MAN SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS-TO-LIFE FOR EAST HARLEM SHOOTING THAT STRUCK MTA BUS AT RUSH HOUR

  Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the sentencing of DERRICK WHITE, 35, to 18 years-to-life in state prison for firing multiple gunshots on an East Harlem street corner, injuring a 31-year-old victim and striking the side of an MTA bus. On June 8, 2016, a New York Supreme Court jury found the defendant guilty of two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and one count each of Assault in the Second Degree and Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree.

“As prosecutors sworn to protect the most densely populated streets in America, we continue to hold gun offenders fully accountable,” said District Attorney Vance. “Derrick White endangered the lives of countless New Yorkers as he opened fire in the direction of a city bus at the height of rush hour. It is a miracle that nobody died or sustained serious injuries. On city streets and sidewalks, gunfire does not discriminate between intended targets and random bystanders. Thanks to my Office’s prosecutors, this defendant will serve a lengthy prison sentence for these remarkably reckless acts of gun violence.”

As proven at trial, at approximately 5:10 p.m. on April 20, 2015, WHITE was standing on the east side of Madison Avenue between East 103rd and East 104th Streets when he fired at least three gun shots at the victim — one of which struck the victim’s foot. Two other bullets hit an MTA bus traveling northbound on Madison Avenue, striking a panel on the bus’s exterior and a window on the passenger side. The bullets did not strike the passengers or driver of the bus. The defendant immediately fled to a residential building on East 104th Street.

NYPD responded to a 911 call and identified WHITE, a violent predicate felon, as a suspect after reviewing video surveillance footage. The defendant was apprehended two days later on April 22, 2015.

Assistant District Attorneys Michele Bayer, Deputy Chief of Trial Bureau 60, and Justin Tatham handled the prosecution of the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Charles Whitt, Chief of Trial Bureau 60, and Executive Assistant District Attorneys David O’Keefe, Deputy Chief of the Trial Division, and John Irwin, Chief of the Trial Division. Assistant District Attorneys William Mahoney, Counsel to the Conviction Integrity Unit, and Yuval Simchi-Levi also assisted with the prosecution of the case.

District Attorney Vance also thanked Investigator John D’Alessio of the Manhattan DA Squad and the following members of the NYPD for their assistance with the investigation: Detective Leonardo Moscoso of the 20th Precinct Detective Squad; Detectives Facelis Turner and William Dunn of the 23rd Precinct Detective Squad; and Officers Matthew Vantress and Jonathan Perez of the 23rd Precinct.

Defendant Information:

DERRICK WHITE, D.O.B. 04/18/1982

Bronx, NY

Convicted:

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 2 counts

• Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony 1 count

• Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, a class D felony, 1 count

Sentenced:

• 18 years-to-life in prison

DAVID BARIL SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ASSAULTING POLICE OFFICER AND STRANGERS WITH HAMMER

Defendant Attacked Three Victims Over Three Days Before Assaulting Police Officer

  Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the sentencing of DAVID BARIL, 32, to 22 years in state prison for using a hammer to attack an NYPD officer and three other victims during a three-day series of assaults. On May 22, 2017, the defendant pleaded guilty in New York State Supreme Court to Attempted Aggravated Assault Upon a Police Officer and Assault in the Second Degree.

 

“For two full days in 2015, New Yorkers were gripped with fear as a hammer-wielding man was on the loose in Manhattan,” said District Attorney Vance. “David Baril randomly attacked three strangers in three separate, public locations in the span of a few hours on a single day. Two days later, the heroic actions of two police officers brought his spree to an end, but not before the defendant turned his hammer on one of the officers. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I would like to thank those officers for their bravery, as well as the prosecutors in my office for bringing this defendant to justice.”  

 

As admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea, at approximately 1:45 p.m. on May 11, 2015, BARIL approached a group of people on the street near West 35th Street and 6th Avenue and struck a 20-year-old man in the back of the head with a hammer. The defendant immediately headed south on 6th Avenue, and several hours later, used the same hammer to attack another person in Union Square Park, hitting a 28-year-old woman on the side of the head. No more than five minutes later, he attacked a third victim on West 17th Street, approaching a 33-year-old woman from behind and using the hammer to strike the back of her head. BARIL was identified as a suspect using surveillance footage, eyewitness accounts, and other means. 

 

Two days later, at approximately 10:00 a.m. on May 13, 2015, Police Officers Lauren O’Rourke and Geraldo Casaigne recognized BARIL on the corner of West 37th Street and 8th Avenue, and approached him. The defendant then removed a hammer from his pocket and repeatedly struck Officer O’Rourke’s head and body before Officer Casaigne drew his gun, fired multiple shots at BARIL, and struck him four times—including once in the back. The defendant dropped the hammer, which was later recovered at the scene.

 

Assistant District Attorneys Courtney Groves, Lisa Franchini, and David Drucker handled the prosecution of the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Lisa DelPizzo, Chief of Trial Bureau 30, Assistant District Attorney Warren Murray, Chief of Trial Bureau 50, Assistant District Attorney Eugene Porcaro, Senior Supervising Attorney of the Trial Division, and Executive Assistant District Attorney John Irwin, Chief of the Trial Division.

 

 

Defendant Information:

 

DAVID BARIL, D.O.B. 7/27/1984

Bronx, NY

 

Convicted:

• Attempted Aggravated Assault Upon a Police Officer, a class C felony, 1 count
• Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, 3 counts

 

Sentenced:

• 22 years in state prison
• 5 years’ post-release supervision

Acting U.S. Attorney Announces Filing Of Motion To Dismiss Pending Charges In United States V. Javier Martin-Artajo And Julien Grout

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the Office has filed a proposed order to dismiss the outstanding charges against JAVIER MARTIN-ARTAJO and JULIEN GROUT, two former derivatives traders at JPMorgan Chase & Company(“JPMorgan”).  MARTIN-ARTAJO and GROUT were indicted on September 16, 2013, for their alleged participation in a conspiracy to hide losses in a credit derivatives trading portfolio at JPMorgan.  MARTIN-ARTAJO, a Spanish citizen, and GROUT, a French citizen, have not appeared on these criminal charges.  On April 23, 2015, a court in Spain rejected the Government’s request to extradite MARTIN-ARTAJO, and a prior determination had been made that attempts to extradite GROUT from France would have been futile.  The motion to dismiss is subject to the approval of United States District Judge Lorna G. Schofield.

As set forth in the proposed order, the Government sought charges in this matter based in part on the Government’s anticipated ability to call as a trial witness Bruno Iksil, a former colleague of the two defendants at JPMorgan.  Based on a review of recent statements and writings made by Iksil, however, the Government no longer believes that it can rely on the testimony of Iksil in prosecuting this case, even if the defendants appeared.  Based on these developments, among other factors, the Government has decided not to keep these charges pending, but rather to seek their dismissal at this time.

A.G. Schneiderman Announces 15-Year Prison Sentence For Leader Of Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Ring

Juan Ramos Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Shipping Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars Of Narcotics From NYC To Capital Region And Beyond

Schneiderman: We Will Aggressively Prosecute Criminals Who Fuel The Cycle Of Addiction

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced today that Juan Ramos, of Brooklyn, was sentenced in Albany County Court to 15 years in state prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision, based upon his prior plea to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a class A-I felony. Ramos was the leader of a large-scale narcotics trafficking ring that moved hundreds of thousands of dollars of heroin, cocaine and illegal prescription medication from the Bronx and Brooklyn, to the Capital Region and beyond, taken down in the Attorney General's Operation Uptown Red Alert. The defendant was sentenced today by Supreme Court Justice Thomas A. Breslin.

The sentences follow the launch of Attorney General Schneiderman’s Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (“S.U.R.G.E.”) Initiative, a crackdown on New York’s growing heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. The S.U.R.G.E. Initiative targets gangs and individuals who deal heroin and opioids and commit acts of violence in suburban and upstate communities across New York State. The Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force has collaborated with all levels of law enforcement to arrest more than 1010 individuals in metro areas across the state since 2010, working closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those criminals who target suburban and upstate areas.

In the past four months, Attorney General Schneiderman’s Operation Bricktown, Operation Un-Wise, Operation Gravy Train, Operation Bloodsport, Operation Pipeline and Operation Wrecking Ball have resulted in 240 traffickers and dealers being taken off the streets throughout New York State. 

“We have no tolerance for dangerous drug trafficking rings like the one Juan Ramos was running,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “As New York grapples with this devastating opioid crisis, my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those criminals who fuel the cycle of addiction.”

Juan Ramos was the leader of a drug trafficking ring that trafficked hundreds of thousands of dollars of heroin, cocaine and illegal prescription medication from New York City to the Capital Region, and also to the States of Maine and Pennsylvania. During the underlying investigation, more than two pounds of bulk heroin were seized, capable of being packaged into 50,000 bags of heroin to be sold on the street, giving the heroin an approximate street value of $500,000. Also seized during the investigation was more than a pound of bulk cocaine with an approximate street value of $50,000, a homemade heroin kilogram press, 1,067 Oxycodone pills, over $21,000 in cash, two shotguns and one handgun. During the investigation, Ramos utilized his $120,000 BMW to deliver narcotics to customers.

The investigation, conducted by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force, the City of Albany Police Department and the New York State Police, led to the indictment of 27 people, all of whom have now pled guilty with the exception of two defendants that still have active warrants for their arrests. The charges against those defendants are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

In addition to prosecuting major drug trafficking rings, the Attorney General has taken numerous steps to combat the opioid crisis in New York. In June of 2011, Attorney General Schneiderman introduced state legislation for I-STOP, an online Prescription Monitoring Program or a “PMP,” that enables doctors and pharmacists to report and track controlled narcotics in real time. The OAG has also aggressively enforced laws that require parity in health plan coverage of mental health and addiction treatment, reaching agreements with six companies. Attorney General Schneiderman also announced national agreements with Cigna and Anthem, who both agreed to remove prior authorization requirements for medication-assisted treatment nationwide. The office has also reached agreements with Purdue Pharma and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., to ensure that these opioid makers engage in responsible and legal marketing.

TWO BRONX MEN INDICTED ON ASSAULT AND OTHER CHARGES FOR PELTING DELI CLERK WITH AVOCADOS

Victim Suffered Broken Eye Socket And Blurred Vision For Days After Attack

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that two Bronx man have been indicted on Assault and other charges for throwing avocados at two deli clerks, inflicting serious injuries, including fracturing a victim’s eye socket. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “Surveillance video of the vicious attack shows a senseless and immature act against two men who were simply trying to make a living. No one should be made to feel terrorized in their workplace.” 

  District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Brad Gomez, 28, of Gerard Ave., has been indicted on second-degree Assault. He was arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. Gomez and co-defendant Jestyfer Henriquez, 25, of Walton Ave., have each been indicted on third-degree Assault, fourth-degree Criminal Mischief, and two counts of second-degree Menacing. Henriquez was arraigned on July 17, 2017. Both men are due back on October 30, 2017. Gomez faces a maximum of 7 years in prison and Henriquez faces a maximum of 1 year in jail if convicted of the top charge.

  According to the investigation, on the early morning of May 29, 2017, inside Stadium Gourmet Deli on E. 161st St. and Walton Ave, Henriquez and Gomez were involved in a dispute over a food order. Gomez hurled several avocados at clerks Amr Alzabide and Essam Girgis, breaking Alzabide’s eye socket and causing the victim’s eye to be swollen shut for several days, later requiring surgery. Both defendants also damaged several shelves and merchandise. The defendants fled the establishment and were apprehended due to surveillance footage of the incident.

  District Attorney Clark thanked Detective Jorge Mergeche of the 44th Precinct as well the District Attorney’s Crime Victims Assistance Unit for their hard work. 

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Which candidate ensures every inch of City Hall will work for you?

Elvin Garcia - Democrat for City Council 

Friends, It takes real leadership and experience in coalition building to ensure every inch of City Hall is working for the Bronx.  And for nearly 3 years as Mayor de Blasio's Bronx Borough Director, I was grateful to have been the Bronx leader in: the greatest expansion of Universal Pre-K the borough has ever seen the foundation for the first-in-the-Bronx ferry terminal right here District 18 the expansion of resources for Women and Minority Owned Businesses the launch of a comprehensive community policing program -- including the 43rd Pct in District 18 One of the most common questions we get from voters is: "what are you going to do for our community?" Our response speaks to our longstanding investment in the community: "Let me tell you what I have already done for the neighborhoods in District 18, and what I plan to do next on...." Public Safety Education Transportation Small Business NYCHA LGBT Community

I'm the only candidate in this race who's ensured  every inch of City Hall has worked for District 18.  Best, Elvin Garcia Candidate for City Council - District 18 EDITOR'S NOTE: I have left out the contribute buttons that  were on this page, but could not on  the links above. This is in no way to be taken as any  support of the above candidate  or any other candidate in this race. This is for informational purpose only.

NYC Council Announces Hearing on Summer Subway Woes

Hearing will examine the current state of New York City’s subway system and provide the Council with an opportunity to fully review the agency’s 30 Day Reorganizational Report

  New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez and the City Council today announced the Council’s Committee on  Transportation will convene an oversight hearing to examine the state of the subway system. The hearing will be held on August 8^th at 10:00 AM in Council Chambers and will provide the Council with an opportunity to explore and examine solutions to help address safety and efficiency issues that have plagued straphangers in recent months. The hearing will also provide the Council with an opportunity to review and conduct close oversight of the  30-day reorganizational report slated to be released by the MTA later this week.

 

“Millions of New Yorkers rely on the subway each and every day to go about their everyday lives,” said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “The countless delays, unreliable service and numerous safety issues that  have cropped up in recent months has made clear our subway system cannot remain the status quo. The MTA must do right by New Yorkers – and that means committing to funding much-needed improvements to its nearly century-old infrastructure and working with all levels of government to put an end to these issues. I look forward to the Council’s Transportation Committee hearing and thank Chair Rodriguez for his dedication as we work together to help make  our subways safer and more reliable for all New Yorkers.”

 

“The failures of our public transit system have reached a breaking point,” said Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez. “It is time for an open airing of what has led to these issues and what we are going to do to solve them. As we look forward to the 30 day report from the MTA this week, I expect to have a wide-ranging discussion on this plan, digging into the details to help riders understand what is coming, and to ensure we are up to the challenge. After months of mounting delays and derailments, our city needs action now, lest we continue to bear the severe economic and human costs of a system in disarray. I thank Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito for spearheading this effort with me, to best account for how we are addressing the number one crisis facing our city today.”

 

 

WHO: Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez

Council Members, MTA Officials, Members of the Public.

 

WHERE: Council Chambers, City Hall.

 

WHEN: August 8^th, 2017 at 10:00 AM

NYC COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION CHAIR YDANIS RODRIGUEZ HAILS EXPANSION OF TRANSIT SIGNAL PRIORITY

  Today the NYC DOT announced that they will expand the use of Transit Signal Priority, allowing buses to move quicker through key intersections. This measure was found to increase bus speeds by 18% for the five routes using the technology. The expansion, if approved, will add the feature to 11 more routes by 2020. Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez issued the following statement in response to the announcement:

"With our subway system vastly over capacity right now, buses should be handling some of the load, yet riders feel they cannot rely on this service when it can be faster to walk than to take the bus sometimes. With MTA buses shedding over two million annual riders over the past decade, it is clear the system needs improvements. There are known solutions out there, we just need a plan to move them forward. Transit Signal Priority is one of the most crucial parts of improving bus service across the city. Steps like this are how we will regain riders trust that buses are a fast and efficient option. 

Going forward, we should see a stronger effort from the MTA to add all-door-boarding and off-board-fare payment to more routes in the city. When riders are forced to enter the bus single-file to pay, it eats up valuable time and dissuades New Yorkers from choosing this option. While Transit Signal Priority is just one step in the larger effort to fully transform bus service, I am pleased to see DOT doing its part and it's great news."