Council Votes on Disciplinary Measures for Council Member Andy King

The resolution calls for suspension, fine and independent monitor

  The New York City Council on voted today  on disciplinary actions against Council Member Andy King. The resolution, which calls for a 30-day suspension, a $15,000 fine and an independent monitor, is the result of months of investigation, meetings, hearings and deliberations on the allegations. These proposed disciplinary actions are unprecedented – no member in the modern history of the Council has ever faced such a high fine, long suspension or independent oversight of the district office.

The Bronx Council Member was charged with violating the Council’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, Council Rules and the City Charter’s Conflicts of Interest Laws. The Committee substantiated claims against Council Member King with overwhelming evidence, including allegations that he intimidated and retaliated against staff who came forward with charges.

This is Council Member King’s second time before the Standards and Ethics Committee. In 2017, he was found to have violated the Council’s EEO Policy.

“In order to preserve the integrity and reputation of the Council, this legislative body must do everything it can to hold members accountable when they are charged with wrongdoing. I applaud the work of the Standards and Ethics Committee in its comprehensive and thoughtful investigation of Council Member King’s actions,” said Speaker Corey Johnson. “The action we are taking today is unprecedented in the history of the modern New York City Council.”

“Today’s vote is solemn and difficult. But we should remember that we are only here because courageous witnesses and complainants came forward and cooperated with this Council to help us get to this place of holding an elected official accountable for misconduct. They reminded us to never lose sight of the great and serious responsibility we all bear to make the Council a safe place to work and that this Council is only as good, and effective, and worthy of its role in this City, as its essential parts,” said Council Member Steven Matteo.

Preconsidered Res. 1138,by the Committee on Standards and Ethics, would adopt the resolution of the Superseding Charges brought against Council Member Andy King. The charges are as follows:

1. - Council Member King shall be suspended, without pay, for a period of 30 days, to commence immediately upon passage and adoption of this Resolution.
2. -  Council Member King shall be removed from all committee assignments, including any Committee Chairs, effective immediately. Council Member King shall not Chair any committee for the duration of his term, and may reapply for membership on a committee one year after adoption of this Resolution.
3. -  For the remainder of Council Member King’s term in office, Council Member King’s Offices shall be subject to a Monitor designated by the Chair of the Committee, with approval by the Council’s Office of the General Counsel (“OGC”), in order to ensure that staff in Council Member King’s Offices (“King staff”) are appropriately managed in accordance with Council Rules and Council Policy.
4. -  In fulfillment of the foregoing responsibility, which may be amended by the OGC at any time, and in conformity with this Resolution, the Monitor shall be permitted to engage in the following conduct in the manner the Monitor deems most effective:
   •   Review and approve of all hiring, firing, and other employment status decisions for members of King staff;
   •   Have full access to Council Member King and King staff Council email accounts;
   •   Attend King staff meetings, none of which shall be held at Council Member King’s residence, and require pre-approval of any off-site staff meetings; and
   •   Hold regular meetings with King staff, at an interval to be determined by the Monitor, outside the presence of Council Member King.
5. -  Council Member King shall not allow Staff to use their personal vehicles for Council purposes without adequate reimbursement for same, which reimbursement process shall be approved by the monitor and OGC. This restriction on use of personal vehicles includes driving Council Member King to/from events and/or appearances.
6. -  Council Member King shall ensure that Neva Shillingford-King is prohibited from giving directions to King staff, attending staff meetings, and using Council resources for any personal or non-Council related business.
7. -  Any current King staff member who Council Member King has retaliated against may return to work at Council Member King’s Offices and have their position and/or responsibilities restored.
8. -  Council Member King shall complete appropriate training, to be determined by the OGC and at Council Member King’s expense, no later than March 1, 2020.
9. -  Council Member King shall pay a fine of $15,000. While a reasonable payment schedule may be arranged at the OGC’s discretion, failure by Council Member King to pay according to said payment schedule may result in the disciplinary proceeding being reopened.
10. -  Failure by Council Member King to adequately comply with any provision of this Resolution, including full cooperation with the work and directives of the Monitor, may result in reopening of the disciplinary proceeding.

The vote was 44 - 1 with Councilman King was the only Nay vote.

Manhattan Man Pleads Guilty To Sex Trafficking

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that WILLIAM BAZEMORE pled guilty today to sex trafficking of a female victim by force, fraud, or coercion.  BAZEMORE pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres.  

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “William Bazemore used violence and coercion to force a woman to engage in commercial sex for his own profit.  With Bazemore’s guilty plea today, we seek to deliver justice for a victim of sex trafficking and exploitation, and to deter others from engaging in this heinous criminal conduct.”

According to the Indictment, as well as statements made during BAZEMORE’s plea proceeding:

In or about 2017, BAZEMORE was the leader of a criminal enterprise (the “Organization”) involved in various criminal acts, including drug distribution and sex trafficking, in and around New York City, Maine, and Connecticut.  Members and associates of the Organization transported heroin and crack cocaine between New York, Connecticut, and Maine, at times using women suffering from drug addiction as drug couriers to secrete drugs on their persons and transport drugs and drug proceeds in vehicles controlled by the Organization.  In addition, BAZEMORE and other members and associates of the Organization used force and coercion to cause a female drug customer (“Victim-1”) to engage in commercial sex for their financial gain, and took actions to prevent Victim-1 and others from cooperating with law enforcement against the Organization.     

BAZEMORE, 39, of New York, New York, was arrested on March 3, 2019, while in state custody in Maine, and has been in federal custody since.  BAZEMORE pled guilty to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

BAZEMORE is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Torres on March 12, 2020.

BAZEMORE’s co-defendant, Warren Bryant, is scheduled for trial on December 9, 2019. 

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO JAIL FOR ASSAULTING MAN VISITING FROM ALABAMA

Jury Convicted Him of Third-Degree Assault; Victim Died After Head Hit Pavement 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 364 days in jail for assaulting an Alabama man on a Morrisania street, which led to the death of the victim. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant struck a father of two who was visiting the Bronx for his sister’s baby shower. Although the defendant did not intend to kill him, the victim died that day after sustaining blunt trauma to the head.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Jimmy Rosario, 35, of 1234 Boston Road, was sentenced today to 364 days in jail, the maximum sentence, by Bronx Criminal Court Judge Frances Wang. A jury found the defendant guilty of third-degree Assault on October 11, 2019. 

 According to the investigation, at about 12:45 a.m. on June 22, 2019, inside a Kennedy Fried Chicken located at 1335 Prospect Avenue, the defendant and Troy Scott, 40, of Alabama, argued. Rosario grabbed Scott and pushed him down several stairs that led to a sidewalk, and a fistfight ensued between the two. As Scott began to withdraw from the altercation, Rosario punched him in the head, knocking him to the ground. Video of the incident shows Scott falling back on his head onto the pavement.

 The defendant fled the scene before two Police Officers of the 42nd Precinct found Scott. The victim was taken to Lincoln Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

 District Attorney Clark thanked Trial Bureau 20 Trial Preparation Assistant Gregory Gentry, Bronx DA Detective Investigators, the Crime Victims Assistance Unit, and Video Technician Felipe Cardoso of the Bronx DA’s Video Unit. District Attorney Clark also thanked NYPD Detective Sean Butler of Bronx Homicide and NYPD Detective Martires Perez of the 42nd Precinct Detective Squad for their assistance in the investigation.

News From Congressman Eliot Engel

Engel, Bilirakis Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Curb Suicides

 Congressmen Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Members of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, introduced bipartisan legislation today to curb the nation’s rising suicide rate.

The Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act would allocate significant federal funding to emergency departments to help identify and treat those with a high-risk suicide.

“The rising rates of suicides in the United States is a public health emergency that deserves immediate Congressional action,” said Congressman Engel. “In my home state of New York, suicide rates have increased by nearly 30% since 2000. I am pleased to join Congressman Bilirakis, on this important, bipartisan legislation which will leverage the skills of nurses and emergency departments professionals, who are trained in identifying and treating at-risk individuals, to help end this crisis and save lives.”

“These staggering statistics make it clear that we need improved methods for identifying and assessing the suicide risks of emergency department patients,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “Some of the communities in my district have the highest rates of suicide per capita in the nation. As part of my long-term commitment to fixing our broken mental healthcare system, I want to be sure that we enhance the procedures surrounding the discharge of patients who have attempted suicide or exhibit suicidal ideation to maximize the likelihood that they obtain appropriate follow-up care. Our bill is the first step in making that happen.”

“Emergency departments are often the place where patients with suicide risk factors, such as behavioral health conditions or substance use disorders,” said Emergency Nurses Association President Patti Kunz Howard, PhD, RN. “Suicide screening is an essential component of ensuring patient safety. This legislation would ensure that every emergency department has a plan in place to screen every patient.”

Between 1999 and 2016, the suicide rate increased by nearly 30% in New York, mirroring trends at the national level. Suicide claims about 47,000 Americans each year, making it the 10^th leading cause of death in the United States. 

To help end this public health crisis, Congressmen Engel and Bilirakis introduced the Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act. This bipartisan measure would allocate $100 million over a five-year period to support emergency department programs to prevent suicide specifically by:

• Training emergency department clinicians to identify patients at a high-risk of suicide
• Developing programs to coordinate the care and follow-up of those with an elevated risk of suicide
• Supporting the recruitment and retainment of behavioral health professionals who specialize in treating individuals experiencing suicidal ideation
• Incentivizing the development of new approaches such as telehealth to help those at a high risk of suicide 

Engel Statement on 10^th Anniversary of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

 “10 years ago we passed one of the most consequential civil rights bills in modern times, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This bill, which I was proudly an original cosponsor on in 2001 and continued to cosponsor until its passage, made it possible to prosecute hate crimes based on sexual orientation, race, religion, gender, national origin, disability and gender identity. It is a landmark law in this country, and has become even more important today with the rise in hate crimes over the past several years.

“While some so-called leaders continue to stoke the flames of bigotry, House Democrats are committed to protecting the rights and dignity of all Americans. Remember, it was our Democratic House, along with a Democratic Senate and President Obama, that enacted the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

“The Hate Crimes Prevention Act also laid the groundwork for another major piece of legislation that we’re currently fighting to advance, the Equality Act. It’s critical for us to extend all federal protections to every American, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The House passed the Equality Act back in May, but as usual, Senate Republicans refuse to advance the bill forward. It’s long past time that our federal laws fully reflected our values as Americans.”

Attorney General James, Comptroller DiNapoli, And Department Of Investigation Commissioner Garnett Announce Guilty Verdict Of Non-Profit Executive In Corruption Scheme

Anna Mendez, Formerly of Tremont Crotona Day Care Center, Was Convicted of Indirectly Giving Straw Donations to NYC City Council Candidate Albert Alverez    

   Attorney General Letitia James, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, and New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett today announced that non-profit executive Anna Mendez was convicted of using money stolen from a non-profit to fund straw political contributions to former New York City Council candidate Albert Alvarez.

Mendez’ conviction makes the fifth public disposition in the investigation of wide ranging corruption at Tremont Crotona, Inc., and A&G Early Learn Community Network, the two non-profit day care centers where Mendez worked. Mendez was convicted of 10 counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony, in the Supreme Court of New York County.

“Public corruption, on any level and in any form, will not be tolerated in New York State,” said Attorney General James. “Anna Mendez took advantage of the democratic process by illegally using non-profit funds for political gain. My office will continue to root out corruption, and hold bad actors responsible for their actions.”

“A jury heard the overwhelming evidence and reached the conclusion that Ms. Mendez was guilty,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. ”The message is clear, if you break the law, you’re going to get caught and you’re going pay the price. My thanks and gratitude go to State Attorney General James and NYC Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett for their efforts to ensure justice was served in this case.”

“Today’s conviction sends the important message that individuals who submit false documents in order to defraud the City of New York will be held accountable,” said New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett. “This defendant’s actions corrupted the City’s campaign finance and contracting systems, both of which are vital to the public’s trust in government. DOI will continue to work with the state Attorney General’s Office and fellow law enforcement agencies to uncover and stop this type of corruption.”

Mendez and her co-conspirator, George Gonzalez, were arraigned for their roles in the false filings on January 10, 2018. Mendez and Gonzalez provided funds to other employees of Tremont Crotona Day Care Center to contribute to Alvarez. Gonzalez also distributed contribution cards to these employees, which he had them falsely make out in their own names to conceal the true source of the funds. The money was, in reality, stolen from Tremont Crotona Day Care Center. Alvarez then collected the money and false contribution cards. Even though he knew the contribution cards were false, Alvarez submitted them to the New York City Campaign Finance Board (the “CFB”) to steal at least $4,500 in public matching funds. In total, Alvarez received $92,400 in public matching funds. Alvarez plead guilty to one count of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor in connection with the case. 

Gonzalez also pleaded guilty to felony counts of Grand Larceny and Offering a False Instrument for filing in connection with his role in the straw donation scheme. Additionally, former Tremont Crotona, Inc., Chairman of the Board, Alexander Pena, pled guilty to Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree for his role in corruption at the non-profit. 

Since 2011, the Attorney General and State Comptroller have worked together to fight corruption through their Joint Task Force on Public Integrity. They have brought charges against dozens of individuals implicated in public corruption schemes around the state – resulting in the return of over $11 million in restitution to taxpayers through these convictions.

The Attorney General would also like to thank the New York City Department of Investigation for their partnership on this investigation. The case was investigated by First Deputy Inspector General Ivette Morales under the supervision of Inspector General Andrew Sein, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella, and First Deputy Commissioner Daniel Cort.

Vote NO for Ranked-Choice Voting Ballot #1

Vote NO for Ranked-Choice Voting Ballot #1

 

You should know that this year on the ballot, there is question for voters to decide if they want to completely undermine and overhaul New York City’s voting system.

 

It is important for you to know that if this measure, Ranked-Choice Voting Ballot #1 is passed, voters will no longer be able to cast their votes directly for the candidates of their choice in New York City’s primaries or regular elections.

 

This will be the end of our One Person-One Vote democracy.

 

You should know that instead of voting for your candidate to win, voters will rank as many as five candidates in the order of their preference.

 

Here is what the NYC Campaign Finance Board says will happen if none of the candidates receives more than 50 percent of the total vote:

 

“If there is no majority winner, the last place candidate would be eliminated and any voter who had that candidate as their top choice would have their vote transferred to their next choice. This process would repeat until only two candidates remain, and the candidate with the most votes then would be the winner.”

 

My dear reader, this measure is too complicated to put into place without any real discussion by the voters or the general public. It amounts to an electoral 3-Card Monte game, and who wants to play that with our elections?

 

Please inform all your family, relatives, and friends that Ranked-Choice Voting Ballot #1 is very bad for our participatory democracy.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, if you do nothing else during these next few days, I urge you to go to the polls, which are open until Election Day, November 3, and vote NO on Ballot Proposal #1.

 

I am the Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

Bronx Gang Member Charged With Murder

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Margaret Garnett, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging MARQUIS YOHANIS, a/k/a “DG,” with murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and a firearms offense in connection with the murder of Nelson Ramos on January 6, 2019, in the Bronx.  Robert Wilson, a/k/a “Ro,” Kevin Crosby, a/k/a “Sama,” and Yefrel Brito, a/k/a “Mini,” were previously arrested on charges related to the murder of Nelson Ramos and are already in federal custody.

YOHANIS was arrested yesterday morning and will be presented today in the South Paris District Court in Maine.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged in the indictment, Marquis Yohanis, along with his co-defendants, are responsible for the cold-blooded murder of Nelson Ramos earlier this year.  We commend the extraordinary efforts of our law enforcement partners to bring these defendants to justice.”           

HSI Special Agent-in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said:  “Mr. Yohanis and his co-defendants would stop at nothing to expand their violent criminal enterprise, including murder, as alleged in court documents.  Working hand in hand with our law enforcement partners at the NYPD and DOI along with the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York made today’s arrest possible.  We will always be more determined than criminals are to evade us in bringing them to justice.  Hopefully the arrest of Mr. Yohanis’s will begin a path to healing for all those impacted by his crimes.” 

DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said:  “This arrest is another important step in holding accountable those individuals who endanger our City’s neighborhoods and the people who live there.  This investigation reflects the strong impact that law enforcement partnership has on protecting all New Yorkers and rooting out violent crime.”

According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment unsealed yesterday in Manhattan federal court[1]:

Wilson and Crosby are members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as the Stevenson Commons Crew.  In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Stevenson Commons Crew committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence against rival gangs, including murder and robbery; conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; and obtained, possessed and used firearms, including by brandishing and discharging them. 

Brito and YOHANIS are members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as Sex Money Murder, a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in, among other things, murder, attempted murder, and narcotics trafficking. 

On January 6, 2019, Wilson, Crosby, Brito, and Yohanis murdered Nelson Ramos in the vicinity of 800 Soundview Avenue in the Bronx, New York.                

YOHANIS, 19, from the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of murder and assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. 

Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of HSI, the NYPD, and DOI.

The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment 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 Superseding Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.

Four Individuals Who Operated Queens Medical Clinic Convicted For Illegally Distributing Oxycodone

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOHN F. GARGAN and LOREN PIQUANT were convicted Wednesday after a two-week jury trial for conspiring together and with others to unlawfully distribute oxycodone from a medical clinic in Queens, New York.  DANTE A. CUBANGBANG and MICHAEL KELLERMAN previously pled guilty to narcotics, health care fraud, and money laundering charges in connection with their participation in the oxycodone distribution scheme at that same clinic.  From 2012 to 2018, CUBANGBANG, a physician, and GARGAN, a nurse practitioner, prescribed over 6.3 million oxycodone 30-milligram pills to individuals they knew did not need the oxycodone for any legitimate medical reason.  The vast majority of these pills were diverted and sold to others on the street. 

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “These health professionals should have been the first line of defense against opioid abuse, but instead they were drug dealers operating out of a medical clinic.  They hid behind their medical licenses and positions within the clinic to sell addictive, dangerous narcotics.  This Office will do everything in its power to bring to justice anyone responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic that has taken so many lives.”    

According to the evidence presented during the trial and other court documents:                  

Oxycodone is a highly addictive and dangerous opioid narcotic, which is often diverted and sold to individuals who do not have a legitimate medical need for the drug.  The most lucrative pill for street sales is the 30-milligram (“mg”) oxycodone pill, which is fast-acting and powerful.  CUBANGBANG and GARGAN were medical professionals who had the authority to prescribe controlled substances, including oxycodone.

CUBANGBANG, GARGAN, KELLERMAN, and PIQUANT worked out of a medical clinic in Queens, known as EPOH Medical P.C. (“EPOH”).  Although the defendants tried to make EPOH appear as a legitimate medical clinic, in reality, it was a pill mill that was prescribing medically unnecessary oxycodone 30 mg pills on a massive scale. 

EPOH had approximately 600 “patients.”  These patients traveled from all five boroughs of New York City, from other counties in New York, and even from other states, to obtain medically unnecessary oxycodone.  There were typically large crowds of patients in EPOH’s waiting area, and patients often had to wait hours to be seen for their “office visit.”  The visit itself lasted no more than a few minutes and involved no physical examinations or questions about pain.  Patients were required to pay $300 in cash for this visit and, in return, they received a prescription for as many as 180 oxycodone 30 mg pills each month.  Most of these prescriptions was paid for by Medicare or Medicaid.  From just the $300 patient visit fee, EPOH generated approximately $2 million in cash each year. 

The vast majority of the patients seen at EPOH had no medical need for the oxycodone 30 mg pills they were prescribed, and those pills were either abused or sold.  Testimony at trial established that these purported patients sold their pills for up to $19 per pill to individuals who would then resell them to street-level drug dealers.  From 2012 to 2018, CUBANGBANG and GARGAN together prescribed over 6.3 million oxycodone 30 mg pills to individuals they knew did not need the pills for any legitimate medical reason.  At approximately $19 per pill, the value of these illegally obtained pills prescribed by CUBANGBANG and GARGAN at EPOH was approximately $120 million.  PIQUANT, who worked as a receptionist at EPOH, personally sold hundreds of oxycodone 30 mg pills each month.  PIQUANT obtained most of these pills through prescriptions that GARGAN wrote to PIQUANT, to members of PIQUANT’s family, and to PIQUANT’s neighbors.  PIQUANT also recruited purported patients for the clinic.             

CUBANGBANG, 51, of Queens, and KELLERMAN, 55, of Queens, each pled guilty to one count of narcotics distribution conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of health care fraud conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

GARGAN, 63, of New York, New York, and PIQUANT, 38, of the Bronx, New York, each were convicted at trial of one count of narcotics distribution conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The statutory maximum 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. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (“DEA”) New York Tactical Diversion Squad, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service, and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”).  DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad (Group TDS-NY) comprises agents and officers from the DEA, the NYPD, the New York State Police, New York State Department of Financial Services, and New York City Department of Investigation.