Guardian Angels Celebrate 40th Anniversary

  Sunday, Aldo Slinadas, Curtis Sliwa, Dominick Serra, William Bohenberger, Tony NG, Don Chin, and Tommy Mcardle seven of the original thirteen members of the 'Rock Brigade' the group which became the Guardian Angels returned to McDonald's on Fordham Road to celebrate the forty-year anniversary of the group. 

  It was  night manager Curtis Sliwa of the McDonald's on Fordham Road near Jerome Avenue who with twelve other McDonald's workers and friends who decided to make people who came into this McDonald's looking for safety from the declining neighborhood feel safe. These workers would walk people home to protect them. The group then decided to ride the #4 subway line when Crime was rampant in the NYC subway system. 

  As to why only seven of the thirteen original members showed up, Sliwa said during the growth period there were difference of opinions with some of the original members leaving. Today however the Guardian Angels are over one thousand strong across the United States, and in several foreign countries. 

Above - Curtis Sliwa talks about how in 1979 he formed the Rock Brigade, which would later become the Guardian Angels. Several of the original thirteen members stand behind him.

Below - Sliwa and the Guardian Angels were presented with a Proclamation from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., and a Citation from Councilman Ritchie Torres presented by McDonald's franchisee Tony Rodriguez and McDonald's Director of Operations Joseph Guerriera. 

Above - Don Chin (original member), and Tony Rodriguez (owner of fourteen McDonald's in the Bronx and Manhattan) greet Curtis Sliwa as he enters the McDonald's located at Fordham Road and Southern Boulevard. 

Below - In honor of the 40 years of the Guardian Angels this McDonald's sold apple pies for 40 cents all day.

Above - So many current and former Guardian Angels came to celebrate that a group photo had to be taken outdoors.

Below - A special cake was given to the Angels on their 40th Anniversary. 

Alleged Gang Member Charged With 2014 Manhattan Murder

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, John B. Devito, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging FRANK BRANDON, a/k/a “Trizzy,” an alleged member of the “Milla Bloods” gang, with the February 23, 2014, murder of Gashier Mendy, 24, inside the Saint Nicholas Houses in Manhattan, and related offenses.  BRANDON was taken into federal custody this morning in Gloversville, New York, and was presented this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Almost five years ago, Gashier Mendy was shot dead, her life tragically and brutally taken.  As alleged in today’s indictment, Frank Brandon killed her.  Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the NYPD and ATF, Brandon now faces murder charges for his heinous crime.”

ATF Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito said:  “Frank Brandon, an alleged member of the ‘Milla Bloods’ gang, was charged with a number of federal offenses including the murder of a young woman.  ATF and our law enforcement partners stand united at the frontline in the fight against violent crime.  We will aggressively pursue and bring to justice any individual bent on bringing heinous acts of violence into their communities.  I would like to thank the members of the ATF/ NYPD Joint Robbery Task Force for their tireless efforts on this case.  I would also like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting this case.    

According to the allegations in the Indictment[1]:

BRANDON was a member of the “Milla Bloods,” a gang that operated in Manhattan and engaged in racketeering activity, including acts of violence and narcotics distribution.  On February 23, 2014, in furtherance of his gang activity, BRANDON shot and killed Gashier Mendy inside 240 West 129th Street.

BRANDON, 32, of Gloversville, New York, is charged in the Indictment with one count of murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1959(a)(1) and 2; one count of murder through the use of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(j) and 2; one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 2; and one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamines and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846.  BRANDON faces a mandatory minimum penalty of death or life in prison.

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding work of the NYPD and ATF.

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

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.

Attorney General James Announces Lawsuit Against Managing Agent For Allegedly Defrauding Elderly Residents of Co-op

Suit Seeks Compensation for the Cooperative of More Than Half a Million Dollars and a Court Order to Remove Defendants as Managing Agent

  Attorney General Letitia James today announced a lawsuit against Joshua Prottas, Working Realty, Ltd., and Midwood Coop Group, LLC, for abusing his position as the managing agent of a cooperatively-owned apartment building in Midwood, Brooklyn (the “Cooperative”) to defraud the primarily elderly shareholders on the sale of seven of the Cooperative’s apartments to Prottas and his entities. Joshua Prottas, doing business as Working Realty, Ltd., is the longtime managing agent of the Cooperative.    

“Taking advantage of elderly New Yorkers is particularly egregious,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “Instead of acting in the best interests of the Cooperative and its residents, the defendants allegedly scammed these individuals and used the funds for personal gain. We will never tolerate that behavior in our state.”

The suit alleges that Prottas – who wielded total control over the Cooperative’s finances and who the Cooperative’s elderly board members trusted and relied on – orchestrated a sale of the Cooperative-owned apartments to Midwood Coop Group, an entity controlled by him, for his own profit, in flagrant violation of his duties to the Cooperative as its managing agent. The complaint alleges that Prottas was able to obtain a below-market sale by withholding material information from and misrepresenting details about the transaction to the elderly board members. The Attorney General’s investigation also revealed that Prottas allegedly hid a $100,000 commission that he collected from the sale. He attempted to conceal his fraud by manufacturing false documents, which he passed off as legitimate to the Cooperative’s accountant, and also filed false documents with the New York City Office of the Register. 

The complaint also alleges that Prottas exploited the Cooperative for his own financial benefit in other ways, such as by lending to the Cooperative at predatory interest rates and taking an unauthorized increase in his management fee.       

In its filing, the Attorney General seeks restitution and damages for the Cooperative, disgorgement from the Defendants, an order enjoining Prottas and Working Realty from acting as the Cooperative’s managing agent or broker, and other appropriate injunctive and equitable relief.   

NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ISSUES TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12

Winter Weather Advisory in Effect for New York City on Tuesday

Snow, Sleet, and Rain may Cause Significant Travel Difficulties

The New York City Emergency Management Department today issued a travel advisory for Tuesday, February 12. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for New York City in effect from 6 a.m. Tuesday through midnight. A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain may cause travel difficulties during Tuesday’s morning and evening commutes. According to the latest National Weather Service (NWS) forecast, light snow moves into the region early Tuesday morning and continues through the morning commute. Snow may become moderate to heavy at times. As temperatures increase Tuesday, the snowfall will transition to a wintry mix of sleet and rain in the afternoon, before changing over to rain during the evening commute. There is a possibility for brief freezing rain during the changeover from sleet to rain. Light to moderate rain is expected to continue through the overnight, and will begin to taper off after midnight.  A total of 2 to 4 inches of snow accumulation is forecast, with higher amounts possible in the northern parts of the city. A total of an inch to an inch and a half of rain and a glaze of ice are also possible. High winds are also possible on Tuesday and Wednesday, with gusts up to 40 mph.

New York City Emergency Management advises New Yorkers to use public transportation wherever possible on Tuesday. If you must drive, allow for extra travel time, expect slippery roads and limited visibility, and use extreme caution.

“We are expecting wintry mix of snow, sleet, and rain that will cause messy travel conditions on Tuesday. We advise New Yorkers to take mass transit where possible, exercise caution when driving, walking, or biking, and allow for extra travel time,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Esposito. “NYC Emergency Management is working closely with agency partners to coordinate preparations for the upcoming storm.”

NYC Emergency Management continues to work closely with National Weather Service to monitor the storm, and will activate the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) beginning at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Key agencies and partners will staff the EOC to coordinate any response to potential impacts associated with the forecast. The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has loaded 695 salt spreaders across the five boroughs, and its fleet of 1,600 plows will begin operations if more than two inches of snow accumulates on roadways. DSNY will also activate PlowNYC. Alternate Side Street Parking Regulations and trash, recycling and organic collections are suspended on Tuesday, February 12 in observance of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Parking meters remain in effect.

The City’s Department of Transportation (DOT) will pre-deploy crews to the East River bridges. DOT will pre-salt walkways at the ferry terminal, pedestrian overpasses, muni lots and step streets, and will continue to monitor these locations. DOT will monitor conditions on the citywide Transportation network at the Joint Transportation Management Center with State DOT and NYPD, and coordinate efforts to address any issues.

The Department of Buildings (DOB) has issued a weather advisory to remind property owners, contractors, and crane operators to take precautionary measures and secure their construction sites, buildings, and equipment during high winds, with the forecast calling for wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, February 12 through Wednesday, February 13. The department will perform random spot-check inspections of construction sites around the city. If sites are not secured, the department will take immediate enforcement action — issuing violations and Stop Work Orders, where necessary.

For more information about all agency preparations, visit NYC.gov/severeweather-agencyupdates.

Safety Tips

·Small accumulations of ice can be extremely dangerous to motorists and pedestrians. Bridges and overpasses are particularly dangerous because they freeze before other surfaces.

·If you drive, use extra caution. Vehicles take longer to stop on snow and ice than on dry pavement.

·Four-wheel drive vehicles may make it easier to drive on snow-covered roads, but they stop less quickly than other vehicles.

·Use major streets or highways for travel whenever possible.

·Know your vehicle’s braking system. Vehicles with anti-lock brakes require a different braking technique than vehicles without anti-lock brakes in snowy conditions.

·If you are driving and begin to skid, ease your foot off the gas and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. Straighten the wheel when the car moves in the desired direction. If you have an anti-lock braking system (ABS), apply steady pressure to the brake pedal. Never pump the brakes on an ABS equipped vehicle.

·Pedestrians should exercise caution and avoid slippery surfaces; some ice may not be visible. Wear sturdy boots that provide traction to reduce slipping. Use handrails when using stairs. Seniors should take extra care outdoors to avoid slips and falls.

Charter Commission Meeting - 2/20, City Hall Chambers

Wednesday February 20, 2019 starting at 6 PM.

Please see below for information about NYC Charter Commission 2019’s upcoming expert forum on elections. This is the first of six forums where experts and advocates will testify about the Commission’s focus areas. This forum will focus on election-related topics like ranked-choice voting, redistricting, and campaign finance. Wednesday February 20, 2019 starting at 6 PM.

FOCUS AREAS 

The Commission will study these proposals: 

ELECTIONS 

Instant Runoff Voting/Ranked Choice Voting

Proposals for the establishment of an instant runoff voting/ranked choice voting system (or a similar system) and related election process reforms (e.g. elimination of duplicative primary elections).  

Redistricting 

Proposals relating to how members of the Redistricting Commission are selected, who may serve on such commission, and how district maps are drawn and adopted.  

Campaign Finance 

Proposals relating to the structure of the Campaign Finance Board (e.g. how members to such board are appointed) and establishing an alternative public campaign financing system, such as a “democracy voucher” system. 

GOVERNANCE 

Appointment and Removal of Officials 

Proposals for establishing an “advice and consent” process for the appointment of certain government officials (e.g. Corporation Counsel, certain commissioners) and for removing such officials. 

Borough Presidents and Borough-Level Governance 

Proposals to expand and enhance the role of the Borough Presidents and/or borough-level governance. 

Corporation Counsel 

Evaluate the role and accountability of the Corporation Counsel. 

Corruption and Conflicts of Interest 

Proposals relating to the structure of the Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB) and lobbying by certain officials after their public service has ended. 

Police Accountability

Proposals relating to enhancing systems of police accountability. This will include exploring improvements to the structure, powers, and role of the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) and the manner in which police discipline is handled. 

Public Advocate 

Examine the role of the Public Advocate and consider proposals modifying, including eliminating, the powers and responsibilities of that office. 

Technical Changes to the Charter and Other Laws

Reconstituting the Board of Statutory Consolidation, whose purpose was to periodically review the Charter and other laws with an eye toward reorganizing and simplifying those laws. 

Chief Diversity Officer 

Proposal to create the position of Chief Diversity Officer in the Office of the Mayor and each city agency. 

FINANCE

City Budget - Proposals relating to 

• The structure of the budget, including making budget units of appropriation more detailed or program-based and aligning the capital budget with discrete projects 

• The authority of the Council to establish terms and conditions on appropriations 

• The timing of budget modifications concerning the financial plan 

• Impoundment powers 

• The timing and manner of making revenue estimates  

Comprehensive Planning (Capital Budget Component)

Proposals relating to the development of a comprehensive city planning framework for capital spending and land use. This would include consideration of proposals to restore the Department of City Planning’s role in the capital budget process.

Independent Budgets for Certain Offices

Proposals relating to providing an independent budget (e.g., a guaranteed minimum level of funding or ability to propose their own funding levels) for certain offices, such as the Public Advocate or the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB). 

Public Pension System Investments 

Proposals relating to how public pension system investment decisions are made and by whom. 

Streamlining Procurement Payments

Explore ways to streamline the procurement process in order to ensure timely payments to contractors and grantees (as well as timely access to capital funding), particularly for nonprofit service providers. This would include an examination of the composition of the Procurement Policy Board (PPB).  

Contract Registration

Examine the contract registration process, including proposals for a mechanism to resolve disputes between the Mayor and Comptroller with respect to approval/registration of a given contract.

Procurement Policy

Proposals for a mechanism to establish procurement/contracting (and reimbursement) policy objectives, including consideration of allowing or clarifying that such objectives can be established by local law. 

LAND USE 

Comprehensive Planning (Land Use Component) 

Proposals relating to the development of a comprehensive city planning framework for capital spending and land use. This would include consideration of proposals for changes to the composition of the City Planning Commission. 

NOTE: This would accompany the “Comprehensive Planning (Capital Budget Component)” topic included in the Finance bucket. 

Franchising

Proposals relating to the composition of the Franchise and Concession Review Committee , the manner in which the terms of franchises are established, the manner and frequency of determining what franchises are necessary, and a mechanism for requiring that needed franchises be implemented.

Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) 

Evaluation of ULURP, including consideration of proposals related to 

• Establishing a “pre-ULURP” mechanism to allow involvement by communities, Community Boards, Borough Presidents, and other relevant stakeholders earlier in ULURP 

• Allowing a Borough President to include an alternative application to be considered alongside an application originating with the City or City-affiliated entities 

• Exploring ways to ensure that necessary mitigation of development impacts occurs 

• Clarifying ULURP timelines 

• Examining the universe of projects covered by ULURP 

• The manner in which ULURP modifications by the City Council and post-ULURP modifications to existing approvals are administered  

Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) 

Examine the composition of the BSA and its review of applications. 

Landmarks Preservation Commission  

Proposals relating to the composition and qualifications of, and possibility of remuneration for, members of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. 

Chief of Department on the Police-involved Shooting in the 44 Precinct, Bronx

  Chief of Department Terence Monahan.

February 4, 2019.

At approximately 11 a.m. today, officers from the 44 Precinct were made aware of a stolen vehicle wanted in connection to a violent citywide robbery pattern that was located in the vicinity of 162 Street and Sheridan Avenue.

The pattern was being actively investigated by our Central Robbery Division, and involved a violent crime spree that went across three boroughs. It began yesterday morning at 6 a.m. in the 41 Precinct, with a carjacking. The suspects then drove to the 13 Precinct in Manhattan, where they committed a robbery.

The suspects then traveled to the 61 Precinct in Brooklyn, where they allegedly committed an additional two robberies and carjacked another vehicle, a black Hyundai Sonata. This car was being tracked by our Central Robbery Division using our Domain Awareness System. A license plate reader connected to this system triggered an alert for that vehicle here in the 44 Precinct just before 11 a.m.

This alert was brought to the attention of 44 Precinct personnel, who began to search for the vehicle in this immediate vicinity. Moments later, uniformed officers from the 44 Precinct observed the vehicle double parked in front of 909 Sheridan Avenue. They also observed three individuals approach the vehicle and get inside.

At this time, uniformed officers assigned to the 44 Precinct approached the vehicle. One of the uniformed officers approached the vehicle from the driver's side. The suspect's vehicle suddenly began to drive in reverse, pinning the officer between the suspect's vehicle and another parked vehicle.

The officer then discharged her service weapon in the direction of the vehicle, striking the driver. The vehicle came to a stop and all three occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody. The officer has been taken to an area hospital and is being treated for injuries to the hip area and legs.

One other officer sustained an injury to their left hand during the incident. The driver of the vehicle was taken to Lincoln Hospital with gunshot wounds to her chest and left side of her torso, where they are listed in critical but stable condition.

In addition to the robbery pattern I've already mentioned, it should be noted two of the suspects arrested today were also arrested for the involvement in an additional carjacking and robbery on January 22nd in the Bronx. This investigation is ongoing and we will keep you apprised of updates as they happen.

Member of Brooklyn Street Gang, Cypress Gansta Crips, Sentenced to 30 Years’ Imprisonment for Murder of a Bloods-Affiliated Rival

  Tyvon Bannister, also known as “Turtle,” a member of the Crips-affiliated Cypress Gangsta Crips (CGC) street gang, was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 30 years’ imprisonment following his conviction for the July 8, 2014 murder of Rayvon Henreques.  Bannister pleaded guilty in May 2018.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

“With today’s sentence, Bannister will spend decades in prison for callously ending the life of a 26-year-old man simply because he was associated with a rival gang,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “This Office will continue working tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to make our community safe by eradicating these destructive street gangs and holding their violent members accountable.”

“The primary mission of the NYPD and our law enforcement partners is to arrest, prosecute, and send away with a meaningful prison sentence anyone who instills fear in New Yorkers through their criminal actions. With this sentence today, the result of our efforts are tangible. I thank our colleagues at the Eastern District and the FBI for their unceasing professionalism and dedicated work in removing from our streets those who commit crime and disorder, especially when it’s in the form of gang violence,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill.

Bannister is a member of the CGC, which is comprised of individuals residing in and around the Cypress Hills Houses (“Cypress”), a large New York City Housing Authority complex in East New York, Brooklyn.  Cypress has been plagued by gang and drug-related violence arising largely from a long-standing feud between the CGC and a local Bloods-affiliated gang.  On July 8, 2014, Bannister and another gang member shot and killed Henriques in front of a nightclub in East New York.  Henriques was targeted because of his association with the Bloods-affiliated gang.     

The Defendant:

TYVON BANNISTER (also known as “Turtle”)

Age:  25

Brooklyn, New York

Attorney General James Continues Efforts To Defend Temporary Protected Status Holders

Files Amicus Brief in Support of TPS Recipients in U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 

  New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced joining a coalition of 22 Attorneys General in filing an amicus brief in Ramos v. Nielsen to prevent the potential deportation of hundreds of thousands of people who hold Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This brief asks the Ninth Circuit to uphold the preliminary nationwide injunction that plaintiffs obtained in the district court, blocking the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from terminating TPS designations for Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Sudan. 

“Immigrant New Yorkers are critical to the economic and cultural strength of our state,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “The Trump Administration continues to take away the vital protections for these communities, and as a result, is putting their safety and wellbeing at risk. My office will continue to use every resource at our disposal to protect New York’s vast immigrant communities.” 

TPS protects individuals who are in the United States and whose home countries face armed conflict, natural disasters, or other crises that make the return of TPS holders to their home countries unsafe. Many TPS holders have lived here for a decade or more and have started families and businesses, bought homes, and significantly contributed to their communities. 

Under the Trump Administration, DHS changed its long-standing practice of looking at the entirety of the conditions in a country when determining whether it is safe for TPS holders to return. Without any substantial explanation, DHS argued that it can only look at the original condition in the home country that prompted its TPS designation when deciding whether to extend that designation. This new policy ignores other intervening conditions that pose serious threats to the safety of TPS holders. The plaintiffs in this case alleged that DHS enacted its new rule without following legal requirements; the district court agreed and stopped DHS from implementing the new policy pending the final outcome of the case. 

The amicus brief notes that DHS’s new rule is contrary to the public interest and will harm the people of New York and other states in a number of ways, including its impact on: 

• Family members, including hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizen children, who will suffer trauma and hardship from unnecessary and forced separation; 
• The economy and the workforce, which are enriched by the employment, entrepreneurship and contributions of TPS holders; 
• Public revenues, which are enhanced by the taxes contributed by TPS holders, including an estimated $100 million in property taxes collected annually from Salvadoran homeowners with TPS alone; 
• Health and child care delivery, which will suffer from disruptions in care provided by TPS holders who work at child care facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals, as well as provide in-home care; 

• Public health, which will be hindered by the loss of employer-sponsored insurance for TPS holders and their families; and 
• Public safety, which will be damaged by making former TPS holders less likely to report crime. 

In the brief, the states also argue that the district court’s decision to enter the preliminary injunction on a nationwide basis was correct, based on the substantial evidence the court had before it regarding the national impact of the federal government’s decisions to rescind TPS designations. 

Attorney General James joined the filing of this brief along with Attorneys General from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia. 

A copy of the amicus brief is available here.