Friday, November 30, 2018

DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES HISTORIC LOW FOR NEW HIV DIAGNOSES, DOWN 64 PERCENT SINCE REPORTING BEGAN IN 2001


More New Yorkers with HIV receiving care and achieving viral suppression

  The de Blasio Administration announced the annual number of new HIV diagnoses in New York City has reached an all-time low, with 2,157 New Yorkers getting newly diagnosed last year. According to data from the 2017 HIV Surveillance Annual Report, newly diagnosed cases declined last year, down 5.4 percent from 2016. The number of new HIV diagnoses in New York City has decreased by 64 percent since HIV case reporting began. New York City is on track to achieve its ambitious NYC Ending the Epidemic goals by 2020.

“Our City has been on the frontlines of the HIV and AIDS epidemic for decades,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Reaching our goal to end the AIDS epidemic by 2020 in New York City is a good start, but we won’t rest until we eradicate the epidemic once and for all.”

“As we commemorate World AIDS Day, we remember those who lost their battle to AIDS and those who continue to fight it,” said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. “As someone who is HIV positive, I'm proud to lead a Council that has made the fight against AIDS/HIV a priority, including investing $6.9 million for Ending the Epidemic in 2020.  Although we have made great progress in this fight, the battle is far from over. We will continue to fight for all New Yorkers affected by this disease.”

In addition to tracking new HIV diagnoses in the city, the Health Department estimates the number of new HIV infections. The estimated number of new HIV infections in New York City also continues to decline, with a 35 percent decrease among men who have sex with men (MSM) and a 36 percent decrease overall since 2013. New York City continues to expedite connection to care for people newly diagnosed with HIV, while estimated new infections continue to decrease at a historic, accelerated pace due to a combination of prevention strategies (including HIV treatment, pre- and post- exposure prophylaxis, known as PrEP and PEP), and NYC Condom distribution.

“We are very energized by the City’s progress in reducing HIV diagnosis and are laser-focused on reaching our goal of ending the epidemic by 2020,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio. “New Yorkers have come a long way in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and the stigma around it, and we will not rest until every New Yorker has the education and resources to prevent and treat this disease.”

“New York City is achieving the Ending the Epidemic vision supported by the investment made by the de Blasio Administration and City Council to enhance HIV-related services for treatment and prevention,” said Acting Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Although we have seen declines in groups such as Black and Latina women, we must continue to address that men who have sex with men of color are disproportionately affected by HIV. I would like to thank the Mayor and The City Council for their unwavering dedication in making sure that HIV rates continue to decline in New York City.”

According to the report, from 2016 to 2017, the number of new HIV diagnoses among women, including cisgender and transgender women, decreased by 11.6 percent, with declines among Latina, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Black women (28 percent, 21 percent, and 8 percent declines, respectively). From 2016 to 2017, the number of new HIV diagnoses among men, including cisgender and transgender men, decreased by 3.6 percent, with those among MSM remaining stable. MSM, particularly MSM of color, continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV. In 2017, of all men newly diagnosed with HIV in New York City, 74 percent were MSM; of all new diagnoses among MSM, 73 percent were among Black or Latino MSM. The Health Department’s data also show a 6.7 percent decrease in new HIV diagnoses among transgender individuals in New York City from 2016 to 2017.

More New Yorkers with HIV are receiving care and achieving viral suppression. In 2017, 80 percent of people were linked to care within 30 days of their HIV diagnosis, compared to 65 percent in 2013; and among people receiving HIV medical care in New York City in 2017, 85 percent were virally suppressed, compared to 79 percent in 2013. This progress is especially important in light of “Undetectable = Untransmittable,” or “U = U,” the evidence-based finding that individuals with HIV who are taking antiretroviral medicines and maintain an undetectable viral load for at least six months do not sexually transmit HIV.

“This historic low in new HIV diagnosis demonstrates that we are well on our way to ending the HIV epidemic in New York City,” said Deputy Commissioner for the Health Department’s Division of Disease Control Dr. Demetre Daskalakis. “We are diagnosing people with HIV earlier and linking them to care, preventing disease progression while harnessing the power of treatment to prevent transmission. The power of ‘U = U’ combined with continued promotion and use of PrEP, PEP, and condoms has set us on the trajectory to achieve our goal of ending the epidemic in New York City by 2020. Our success inspires the nation and the world as a demonstration of what community activism, science, and political will can and do achieve.”

“Our 2017 HIV surveillance data show that we are making real progress in reducing new HIV diagnoses in New York City and improving viral suppression among New Yorkers with HIV,” said Assistant Commissioner for the Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Dr. Oni Blackstock. “But we must double down on our efforts to ensure that this progress is felt evenly and equitably across all communities – particularly those that continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV. And this cannot happen unless we expand our sexual health toolkit to include not only NYC Condoms, PrEP and PEP, HIV and STI testing and treatment, and promotion of the ‘U = U’ message, but also a commitment to fighting institutional racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and the many other forms of stigma that put people at greater risk of HIV infection and, for people with HIV, put care and treatment further out of reach. We cannot end the epidemic among New Yorkers without ending the epidemic among all New Yorkers.”

These surveillance data illustrate New York City’s continued progress towards ending the epidemic of HIV. In 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a $23 million investment to reduce the number of new infections, improve viral suppression rates and other health outcomes among people with HIV, strengthen the City’s sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention infrastructure, and dismantle HIV stigma – all using a racial justice and health equity approach. Since then, the City has transformed its eight Sexual Health Clinics, all of which currently offer low- to no-cost state-of-the-art STI and HIV services, including STI and HIV testing, emergency PEP, PrEP initiation and navigation, JumpstART (immediate initiation of HIV treatment with navigation to longer-term care), and counseling services. Anyone 12 or older can receive services at a Sexual Health Clinic, regardless of immigration status, insurance coverage, or ability to pay.

This year, the Health Department launched two sexual health marketing campaigns encouraging New Yorkers to consider PrEP as part of their sexual health plan: "Living Sure", which focuses on cisgender and transgender women, and “¡Listos!”, the agency’s first awareness campaign to be conceived of and largely released in Spanish, which focuses on Latinos. The Health Department then launched the second installment of “¡Listos!”, which promotes not only PrEP, but also HIV testing and treatment, with messaging tailored to resonate with Latino MSM. These follow the Health Department’s Be Sure, Play Sure, Stay Sure campaigns, which encourage New Yorkers to know their HIV status and STI status, choose the safer sex combination that works for them, and take medication to treat or prevent HIV.

In addition to the 2017 HIV Surveillance Annual Report, the Health Department released newslide sets and tables updated with 2017 surveillance data. In October 2018, the Health Department released Hepatitis A, B and C in New York City: 2017 Annual Report, which shows that as of January 1, 2017, 4,436 people were living with HIV and current hepatitis C infection (HCV) in New York City, the majority of whom are people of color. People with HIV/HCV coinfection are at high risk for serious liver disease, liver cancer, and premature death. In 2016, the Health Department launched Project SUCCEED (Scaling Up Coinfection Care and Eliminating Ethnic Disparities), which promotes HCV screening and linkage to care and treatment for HCV among people with HIV.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES DRAMATIC EXPANSION OF CITI BIKE


Lyft will invest $100 million to improve and expand Citi Bike, which over next five years will double its current service area and more than triple its number of bikes to nearly 40,000

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that New York City had reached an agreement with Lyft to dramatically expand Citi Bike, the nation’s largest bike share program. As part of the agreement that approves its acquisition of Motivate, Citi Bike’s parent company, Lyft will invest $100 million to improve and strengthen the system – which includes doubling Citi Bike’s service area and tripling the number of bikes in the next five years, making it one of the largest bike share systems in the world. Lyft will continue to expand Citi Bike’s transportation equity efforts, including expanded investment in the $5 monthly bike share memberships available to all SNAP recipients and NYCHA residents.

“New York City is one of the world’s great biking cities – and it’s about to get even better,” saidMayor de Blasio. “This expansion means tens of thousands more New Yorkers are going to have a fast and inexpensive way to get around their city. It also means much more reliable service for all the riders who already use Citi Bike. We welcome Lyft’s investment to make Citi Bike bigger and better. We are ready get to work with communities across the city to make this expansion a success.”

"New York is the greatest city in the world, and its residents deserve a bike sharing system to match," said Deputy Mayor Laura Anglin. "Citi Bike's 150,000 riders can look forward to higher-quality service, new valet and docking stations, and an increase in well-maintained bikes. Today's announcement is a positive step toward our goal of delivering affordable and reliable transportation options that improve quality-of-life."

“We are thrilled to announce that the nation’s largest and most successful bike share system will be growing to reach even more New Yorkers,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “As a safe, sustainable, and affordable way to get around, cycling in New York City is growing faster than any other mode of travel.  And with today’s announcement, riding a Citi Bike will be an even more convenient way to get to a vastly larger share of the City.  With some of the changes for Citi Bike coming soon, there may in fact be no better gift this holiday season than a new Citi Bike membership.”

“We are thrilled to partner with New York City to support and substantially grow North America’s largest bike share system,” said Lyft Co-Founder and President John Zimmer. “Together with NYCDOT, we will improve mobility in New York City through an equitable expansion of new and existing technologies. Today’s announcement marks a major milestone in Lyft’s growth as a sustainable transportation service that connects communities, and reduces unnecessary driving in urban centers.” 

“Citi Bike has succeeded more than anyone of us could have imagined when it launched five years ago. It is a true public-private partnership and we are proud of our role in helping create what has become a vital, sustainable transportation network and part of the fabric of New York City. The fact that Lyft is willing to make such a large investment in this program shows that we haven’t yet tapped its full potential. We are excited about the future and warmly welcome Lyft as our new partner,” said Ed Skyler, Citi’s Head of Public Affairs.

Highlights of the agreement include:

·         Citi Bike will more than triple in size to nearly 40,000 bicycles, and expand by 35 square miles over five years, more than doubling the size of the current service area.
·         The geographic boundaries of the expansion will be established in the coming months. Expansion will be accompanied by extensive community and elected official outreach to the selected areas.
·         Lyft will immediately invest to restore the existing system to its required fleet level of 12,000 bikes within 90 days of the acquisition (i.e. the end of February).
·         The expanded Citi Bike fleet will include both regular and pedal-assist bicycles, which have proven popular and are a component of DOT’s L train tunnel shutdown mitigation plan.
·         Lyft will add 12 new valet stations and increase bike and dock availability in the busiest areas to improve system performance.
·         The Reduced Fare Bike Share program, presented by Healthfirst, which provides discounted memberships of $5 per month for all NYCHA residents and SNAP recipients will be expanded and enshrined in Lyft’s agreement with the City. The improvement and expansion of Citi Bike will continue to be privately funded with no government subsidy.
·         Lyft’s new micro-mobility division in New York City will support over 1,000 full-time living wage jobs.
·         The City retains its rights to pilot and implement dockless bike share services outside of the expanded Citi Bike service area, including the ongoing three-borough dockless pilot.
·         In addition to the $100 million in capital expenditures over five years, Lyft will also pay associated operating expenses that will be used to improve and expand the system. Lyft will retain the exclusive right to operate bike share within the Citi Bike service area.

"For years, New Yorkers have relied on Citi Bike to be an affordable and convenient way to move around our vast City," said Public Advocate Letitia James. "With this expansion, more of our communities in all parts of the City will have the opportunity to utilize this popular method of transportation. I commend the Department of Transportation, Citi Bike, and Lyft for this important partnership."

“This Citi Bike expansion is welcome news for a city in desperate need of as many mass transit options as possible,” said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. “In just a few years bike share has become a part of the fabric of New York City, making getting around easier, greener, healthier, and more fun all at once. The main issue was that more people and neighborhoods wanted in on the fun, which is why I am thrilled to hear that Citi Bike will double its geographic coverage and continue to make major investments in accessibility for low income residents. The more New Yorkers who are able to enjoy Citi Bike, the better for all of us and our city.”

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - Chanukah Celebration & Menorah Lighting Ceremony


Wave Hill events December 13 - 20


Thu, December 13
Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill
Enjoy a peaceful shopping experience, with personalized service and a thoughtfully curated selection of beautiful, botanically inspired gifts. Members enjoy 20% off all their seasonal shopping! Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop through December 23.
Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–4PM

Fri, December 14
Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill
Enjoy a peaceful shopping experience, with personalized service and a thoughtfully curated selection of beautiful, botanically inspired gifts. Members enjoy 20% off all their seasonal shopping! Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop through December 23.
Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–4PM

Sat, December 15
Have you seen any downy woodpeckers, chickadees or eastern towhees lately? See which of these black-and-white winter birds can be spotted setting up house at Wave Hill this winter. Make fun, bird marionettes to hang on a group indoor tree display or take home to dance around and decorate your house. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sat, December 15
Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill
Enjoy a peaceful shopping experience, with personalized service and a thoughtfully curated selection of beautiful, botanically inspired gifts. Members enjoy 20% off all their seasonal shopping! Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop through December 23.
Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–4PM

Sun, December 16
Have you seen any downy woodpeckers, chickadees or eastern towhees lately? See which of these black-and-white winter birds can be spotted setting up house at Wave Hill this winter. Make fun, bird marionettes to hang on a group indoor tree display or take home to dance around and decorate your house. Free with admission to the grounds.
Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, December 16
Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill
Enjoy a peaceful shopping experience, with personalized service and a thoughtfully curated selection of beautiful, botanically inspired gifts. Members enjoy 20% off all their seasonal shopping! Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop through December 23.
Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–4PM

Sun, December 16
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 2PM

Mon, December 17
Closed to the public.

Tue, December 18
Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill
Enjoy a peaceful shopping experience, with personalized service and a thoughtfully curated selection of beautiful, botanically inspired gifts. Members enjoy 20% off all their seasonal shopping! Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop through December 23.
Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–4PM

Wed, December 19
Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill
Enjoy a peaceful shopping experience, with personalized service and a thoughtfully curated selection of beautiful, botanically inspired gifts. Members enjoy 20% off all their seasonal shopping! Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop through December 23.
Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–4PM

Thu, December 20
Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill
Enjoy a peaceful shopping experience, with personalized service and a thoughtfully curated selection of beautiful, botanically inspired gifts. Members enjoy 20% off all their seasonal shopping! Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop through December 23.
Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–4PM 

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–4:30PM,  November 1–March 14. Closes 5:30PM, starting March 15.

ADMISSION – $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES – Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm
  
DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

Monday, November 26, 2018

New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to ISIS


  Zoobia Shahnaz, 27, of Brentwood, New York, pleaded guilty to providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. 

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. for the FBI’s New York Field Office, and Commissioner James P. O’Neill for the NYPD announced the guilty plea.  The guilty plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert.
According to court filings and facts presented at the plea hearing, between March 2017 and the date of her attempted travel to Syria on July 31, 2017, the defendant engaged in a scheme to defraud numerous financial institutions.  Specifically, Shahnaz obtained a loan for approximately $22,500 by way of materially false pretenses, representations and promises.  She also fraudulently applied for and used over a dozen credit cards, which she used to purchase approximately $62,000 in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies online.  She then engaged in a pattern of financial activity, culminating in several wire transactions totaling over $150,000 to individuals and shell entities in Pakistan, China and Turkey that were fronts for ISIS.
During the time she was committing bank fraud and laundering money overseas, the defendant was accessing ISIS propaganda online, including violent jihad-related websites and message boards, and social media and messaging pages of known ISIS recruiters, facilitators and financiers.  Additionally, the defendant conducted numerous internet searches for information that would facilitate her entry into Syria, but ultimately was intercepted by the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Queens, New York, while attempting to board a flight with a multi-day layover in Istanbul, Turkey – a common point of entry for individuals travelling from Western countries to join ISIS in Syria. 
As part of her plea agreement with the government, Shahnaz admitted to defrauding numerous financial institutions and laundering the stolen proceeds out of the country with the intent to support a specified unlawful activity, namely the provision of material support to ISIS, after which she attempted to leave the United States and travel to Syria. 
When she is sentenced, Shahnaz faces up to 20 years in prison, as well as restitution, criminal forfeiture and a fine.  The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes.  Any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Mr. Demers and Mr. Donoghue extended their grateful appreciation to the FBI’s JTTF, which comprises a number of federal, state and local agencies from the region.

Bronx Men Plead Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court To Explosives Charges


  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that CHRISTIAN TORO and TYLER TORO pled guilty to manufacturing and possessing a destructive device, and conspiring to do so, in connection with their stockpiling of explosive materials and manufacture of a destructive device.  Both defendants pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.  They are scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2019, CHRISTIAN TORO at 11:00 a.m. and TYLER TORO at 2:00 p.m.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As admitted in court today, Christian Toro and Tyler Toro sought to build a destructive device that could have caused great damage.  Christian Toro used a minor student to assist him in this endeavor.  Thanks to the excellent work of the FBI and the NYPD, no one was injured as a result of this grave conduct, and the defendants now await sentencing for their crimes.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint, the Indictment, and statements made during court proceedings:
Between approximately October 2017 and February 2018, CHRISTIAN TORO and TYLER TORO conspired to build and possess a destructive device at their residence in the Bronx, New York (the “Residence”).  CHRISTIAN TORO, a former teacher at a high school in Harlem, New York (the “School”), paid students from the School for their assistance in manufacturing the destructive device, doling out approximately $50 per hour in return for the students’ work dismantling fireworks and storing the explosive powder contained within those fireworks in containers.  CHRISTIAN TORO also had on his School laptop a copy of a book that provided instructions for, among other things, manufacturing explosive devices.
On February 15, 2018, law enforcement agents searched the Residence pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant.  In a bedroom shared by CHRISTIAN TORO and TYLER TORO, law enforcement agents recovered numerous components for use in building a destructive device and other dangerous substances, including: (i) a glass jar containing low explosive powder; (ii) a strip of magnesium metal; (iii) approximately twenty pounds of iron oxide; (iv) approximately five pounds of aluminum powder; (v) a mixture of iron oxide and aluminum powder, the key ingredients for thermite; (vi) approximately five pounds of potassium nitrate; (vii) a cardboard box containing firecrackers; and (viii) metal spheres, which can be used as fragmentation for a bomb.
Also in the Residence, law enforcement agents found a handwritten diary labeled with TYLER TORO’s name, which stated, among other things, “WE ARE TWIN TOROS STRIKE US NOW, WE WILL RETURN WITH NANO THERMITE” and “I AM HERE 100%, LIVING, BUYING WEAPONS.  WHATEVER WE NEED.”  Agents also recovered a page inside a notebook found in the Residence labeled “Operation Flash,” with a ledger appearing to delineate the hours worked and payment owed to one of the School’s students.
CHRISTIAN TORO, 28, and TYLER TORO, 28, both of the Bronx, New York, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to manufacture and unlawfully possess a destructive device, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of unlawfully manufacturing a destructive device, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of unlawfully possessing a destructive device, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the defendants’ sentences will be determined by Judge Berman. 
U.S. Attorney Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department.

Former Honduran Congressman And Brother Of The Current President Of Honduras Charged With Conspiring To Import Cocaine Into The United States And Related Firearms Offenses


Juan Antonio Hernandez Alvarado, a/k/a “Tony Hernandez,” Also Faces Charge for Lying to Federal Agents

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Raymond Donovan, the Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today that former Honduran congressman Juan Antonio Hernandez Alvarado, a/k/a “Tony Hernandez,” (“HERNANDEZ”) was charged in Manhattan federal court with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, related weapons offenses involving the use and possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and making false statements to federal agents.  HERNANDEZ is the brother of the current president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.  HERNANDEZ was arrested on November 23, 2018, in Miami, Florida, and will appear this afternoon in Miami federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman. 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, former Honduran congressman Tony Hernandez was involved in all stages of the trafficking through Honduras of multi-ton loads of cocaine that were destined for the U.S.  Hernandez allegedly arranged machinegun-toting security for cocaine shipments, bribed law enforcement officials for sensitive information to protect drug shipments, and solicited large bribes from major drug traffickers.  Thanks to the ongoing work of the DEA, Hernandez is now in custody on U.S. soil and facing justice in the U.S. courts.”
Special Agent in Charge Raymond Donovan said:  “Drug trafficking and corruption around the world threatens the rule of law, fuels violence and instability, and harms innocent families and communities.  Hernandez and his criminal associates allegedly conspired with some of the world’s most deadly and dangerous transnational criminal networks in Mexico and Colombia to flood American streets with deadly drugs.  DEA looks forward to Hernandez facing American justice and answering for his alleged crimes.”
As alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed in federal court:[1] 
From at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2016, multiple drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras and elsewhere worked together, and with support from certain prominent public and private individuals, including Honduran politicians and law enforcement officials, to receive multi-ton loads of cocaine sent to Honduras from, among other places, Colombia via air and maritime routes, and to transport the drugs westward in Honduras toward the border with Guatemala and eventually to the United States.  For protection from official interference, and in order to facilitate the safe passage through Honduras of multi-hundred-kilogram loads of cocaine, drug traffickers paid bribes to public officials, including certain members of the National Congress of Honduras.
HERNANDEZ is a former member of the National Congress of Honduras, the brother of the current president of Honduras, and a large-scale drug trafficker who worked with other drug traffickers in, among other places, Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico, to import cocaine into the United States.  From at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2016, HERNANDEZ was involved in processing, receiving, transporting, and distributing multi-ton loads of cocaine that arrived in Honduras via planes, go-fast vessels, and, on at least one occasion, a submarine.  HERNANDEZ had access to cocaine laboratories in Honduras and Colombia, at which some of the cocaine was stamped with the symbol “TH,” i.e., “Tony Hernandez.”  HERNANDEZ also coordinated and, at times, participated in providing heavily armed security for cocaine shipments transported within Honduras, including by members of the Honduran National Police and drug traffickers armed with, among other weapons, machineguns. 
As part of his drug-trafficking activities, HERNANDEZ and his co-conspirators bribed law enforcement officials for sensitive information to protect drug shipments and solicited large bribes from major drug traffickers for HERNANDEZ. 
In or about February 2014 in Honduras, HERNANDEZ met with Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga, the former leader of a violent Honduran drug-trafficking organization known as the Cachiros, for a meeting arranged by, among others, a former member of the Honduran National Police.  During a video- and audio-recorded portion of that meeting, HERNANDEZ agreed to help Rivera Maradiaga by causing Honduran government entities to pay money owed to one or more Cachiros money-laundering front companies in exchange for kickback payments from Rivera Maradiaga.  Rivera Maradiaga paid HERNANDEZ approximately $50,000 during the meeting.  
The Superseding Indictment charges HERNANDEZ, 40, with four counts:  (1) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, (2) using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during, and possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, (3) conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during, and to possess machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, and (4) making false statements to federal agents.  If convicted, HERNANDEZ faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison on Count One, a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison on Count Two, a maximum term of life in prison on Count Three, and a maximum term of five years in prison on Count Four.  The potential mandatory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 
 [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

News From Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark


BRONX MAN SENTENCED FOR ENGAGING IN SEXUAL ACTS WITH 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL 
Defendant Met Victim In School Where He Worked As After-School Teacher

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to two years in prison for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in his residence. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant, who was 24 years old at the time, met the young girl at the middle school where he worked. He took advantage of the girl’s age and took her to his apartment and sexually abused her. Thankfully, the victim told another school employee, who then called the police.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Michael Jenkins, 25, of 901 Anderson Avenue, Bronx, New York, was sentenced today to two years in prison and 10 years post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary. A full order of protection was also issued, and the defendant will also register as a sex offender. Jenkins, who had no prior criminal record, pleaded guilty to second-degree Criminal Sexual Act on October 30, 2018. 

 According to the investigation, on December 4, 2017, in his apartment, the defendant engaged in sexual acts with the minor. In a subsequent conversation between the victim and Jenkins, the defendant admitted to the sexual acts and told her she could not get pregnant through oral sex. Jenkins worked at Intermediate School 391 as an after-school teacher and taught a program called Mad Science. The victim had been attending the defendant’s class since the beginning of the school year.

 District Attorney Clark thanked Detective Carolyn Tully of the Bronx Special Victims Squad for her assistance in the case.

BRONX MAN INDICTED IN 2009 MURDER OF WOMAN HE WAS DATING 
Defendant Allegedly Bashed Victim’s Head, Causing Her Death; DNA Evidence Hit Last Year Led to Solving of Case

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been indicted for the 2009 murder of a 39-year-old woman after new DNA evidence emerged. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant allegedly killed the victim, whom he knew, by bludgeoning her in the head. DNA evidence led to the defendant and we renewed our investigation in 2017. This indictment shows that victims are never forgotten, and we will use every available technology and science to pursue justice for them.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Robert Hopkins, 37, who is currently incarcerated for separate cases in Brooklyn and Manhattan, was arraigned on second-degree Murder before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Georg.

 According to the investigation, on or about and between December 22, 2009 and December 23, 2009, at 1409 Fulton Avenue, the Bronx, the defendant bludgeoned Cynthia Souser, 39, of the Bronx. Authorities got a lead in the case in November 2017 through DNA testing of evidence that was found at the scene of the crime.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Barry Sullivan and Dionisio Solis of Bronx Homicide and Detective Ronnie Wilkerson of Bronx Cold Case for their assistance.