – predominantly from communities of color – to both access employment opportunities and continuously improve their workforce experiences,” said Council Speaker Melissa Mark -Viverito. “This report provides great insight into how we can continue to take smart and creative steps to ensure our youth reach their fullest potential.”

Chaired by Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives Richard Buery and City Council Finance Chair Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, the task force was charged with developing recommendations to enhance the City’s youth workforce programs and services provided to the most vulnerable youth. The task force’s recommendations were organized in two categories: program focus and program quality, and operations and system-building. Recommendations include:

·  Investing in enhanced support services for the Vulnerable Youth track -Expanding services to include pre-program orientation and counseling to help meet the unique needs for vulnerable populations.

·  Strengthening connections between SYEP providers and schools to improve in-school career development for young people -Creating more deliberate partnerships between our schools and SYEP would allow students to receive dedicated City support around career exploration during the academic year.

· Facilitating seamless entry between NYC youth employment initiatives -Bolstering interagency connections is particularly essential to improve SYEP for disconnected youth, who require stronger, more deliberate connections to WLG and other programming.

· Creating a specific Younger Youth track focused on career exploration -Younger program participants would benefit from a more tailored SYEP experience focused on career exploration and project-based learning.

· Revamping SYEP timeline to support better job development and matching process -By starting the entire process earlier, providers would have more time to plan, develop quality placements and otherwise raise the quality of experience for participants.

· Boosting system-building efforts through new training programs, data systems updates, leveraging of available resources and new connections -Enhancing the key areas of the SYEP and WLG programs, including provider capacity, interagency connections, employer engagement, and evaluation, will improve overall quality and operational efficiency.

These recommendations will be incorporated into a concept paper that the Department of Youth and Community Development will release this summer. This will give the provider community an opportunity to submit feedback on enhancements to the City’s programming. The recommendations and the concept paper will also help inform DYCD’s Request for Proposal which will be released in Fall 2017.

In addition to co-Chairs Deputy Mayor Buery and Council Finance Chair Ferreras-Copeland, members of the Youth Employment Task Force include:

   ·   Bill Chong, Commissioner, Department of Youth and Community Development

• Gabrielle Fialkoff, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships
• Mathieu Eugene, Council Member
• Steven Matteo, Council Member
• David Nocenti, Executive Director, Union Settlement
• Jennifer March, Executive Director, Citizen’s Committee for Children
• Lucy Friedman, President, ExpandED Schools
• Kathy Wylde, President, CEO, Partnership for NYC
• Sharon Sewell-Fairman, Executive Director, Workforce Professionals Institute
• Susan Stamler, Executive Director, United Neighborhood Houses
• David Jones, President, Chief Executive Officer, Community Service Society
• Lou Miceli, Executive Director, JobsFirstNYC
• Emary Aronson, Managing Director, Education and Relief Fund, Robin Hood Foundation
• Amy Ellen Schwartz, Daniel Patrick Moynihan Chair in Public Affairs and Professor of Economics, Public Administration, and International Affairs, Syracuse University, the Maxwell School
• David Barth, Director of Youth, Opportunity and Learning, Ford Foundation
• Cidra Sebastien, Associate Executive Director, The Brotherhood/Sister Sol
• William Wingate, Respite Care Worker, Center for Human Development & Family Services
• Laurie Dien, Vice President of Programs, The Pinkerton Foundation

The three City Council Members on the Task Force worked with a team of their colleagues, Council Members Chin, Gibson, Rodriguez, Torres and Williams to support the work. 

‎“We know that access to work experiences helps young people develop academic and social skills that are critical to success in school and in life. This is especially true for children living in challenging circumstances – children who might not have the networks and resources to find internship opportunities on their own, and for whom exposure to the world of work can be particularly impactful,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives Richard Buery. “The task force's recommendations will help strengthen the quality of the program and ensure its reaching the youth who need it the most.” ‎

Bronx Unemployment Falls to All-Time Low at 5.7%

Nearly 116K More Bronx Residents Are Employed Today Than When Borough President Diaz First Took Office

 

The Bronx’s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest number ever recorded in the modern era.

Unemployment in The Bronx fell to 5.7 percent in March 2017, according to newly-released statistics from the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL).  The number is down from 6.5 percent in February 2017 and cut by more than half from a previously reported high of 14.1 percent in January 2010.

This is the lowest unemployment rate The Bronx has ever had, according to NYSDOL statistics which date back to January 1990. This is also the first time the borough’s unemployment rate has ever dropped below 6.0 percent.

“The Bronx has seen incredible transformative development during the last eight years, and these new statistics on unemployment and job creation show the world just how far this borough has come,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “We still have work to do, but these numbers make it crystal clear that the work we are doing is working.”

In addition to having its lowest ever unemployment rate, the new statistics from the NYSDOL also find that in March 2017 the borough had its highest ever number of employed Bronxites at 584,300. The borough also as has its highest ever labor force participation rate at 619,400 during that same month.

NYSDOL stats indicate that 115,500 more Bronxites have jobs today than when Borough President Diaz first took office in May 2009. Additionally, The Bronx now has a lower unemployment rate than 22 other counties in New York State, following decades of having the highest unemployment rate in the entire state.

“Throughout my tenure as borough president, we have enacted a smart agenda on job creation and new development that works for the entire Bronx. These statistics show that our efforts have borne considerable fruit,” said Borough President Diaz. “While the climate in Washington and the proposals of the Trump Administration present a grave threat to our success—and in fact the success of the entire city—we will continue to work with committed partners at every level of government, as well as our allies in the business community, to continue to bring positive growth and economic success to The Bronx.”

Borough President Diaz added, “I want to thank all of our elected officials, community boards, business community, non-profits, neighborhood leaders and our more than 1.4 million residents for their collective efforts to make The Bronx an even greater place to live, to raise a family, and especially to work. These new statistics are worthy of celebration, and we can all be proud of our success.”

“I am gratified that our support of Bronx businesses has resulted in a record breaking year in making sure that Bronx residents have the jobs that they need and deserve right here in our borough.  This historical low does not mean we are done.  We will continue to work towards insuring that everyone who wants a job in The Bronx has one,” said Marlene Cintron, President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation.

The Department of Labor’s statistics can be found at http://on.ny.gov/28LMCuV.

Since Borough President Diaz took office in 2009, The Bronx has seen more than $12.7 billion in total development, which has led to the creation of thousands of new jobs. Much of that development is outlined in Borough President Diaz’s recently released development report, which can be viewed at http://on.nyc.gov/2plRekm.

In addition, a partnership announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in August 2014 between the New York State Department of Labor and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, as part of the “NY Works,” program is placing Bronx residents in these jobs, helping to ensure that new development here benefits everyone, especially Bronxites.

Net Flick Seven Seconds Filming At Bronx Courthouse

  Today at the Bronx County Building better known as the Bronx Courthouse Netflicks was filming for a new show to be called 'Seven Seconds'. No one on the set was able to discuss the show which seems geared to a law type of theme, or when it would be airing. Additional photos are below.

Above - A boom camera can be seen for filming.

Below - Some extras are reading for filming.

Statement from IDC Leader Jeff Klein

   The Independent Democratic Conference have long advocated to alleviate property taxes for our low- and middle-income senior and disabled homeowners through the Senior Citizen Homeowner Exemption (SCHE) and Disabled Homeowner Exemption (DHE) programs, which is why Senator Diane Savino carries legislation to discount these unaffordable costs. For these residents, living on a fixed income in New York City while owning a home and paying property taxes jeopardizes their ability to live out their golden years in dignity and comfort in the neighborhoods they contributed so much to. We applaud Mayor Bill de Blasio for recognizing the importance of these programs and look forward to working together to help ensure homeowners on fixed incomes also share in an affordable New York.

FACT SHEET: MAYOR DE BLASIO RELEASES EXECUTIVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018

In the face of continued uncertainty, it is more important than ever that cities make smart, targeted investments aimed at improving people’s lives. We cannot respond to threats of funding cuts by pulling back on our own investments or values. Instead, we must continue to make this city a place where everyone can have a chance to succeed. It is our duty to continue building a New York City that is stronger and fairer than it’s ever been before.

Mayor Bill de Blasio

Today, Mayor Bill de Blasio presented New York City’s Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18).

The FY18 Executive Budget is balanced, totaling $84.86 billion. This budget:

· Makes targeted new investments in education, public safety and affordability, while deepening previous investments that make a difference in the lives of New Yorkers.

· Maintains reserves at unprecedented highs and continues to build on the Citywide Savings Program with another $700 million in savings, bringing the total to $2.8 billion in savings since the FY17 November Plan.

RESPONDING TO THE REALITIES OF FISCAL UNCERTAINTY

The fiscal climate is plagued with uncertainty. Washington threatens funding cuts, and we’re seeing slower growth in FY17 tax revenues. But because lower revenues are offset by strong property tax receipts, we’re predicting modest growth in FY18.

The City’s future depends on investing in the right priorities today, which is exactly what this budget does. New York City is making targeted, smart investments that improve people’s lives.

RESPONSIBLE BUDGETING

The City does recognize the need to be cautious in the face of uncertainty. As a result, this administration has the largest reserves in the City’s history. Specifically:

·         $1 billion each year in the General Reserve compared to $300 million annually under prior administrations.

·         $4.0 billion in the Retiree Health Benefits Trust Fund with $3.3 billion funded by this Administration.

·         $250 million every year of the four-year plan in the Capital Stabilization Reserve that was established by this administration.

As a result, independent monitors and rating agencies continue to affirm the City’s strong budgetary management.

The Administration is also managing out-year gaps and continuing to find savings across City government. As of the Executive Budget, agency and debt savings total $2.8 billion in FY17 and FY18, including $700 million in this Executive Budget alone.

PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE IT MATTERS MOST

This budget continues to build on the investments we’ve made to make New York City a better city for all while remaining fiscally responsible. Mayor de Blasio’s prior budgets have invested in priorities that can be felt across the five boroughs, such as 200,000 affordable housing units; free high-quality, full-day Pre-K for All; and moving nearly 2,000 additional NYPD officers onto the street on patrol and engaged in community policing.

The FY 2018 Executive Budget deepens investments that make a difference in the lives of New Yorkers across the city by:

·         Instituting free, full-day, high-quality 3-K for All for every three-year-old in New York City through a $36 million investment in FY18 and ramping up to $177 million in FY21.

·         Ensuring all students can learn in a safe and comfortable environment by installing air conditioning in every classroom at a cost of $28.75 million over five years.

·         Providing anti-eviction legal services to low-income families and legal advice to all NYC residents in housing court for $93M annually at full implementation.

·         Contributing $38 million in FY18 to invest in our effort to reduce opioid overdose deaths by 35% over the next five years

·         Training 3,000 people over three years to work in green jobs using an investment of $12.8 million in FY18 – FY20.

·         Expanding the E-Waste Curbside Collection Program in Staten Island and northern Brooklyn for $1.1 million in FY18, and increasing to more than $4 million annually in FY20 and FY21.

·         Bringing lower-level boarding to the St. George Ferry Terminal during the morning rush at a cost of $775,000 in FY18, and more annually through the four year plan.

·         Help keep all our students safe by reimbursing private schools’ security costs, totaling $19.8 million in FY18.

·         Expanding our investment in the ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection system– a proven tool in driving down crime – in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island by investing $720,000 in FY18, and $675,000 annually in FY19 and out.

·         Supporting legislation that will allow more senior and disabled New Yorkers to qualify for property tax relief (SCHE/DHE), budgeting $61.6 million in FY18.

·         Making housing more affordable by investing $1.9 billion to increase or preserve the number of affordable apartments by 10,000 for households earning up to $40,000 annually, including 5,000 units for seniors and 500 for veterans.

·         Expanding services offered by the Department of Veterans’ Services to better reach our veterans at an annual cost of $859,000.

·         Renovating 30 existing homeless shelters with $300 million in capital funding as part of the Mayor’s commitment to address homelessness.

·         Transforming the “Made in NY” campus at Bush Terminal in Brooklyn into a hub for garment manufacturing and film and television production that will support more than 1,500 permanent jobs at a cost of $136 million capital dollars over FY18-FY27.

·         Repairing facades at NYCHA residences, which will cost $120 million in city capital dollars and $235.4 million in federal CDBG dollars over ten years, in addition to the unprecedented $1 billion in City capital funding this administration already committed to NYCHA in FY17.

·         Launching a STEAM career hub to connect 400 high school students with technical training with an additional $7.5 million in capital funds invested in FY18.

·         Rehabilitating a building at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to become a start-up incubator, ultimately creating 500 jobs with $4 million in capital funding.

·         Purchasing sidewalk cleaning trucks that can typically clean a heavily trafficked sidewalk area in a single pass for $1.8 million in capital funds to further the Mayor’s CleaNYC efforts.

·         Including $16.4 million in FY18 to fund legal representation for immigrant New Yorkers facing deportation and other immigration challenges.

·         Investing $100 million towards completion of a contiguous 32-mile pedestrian promenade and bike path around the whole of Manhattan.

Click here to view the FY18 Executive Budget.

STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA ON MEASURES TO FURTHER EXPAND NEW YORK STATE'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM

  State Senator Gustavo Rivera released the following statement after bills S1087 and S1088 failed to pass New York State's Health Committee. These measures were introduced in an effort to further strengthen and expand our State's medical marijuana program. S1087 would have allowed certified patients in New York State to smoke medical marihuana for exclusively medical purposes. S1088 would have allowed organizations registered to sell and manufacture medical marijuana to wholesale their products at registered dispensaries operated by other companies and lifted the current restriction that caps the number of organizations that can be involved in the medical marijuana process. 

"I'm disappointed that my colleagues in the Health Committee failed to move these bills out of committee. The defeat of both of these measures represents a missed opportunity to make our State's medical marijuana program more comprehensive, while expanding access to the millions of New Yorkers still in need of an alternative and more therapeutic medical treatment," said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. "There's no doubt that as a State we made great strides through the implementation of the Compassionate Care Act. Nevertheless, that does not take away from the fact that our medical marijuana program continues to be one of the most restrictive programs in the country. These measures would have made this program more efficient, while maintaining strong regulations to safeguard our public health and safety. As sponsor of these bills, I'm committed to continue working hard to see these bills passed in both the Senate and the Assembly."

Assemblymember Pichardo passes legislation protecting water quality, environment

     Assemblymember Victor M. Pichardo announced that he helped pass a series of bills designed to protect our air, water and natural resources in recognition of Earth Day, which was April 22.

     “It’s our responsibility to protect the environment and it’s a responsibility I take very seriously,” Pichardo said. “I’m working to make sure that here in New York we’re reducing our pollution, promoting sustainability and preserving our natural resources in order to build a better future for our children and grandchildren.” 

   The legislative package gives the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulatory authority over freshwater wetlands of one acre or more in size to protect these vital water systems that act as natural water filters and can help prevent flooding during storms (A.6282). Current law only grants the DEC this authority for mapped wetlands that are 12.4 acres or more.

      In order to protect communities from being burdened with the costs of an expensive cleanup in the event of a dangerous oil spill, the Assembly also passed a bill to institute financial surety measures for owners of crude oil storage facilities, vessels and railroads (A.1773). This is the second time Pichardo has voted for this measure which will ensure that companies transporting oil have the resources to effectively and efficiently respond to a spill or accident.

    Historically, low-income communities and communities of color have been disproportionately chosen for new projects with adverse environmental impacts, unjustly putting residents’ health at risk. To address this unfair practice, the Assembly passed a bill that would require the DEC to publish a list of “high local environmental impact zones” and consider various factors that contribute to an area’s environmental health (A.1862). This is the second time Pichardo has helped pass this bill.

   The Assembly package also includes a measure to amend the state constitution to include the right to clean air and water and a healthy environment (A.6279).

  “Low-income communities have been hit hard when it comes to being forced to deal with pollution and contamination,” Pichardo said. “Clean air and water shouldn’t be a privilege for the wealthy – they should be a basic right for everyone, regardless of income or neighborhood. This legislation puts us closer to that goal.”

  The Assembly’s Earth Day legislative package also included additional measures to ensure mercury-added lamps don’t contain excessive amounts of mercury (A.2875) and creates a battery recycling program for consumers in New York State, reducing the need for mining (A.6280).

EDITOR'S NOTE:

We are glad Assemblyman Pichardo states in the first sentence that he helped pass a series of bills. It would be incorrect to say that one legislator passed any legislation since both the State Assembly and State Senate must pass any legislation, and then the Governor must sign any legislation. 

Three Former Police Officers And Former Assistant District Attorney Arrested In Connecton With Gun License Bribery Scheme

Two Others, Including Former Police Officer and Auxiliary Police Officer, Plead Guilty and Agree to Cooperate

   Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today that PAUL DEAN, ROBERT ESPINEL, GAETANO VALASTRO, a/k/a “Guy,” and JOHN CHAMBERS were arrested and charged in Manhattan federal court with conspiracy to commit bribery, among other offenses, in connection with a scheme involving the approval of gun licenses by the NYPD License Division in exchange for cash payments and non-monetary bribes.  Acting U.S. Attorney Kim also announced the unsealing of the guilty pleas of David Villanueva, a former NYPD Sergeant assigned to the License Division, and Frank Soohoo, a gun license expediter.  In connection with their guilty pleas, Villanueva and Soohoo have agreed to cooperate with the Government.

DEAN and ESPINEL were arrested and charged in Manhattan federal court with two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, and one count of extortion; VALASTRO was arrested and charged in Manhattan federal court in the same case with two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, and one count of making false statements.  CHAMBERS was arrested and charged separately in Manhattan federal court with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of bribery.  All four defendants were arrested this morning by FBI agents and officers from the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau (“IAB”), and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox in Manhattan this afternoon.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Corruption was allegedly pervasive at the NYPD’s License Division going up as high as Lieutenant Paul Dean, until recently the Division’s second in command, and including three other officers, Sergeant David Villanueva, Officer Robert Espinel and Officer Richard Ochetal.  Corruption at the License Division also spawned a cottage industry of parasitic profiteers, alleged bribers masquerading as so-called expediters, that included other former police officers and John Chambers, a lawyer and former Brooklyn prosecutor.  As alleged, for the police officers and expediters charged in this case, the critically important police function of issuing and controlling gun licenses was one they were willing to pervert for personal profit.  When police officers violate their oath in this way, they not only betray the public they have sworn to protect, but their fellow officers who do their jobs the right way, remaining faithful to the duties they owe to the public and to each other.  This Office, along with our partners at the FBI and NYPD, remain as committed as ever to ensure that public servants serve the public, not their personal pocketbooks.” 

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “Law enforcement officials are granted authority to uphold the fundamental rule of law. But any abuse of this power – no matter how great or how small – is nothing short of a crime in and of itself.  Today, as alleged, a series of gun expediters and former NYPD officers of various ranks face charges for their alleged role in a scheme that threatened the safety of our communities.  The vast majority of NYPD officers who willingly protect our city each and every day, no matter the risks, shouldn’t be associated with a select few who, as charged, placed a higher priority on satisfying their desires than upholding the law.”

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said:  “Over the past three years, the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau has conducted a thorough and comprehensive investigation in coordination with the FBI.  The behavior, as alleged in today’s charging documents, is intolerable. The charges reflect a serious violation of the oath these officers swore to uphold, eroding at the trust the public has in this Department.  The NYPD will continue to investigate alleged wrongdoing and root out corruption wherever it might be found.”

According to the allegations in the Complaints unsealed today in Manhattan federal

court[1]:

DEAN was a member of the NYPD from 1994 through 2016, and was assigned to the License Division from 2008 through 2016.  DEAN, a Lieutenant, was one of the highest-ranking members of the License Division and, from approximately November 2014 through November 2015, regularly ran the day-to-day operations of the License Division.  ESPINEL was a member of the NYPD from 1995 through his retirement in 2016, and was assigned to the License Division from 2011 through 2016. 

From at least 2013 through 2016, DEAN, ESPINEL, Villanueva, and Police Officer Richard Ochetal solicited and accepted bribes from gun license expediters in exchange for providing assistance to the expediters’ clients in obtaining gun licenses quickly and often with little to no diligence.   They obtained bribes from at least three expediters: VALASTRO, Soohoo, and Alex Lichtenstein, a/k/a “Shaya.”  VALASTRO was a former NYPD Detective who retired in 1999, and who operated a gun store out of which he sold guns, gun paraphernalia, and gun safety courses.

The bribes included cash payments, paid vacations, food and liquor, the services of prostitutes, and free guns, among other things.  In exchange, DEAN, ESPINEL, Villanueva, and Ochetal approved, expedited, and upgraded licenses for clients of VALASTRO, Lichtenstein, and Soohoo.  They did so by forgoing standard License Division diligence, including by failing to interview the applicants and failing to investigate the business-based need for applicants to carry guns.  They approved licenses for individuals with substantial criminal histories, including arrests and convictions for crimes involving weapons or violence, and for individuals with histories of domestic violence.

In 2015, dissatisfied with the fact that expediters were profiting thousands of dollars per gun license applicant when DEAN, ESPINEL, and others did the work to approve those applications, DEAN and ESPINEL decided to retire and go into the expediting business themselves.  In order to ensure the success of their business, DEAN and ESPINEL planned to bribe Villanueva, Ochetal, and others still in the License Division to enable their clients to get special treatment.  They also agreed with VALASTRO to run their expediting and bribery scheme out of VALASTRO’s gun store.  According to the plan, VALASTRO would benefit from the scheme because DEAN and ESPINEL would steer successful applicants to VALASTRO’s store to buy guns.  They also tried to corner the expediting market by forcing other expediters to work through them.  DEAN and ESPINAL attempted to coerce Soohoo into sharing his expediting clients with them by threatening to use their influence in the License Division to shut down Soohoo’s expediting business if Soohoo refused to work with, and make payments to, DEAN and ESPINEL. 

In addition to this bribery scheme, JOHN CHAMBERS, a former Assistant District Attorney in Kings County, was arrested for a separate bribery conspiracy with Villanueva.  CHAMBERS is an attorney who represents individuals before the License Division, and who markets himself to potential clients as the “Top Firearms Licensing Attorney in NY.”  From at least 2010 through 2015, CHAMBERS gave Villanueva numerous valuable items, including tickets to sporting and entertainment events for Villanueva and his family, free dinners and lunches for Villanueva, sports memorabilia, and a wristwatch valued at approximately $8,000.

In exchange, Villanueva assisted CHAMBERS’s clients in several ways.  He ensured that renewal applications submitted by CHAMBERS’s clients, which typically take 30 to 40 days for approval, were renewed more expeditiously, sometimes as quickly as within one day.  In addition, in evaluating “incidents” – investigations to determine whether an individual’s gun license should be suspended or revoked – Villanueva expedited the investigations, and then shortened the suspension periods, for CHAMBERS’s clients.

           

Villanueva also helped CHAMBERS renew gun licenses for clients before the Pistol Section of the Nassau County Police Department, where Villanueva had contacts.  Starting in or about 2012, CHAMBERS brought his clients’ renewal applications to Villanueva at One Police Plaza, and Villanueva mailed those applications to the Pistol Section using his NYPD License Division stationery.  Villanueva did so knowing that because he was submitting the renewal applications using his NYPD License Division stationery, the renewals would be approved in a significantly faster time for CHAMBERS’s clients than for other applicants.  In exchange, CHAMBERS paid Villanueva several times in cash, as well as with tickets to sporting and entertainment events for Villanueva and his family.  CHAMBERS typically mailed Villanueva the cash by taping it to the inside of a magazine.      

DEAN, 44, who resides in Wantagh, New York, has been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, each of which carries a maximum term of five years in prison, and one count of extortion, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison.

ESPINEL, 47, who resides in Seaford, New York, has been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, each of which carries a maximum term of five years in prison, and one count of extortion, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison.

VALASTRO, 58, who resides in Queens, New York, has been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, each of which carries a maximum term of five years in prison, and one count of making false statements, which also carries a maximum term of five years in prison.

CHAMBERS, 62, who resides in Manhattan, New York, has been charged with one count of bribery, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison.

Villanueva, 43, pled guilty in February 2017 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, four counts of bribery, and one count of making false statements.

Soohoo, 55, pled guilty in October 2016 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of bribery, one count of making false statements, and one count of mail fraud.

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

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau, and noted that the investigation is continuing.  

This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Capone, Kan M. Nawaday, and Lauren B. Schorr are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in 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 Complaints and the descriptions of the Complaints set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.