Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Mayor de Blasio Update and COVIC-19 Numbers
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
BRONX MAN INDICTED FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING WOMAN, ASSAULTING TWO OTHER WOMEN IN HOUR-LONG SPREE OF VIOLENCE
Two Victims Were Attacked Entering Their Homes, One Leaving a Daycare Location
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been indicted on Sexual Abuse, Robbery, Assault and additional charges for attacking three women in the Bronx within an hour on June 26, 2020.
District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant assaulted three women on a June morning, in the middle of the pandemic, one by one within an hour. Without provocation, the defendant beat the victims, leaving two with concussions. Two of the victims were attacked as they entered their homes, and another was assaulted when she was dropping her children off at daycare on her way to work.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Michael Rosa, 25, of 896 Melrose Avenue, was arraigned on second and third-degree Robbery, three counts of third-degree Assault, Petit Larceny, second-degree Assault, first and third-degree Sexual Abuse, and Forcible Touching before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Michael Gross on October 2, 2020. Bail was continued at $150,000 and the defendant is due back in court on January 15, 2021.
According to the investigation, on June 26, 2020 at 7:05 a.m. in front of a Steuben Avenue building, the defendant approached a 17-year-old woman from behind while she was attempting to enter her apartment. Rosa allegedly struck the victim on the side of her face, causing her to fall to the ground. He then stole her iPhone and fled. The victim was taken to which North Central Bronx Hospital for treatment.
At approximately 7:30 a.m. on Hull Avenue, the defendant followed a 24-year-old woman into an apartment building. Rosa grabbed her by the neck and shoulders as she entered her apartment, and threw her down a small flight of stairs, causing her to fall to the ground head first. Rosa then fled the scene. The victim was left with a laceration and bruises to her head. She also had bruises on her shoulders, thighs legs, knees and chest. She was taken to Jacobi Hospital for treatment.
Approximately a half hour after the second incident, the defendant grabbed a 27-year-old woman from behind as she exited a building on Reservoir Oval West. Rosa then threw her to the floor and punched her multiple times about the body. He then pulled down her pants, lifted her up by the ankles and struck her on her bare buttocks. The defendant struck the victim multiple times about the body again, then fled the scene. The victim was left with bruises on her face and eyes, and scratches to her left shoulder. She was taken to North Central Bronx Hospital where she was treated for her injuries.
District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Officer Eddy Soriano and NYPD Detective Carolyn Tully, both of the Bronx Special Victims Squad.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
Monday, October 5, 2020
Brooklyn Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Conspiring To Sex Traffic Minor Victims
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that ANTHONY YOUNG, a/k/a “Royalty,” was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for conspiring to sex traffic minor victims. YOUNG’s sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Sidney H. Stein, before whom he previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to sex traffic minor victims. As part of his plea, YOUNG acknowledged that he conspired to traffic two minor females.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “In violation of federal criminal law, Anthony Young had sex with two minors and further sexually abused and exploited them by directing them to engage in commercial sex, keeping the proceeds for himself. For his callous and abusive conduct, Young has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Luring children into the sex trade, and then physically abusing those children, is beyond contemptible. Now that Mr. Young is thankfully bound for a federal prison cell, he’ll no longer be able to abuse our most vulnerable population. Our FBI/NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force members do extremely difficult and emotionally draining work each day, but saving even one child from being victimized by a predator provides some light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Please call us at 1-800-CALL-FBI if you know anyone who may need our help.”
Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “Today’s sentencing underscores the importance of our work to stop anyone who would sexually abuse and exploit minors. I commend our FBI/NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, and all of our law-enforcement partners, for working tirelessly to seek justice and for helping these victims get the services they need.”
According to the Indictment and other court documents filed in Manhattan federal court:
YOUNG worked with others to lure two minor females, who had not yet turned 16 years old, into the commercial sex trade on the pretense of romance. More than 10 years older than his victims, YOUNG had sex with them, took sexually suggestive pictures of them, advertised them for commercial sex, and told them how much they should charge for commercial sex acts. YOUNG arranged for his victims to be transported to various hotels to engage in commercial sex acts, and then he kept all the proceeds from these sex acts for himself.
In addition to his prison sentence, YOUNG, 34, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and in particular, the FBI-NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. She also thanked the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, the New York City Department of Correction, and the New York City Human Resources Administration for their assistance in this matter. .
Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - OCTOBER 5, 2020
Directs Schools in Hot Spot Zip Codes Identified by New York City to Temporarily Close In-Person Learning Beginning Tomorrow
Governor to Meet with Communities in Brooklyn, Queens and Rockland, Orange and Nassau Counties to Discuss Religious Gatherings
New York State to Oversee Enforcement in Statewide Hot Spot Clusters
20 ZIP Codes in Areas with Hot Spots - Brooklyn, Queens and Rockland and Orange Counties - Have 5.5 Percent Positivity Rate
Statewide Positivity Excluding Hot Spot ZIP Codes is 1.01 Percent; 1.22 Percent with Hotspot ZIP Codes Included
8 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
SLA and State Police Task Force Visits 587 Establishments; Observes 0 Establishments Not in Compliance
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the COVID-19 pandemic and directed schools in hot spot ZIP codes identified by New York City to temporarily close in-person learning beginning tomorrow. The governor noted that New York State needs more data on the threat COVID-19 poses in those schools. Governor Cuomo also announced he will meet with the communities in Brooklyn, Queens, and Rockland, Orange and Nassau Counties to address religious gatherings. New York State will oversee enforcement in statewide hot spot clusters. Yesterday, Governor Cuomo announced that New York State is deploying personnel to directly enforce state guidance within the hot spot ZIP codes. New York State will review the data in affected ZIP codes, gather more school data and determine criteria for reopening the schools.
In the top 20 ZIP codes in areas that have seen recent outbreaks - Brooklyn, Queens and Rockland and Orange Counties - 3,473 tests were conducted, yielding 193 positives or a 5.5 percent positivity rate. In the remainder of the state, 72,931 tests were conducted yielding 740 positives or a 1.01 percent positivity rate.
"My number one concern has always been schools. I said to the parents of this state, I will not allow your child to be sent to any school that I would not send my child, period. And you have my personal word on that," Governor Cuomo said. "If you have to prioritize testing, you want to go to these schools first because you know they are in hot spot clusters, so we have not yet tested some schools in hot spot clusters. Better safe than sorry. I would not send my child to a school in a hot spot cluster that has not been tested and where I did not have proof that the infection rate was low in that school. I would not send my child. I am not going to recommend or allow any New York City family to send their child to a school that I wouldn't send my child to. We're going to close the schools in those areas tomorrow."
New York State continues to track clusters with a particular focus on areas where there are hot spot, cluster situations. Within the top 20 ZIP codes in counties with recent outbreaks - Brooklyn, Queens and Rockland and Orange Counties - the average rate of positive tests is 5.5 percent. The rate of positive tests for the remainder of New York State, not counting these 20 ZIP codes, is 1.01 percent. These 20 ZIP codes contained 21 percent of all positive cases in New York State yesterday, but represent only 6.7 percent of the state's population.
Governor Cuomo Announces Completion of $204 Million Project to Rehabilitate a Section of the Bruckner Expressway and Six Connecting Ramps in the Bronx
Following Completion of Sheridan Boulevard and Start of Construction on Hunts Point, Project Furthers Governor's Commitment to "Building Back Better" in the Bronx
New LED Lighting Installed Along Half Mile Stretch; Innovative Construction Utilized to Minimize Need for Maintenance on Bridge Deck Joints
Project Completed On Time and On Budget
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the completion of a $204 million project that rehabilitated a half-mile section of the Bruckner Expressway and six connecting ramps between East 141st Street and the interchange with the Major Deegan Expressway and the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in the Bronx, prolonging the service life of the viaduct and reducing the need for future maintenance projects. The project was completed on time and on budget.
The completion of the project also builds on the Governor's continued commitment to "building back better" in the Bronx, starting with the $75 million rehabilitation of the Sheridan Expressway from an interstate highway to a pedestrian-friendly boulevard, as well as the ongoing $1.7 billion project that will eventually provide direct access to the Hunts Point Market from both the Bruckner Expressway and the new Sheridan Boulevard.
"We have made record investments to enhance the quality of life for residents of the Bronx and these new improvements will boost travel and commerce, while increasing the long-term sustainability of this critical roadway," Governor Cuomo said. "Coupled with other transformational projects across the borough, the rehabilitated Bruckner Expressway continues our unprecedented efforts to build back better for the Bronx and for all New Yorkers."
Nearly 70 percent of the bridges' deck piers were eliminated with the use of innovative technology "link slabs" made of high-performance concrete, significantly reducing rainwater leaking through the deck and protecting the bridge piers. This in turn reduces maintenance costs and will prolong the life of the viaduct. The project also included replacing bridge decks, repairing concrete piers and steel girders, and replacing all bearings and pedestals. Barriers, railings and drainage structures were replaced, and new roadway lane striping was added. New LED lighting was also installed along the expressway, on the ramps and at intersections below the expressway at 138th, 140th and 141st Streets to enhance safety and visibility for pedestrians and motorists.
In addition to the work on the Bruckner mainline, the following six ramps were improved as a result of this project:
- Ramp from the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge to the northbound Major Deegan Expressway (I-87)
- Ramp from the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge to the eastbound Bruckner Expressway (I-278)
- Ramp from the westbound Bruckner Expressway (I-278) to the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
- Ramp from the westbound Bruckner Expressway (I-278) to the northbound Major Deegan Expressway (I-87)
- Ramp from the southbound Major Deegan Expressway (I-87) to the eastbound Bruckner Expressway (I-278)
- Ramp from eastbound Bruckner Boulevard at East 138th Street to the eastbound Bruckner Expressway (I-278).
Mayor de Blasio Holds His Daily COVID-19 Update After Governor Cuomo Changes the Plan
Statement from Andy King Following NYC Council Decision
“ I am very saddened and disheartened by the decision made by the New York City Council in today’s Stated meeting. As a representative of the 12th District in the Bronx, it is very disappointing to be removed from a position that has allowed me to serve my community for almost 8 years.
It is clear to me from the narrative spun by my colleagues today, in casting their vote to remove me, that they did not consult the transcripts of the hearing that was held by the Committee on Standards and Ethics. It is also apparent that they did not review any of the evidence presented against me during the hearing.
Many of my colleagues condemned sexual harassment before casting their vote. I like them, repudiate sexual harassment in any form, and have always worked to ensure that woman’s rights are protected, supported and enriched. This case had nothing to do with sexual harassment. In the words of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, it was a high tech lynching orchestrated by my political enemies to satisfy their agenda.
The people of my district will not be disenfranchised nor dictated to by the mighty and powerful, who work to suppress the voices of black and brown people across this city. Not one member of the City Council in the history of this body has been expelled for conduct that does not constitute a crime. I will be addressing this disparity with my lawyers, and working hard to protect the rights of the people in my district— whose voices were stolen and silenced today.
Please know that I appreciate all of the prayers from everyone who has supported me over the years, and those who continue to support me. Onward to Court we march. God Bless.” -Andy King