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Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Bronx Metro-North Station Area Study - Just two more days before the first Remote Workshop!
Former New York DEA Investigator Convicted Of Enticing A Minor To Have Sex And Child Pornography Charges
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the conviction in Manhattan federal court of FREDERICK L. SCHEININ for attempted production of child pornography, attempted receipt of child pornography, and attempted enticement of a minor. The jury convicted SCHEININ today following a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As a DEA investigator, Frederick Scheinin was tasked with the important job of protecting the public from the illegal diversion and abuse of prescription drugs, but he betrayed the public trust by spending months trying to prey on a minor for his sexual pleasure. Scheinin now stands convicted of these heinous crimes. This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to detect and apprehend those who pose a threat to children.”
Up until the time of his arrest, SCHEININ was an investigator in the New York Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”). According to the Indictment, documents previously filed in the case, and evidence introduced at trial:
Between October 2019 and January 2020, SCHEININ communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer (“UC‑1”) who was posing as a 14-year-old boy. During the course of hundreds of graphic text communications and multiple real-time conversations, SCHEININ repeatedly sent sexually explicit images and videos to UC-1 in an attempt to persuade UC-1 to transmit sexually explicit images, photos, and live visual depictions of UC-1 to SCHEININ. In particular, SCHEININ repeatedly asked UC-1 to transmit images and videos of UC-1’s penis and anus. SCHEININ also attempted to arrange a meeting with UC-1 at which SCHEININ planned to have sex with UC-1. Law enforcement arrested SCHEININ on January 16, 2020, in New York, New York, at the location where SCHEININ said he would meet UC-1. SCHEININ was in possession of a condom and lubricant at the time of his arrest.
SCHEININ, 33, was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following the return of the verdict. Attempted production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; attempted receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and attempted enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison. SCHEININ is scheduled to be sentenced on September 23, 2021, at 4:00 p.m.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and the New York Field Office of the United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Ms. Strauss also thanked the New York DEA office for its assistance in the matter.
193 Days and Counting
We spent $15 million dollars on an ad campaign for Rank Choice Voting, and there were only two republican candidates. That meant that Rank Choice Voting didn't come into effect. It seems that Curtis Swila won two to one over Fernando Mateo, who was backed by the Bronx Republican Party. Ruben, are there any Republicans left in the Bronx?
On to my replacement. Right now Eric Adams is in the lead, but that can change. The guy who writes this blog had it right when he said it would be a three way race for Mayor with Eric Adams winding up in the lead. He said Kathryn Garcia would be second with a longshot Maya Wiley third. He did not think that Andrew Yang would have a chance, and he was right, as yang was the 4th place finisher who conceded election night.
You have to know Rank Choice Voting.
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Targeted mailing or Everybody Does It
We received this from a voter in the 15th City Council District who says Councilman Oswald Feliz sent this mailing to only people of Dominican decent to come out and vote for him. When confronted by another voter in the 15th City Council District Councilman Oswald Feliz laughed in the voters face saying everyone does it.
Candidate Ischia Bravo was at the same event, and said," I received that targeted piece of mail since I am half Dominican, and it only divides the council district, not unite it like I want to do". Candidate Ischia Bravo added that she will be the representative of all the people in the 15th Council Ditrict, not just some like Oswald Feliz.
Targeted mailing or is Oswald Feliz just a puppet of Congressman Adriano Espaillat?
Why is Manhattan Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez on this piece of propaganda? Where are some non Dominican supporter of Oswald Fepix, or are there none?
Candidate Oswald Feliz is called out for his targeted mailing to only one segment of the 15th Council District. Oswald Feliz's answer - "Everybody does it", as he laughs in the face of Jose Padilla Jr. a voter in the 15th council district.
Attorney General James Leads Coalition Calling for USPS to Stop Further Service Cuts
AG James Co-Leads Coalition of 21 AGs in Calling for End to Postmaster General’s Efforts to Delay Mail Service, Potentially Affecting 96 Percent of Zip Codes
New York Attorney General Letitia James co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general and two cities in calling on the Postal Regulatory Commission to reject Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s proposal to cut services at the United States Postal Service (USPS), which would result in increased delivery times for First-Class Mail and other essential postal services. Attorney General James and the coalition today submitted a statement of position to the Postal Regulatory Commission — an independent federal agency that provides transparency and accountability of the USPS's operations — to urge the USPS to focus its attention on correcting the mistakes of the previous year, not implementing new changes that would further degrade service. The proposed changes could impact up to 96 percent of ZIP codes in the United States.
“For nearly a year now, we have had to fight the United States Postal Service tooth and nail to fulfill its mission and provide timely delivery of mail, medications, paychecks, ballots, and other essentials to Americans across the nation,” said Attorney General James. “Now, instead of fixing the problems that remain delinquent a year later, Postmaster General DeJoy wants to lead the USPS in making further service cuts that would only result in more delays. The Postal Regulatory Commission should reject these changes and direct the USPS to take action to resume USPS service to what it once was. If they don’t, we will not hesitate to use every tool at our disposal to hold the USPS accountable.”
Attorney General James and the coalition write, in their statement of position today, that despite the USPS’s claims that it “implemented a series of purported cost-saving initiatives” a year ago, the truth is that the changes “had a devastating effect on mail service.” Those initiatives included drastic changes to USPS’s policies with respect to extra and late trips and were implemented virtually overnight without any prior input from the Postal Regulatory Commission. As a result, the coalition argues, mail delivery across the nation slowed, and Americans who depended on the USPS for the delivery of prescription medication, paychecks, and other necessities were left stranded.
The coalition also argues that the increased delays also made it more difficult for the states to perform a variety of essential functions and provide critical services to their residents, including the delivery of mail and absentee ballots before the November 2020 presidential election. As a result of Postmaster General DeJoy’s efforts, the USPS is poised to repeat many of these mistakes.
The coalition reminds the Postal Regulatory Commission of the obligations and benefits of the USPS, including its commitment to prompt, reliable service of necessary, life-saving goods to all residents of New York.
Postmaster General DeJoy’s proposed service standards would slow down mail delivery for a significant portion of First-Class mail, and would significantly hinder the USPS’s mission to provide reliable service. This change would prevent New York and the federal government from delivering essential services in a timely manner, including providing public assistance to low-income individuals and families, running driver’s licensing and child welfare programs, and administering elections. In addition to disproportionately affecting low-income Americans, the proposed changes would significantly impact those living in rural areas.
The group also acknowledges the difficulties put upon postal service workers by these cuts, and how critical it is for the Postal Regulatory Commission to prevent further changes after a devastating year — pointing directly to the disastrous changes made at the USPS, last year, in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As the USPS Office of Inspector General found, last year, the July 2020 cost-saving initiatives that were implemented were done without adequate planning and were poorly communicated — leading to a rapid decline in service from which the USPS has still not fully recovered.
The coalition strongly urges the Postal Regulation Commission to reject the sweeping changes proposed by the USPS and, instead, refocus its energies on fixing its ongoing performance deficiencies.
Attorney General James has been fighting to protect USPS services since last year. Last August, Attorney General James led a coalition of states and cities from across the country in filing a lawsuit to stop the Trump Administration’s attempts to dismantle the USPS. The slowdown had life-threatening impacts on veterans and seniors who were not able to receive medication, as well as economic impacts on individuals that had to wait for pension checks and paychecks. As the United States neared November’s presidential election, the USPS also handled a record number of mail-in ballots because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, Attorney General James filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, asking the court to quickly stop former President Donald Trump, the USPS, and Postmaster General DeJoy from continuing down the path of slowing mail operations in the lead-up to Election Day. In September, the court issued a preliminary injunction, national in scope, that was set to immediately take effect, but for a month the Trump Administration made excuses in an effort to avoid full compliance with that order.
In October 2020, Attorney General James won an interim order that clarified that the Trump Administration had to take every effort to restore USPS sorting machines and use special measures (including delivering mail via air transportation) to deliver election mail on time over those next few weeks.
After the USPS did not comply with the interim order, the court issued a minute-order on Election Day, November 3, 2020, in which the judge instructed the USPS to immediately send postal inspectors or inspectors from the USPS Office of Inspector General to post offices in various cities and states across the country to sweep for any ballots that had yet to be delivered and send them out immediately.
194 Days and Counting Today you choose my Replacement
Here's a warning to those pesky reporters who keep asking me who I am voting for to replace me as your mayor, don't ask me that question. Don't ask me any questions about the election, just ask questions of how New York City will be when the July 4th fireworks are over, and how the people love me for it.
Ask me about how our public school children are going to get right back to where they should be even though they actually missed a full school year. All the bad stuff is for the next mayor. Let me see how many bile lanes I can put in, and streets I can close to cars. You want to drive a car, don't do it in New York City.
Three Years Later - NYPD Promotes Junior Lesandro Guzman-Feliz to Explorer Deputy Chief Posthumously
Exactly three years ago on June 20th, 2018 Junior Lesandro Guzman-Feliz was attacked in the corner store at Bathgate Avenue and East 183rd Street. He was stabbed by up to fourteen gang members of the Trinitarios gang who later admitted that they were looking for someone who looked exactly like Junior Guzman-Feliz. Junior staggered to the gate of nearby St. Barnabas Hospital where he died of his wounds. Five of the fourteen gang members have been convicted of murder.
This was a ceremony to posthumously promote Junior Guzman Feliz to Explorer Deputy Chief. Police Commissioner Shea, Assistant Commissioner O'Connor, and Chief of Community Affairs Maddrey with Explorer from all twelve precincts, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., and several other elected official and candidates in the June 22nd Primary were on hand as Leandra Guzman-Feliz received the citation and bronze statue of a policeman and a child from Police Commissioner Shea.
Explorers from all Bronx precincts line the sidewalk in front of the memorial mural and closed store where the attack took place three years ago.
Leandra Guzman-Feliz talks with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, as 13th City Council candidate and 15th City Council candidate stand in the background.
Police Commissioner Shea speaks about the seriousness of what happened, and attempts by the NYPD to prevent future attacks like the one that happened at this corner. In the upper right corner is the co-named corner Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz Way.
Junior Mother Leandra Guzman-Feliz tells of the tragedy, and what it has done to her, her family, and the community.
Leandra Guman-Feliz holds the Certificate of Promotion Posthumously, while Chief of Community Affair Jeffrey Maddrey speaks.
(R-L) Police Commissioner Shea, Leandra Guzman-Feliz, Chief Maddrey, and Assistant Commissioner O'Connor holding the statue of the policeman and a boy.