Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Dealer Of Fentanyl-Laced Heroin That Resulted In The Overdose Death Of Actor Michael K. Williams Pleads Guilty

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that IRVIN CARTAGENA, a/k/a “Green Eyes,” pled guilty today to conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogue.  As part of the conspiracy, CARTAGENA distributed the fentanyl-laced heroin that resulted in the death of Michael K. Williams.  CARTAGENA pled guilty earlier today before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Irvin Cartagena sold fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy.  In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams.  This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable the dealers who push this poison, exploit addiction, and cause senseless death in our community.”

According to the allegations in the complaints, court filings, and statements made in Court:

Between at least in or about August 2020 and February 2022, a drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) was operating in the vicinity of 224 South 3rd Street in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.  The DTO sold heroin laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue on the street in front of, and from an apartment inside of, the apartment building located at 224 South 3rd Street, among other places.  On or about September 5, 2021, members of the DTO sold Michael K. Williams heroin, which was laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue, with CARTAGENA executing the hand-to-hand transaction.  Williams died as a result of using that fentanyl-laced heroin.  Despite knowing that Williams died after being sold the DTO’s product, CARTAGENA and his co-conspirators continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight amidst residential apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan.           

CARTAGENA, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.  As part of his guilty plea, CARTAGENA stipulated that the substances he conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute resulted in the death of Michael K. Williams.

The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Intelligence Analysts.  Mr. Williams also thanked the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces New York Strike Force, the United States Marshals Service, the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration for their assistance in this case. 

VCJC News & Notes 4/5/23

 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
News and Notes


Chag Pesach Sameach

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

Reminders

  1. Shabbos

    Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.
    Here are the times you need:  
    Shabbos Candles Friday 4/7/23 @ 7:08 pm
    Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely. 
    Shabbos Ends Saturday 4/8/23 @ 8:12 pm
     
  2. Passover
    Services in the morning only.  Thursday, April 6, Friday, April 7, Wednesday, April 12, Thursday, April 13, and Shabbos April 15 at 8:40 AM.  
    Candle lighting: This week: Wednesday, 4/5 @ 7:06 PM, Thursday, 4/6 @ 8:10 PM or later, Friday @ 7:08 PM. 
    Candle lighting: Following Week: Tuesday, 4/11 @ 7:13 PM, Wednesday, 4/12 @ 8:17 PM or later.  
    Passover ends 8:18 pm 4/13. 
     
  3. Yizkor
    Yizkor will be said on Thursday, April 13 at approximately 9:40 AM.
    It is customary to make a charitable donation in conjunction with Yizkor.  If you wish to donate to VCJC as part of your Yizkor observance, it can be done in person at the office, by check, or online through our website
     
  4. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL PROGRAM Sunday April 16
           10:00 am Speaker:  Larry Hartstein
           Topic:  The Nazi SS:  A Criminal Organization

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
3880 Sedgwick Ave
Bronx, NY 10463 

KRVC - Upcoming 4Bronx Events - Easter, Restaurant Week & Pride!

 

Join Us for all of these Upcoming 4Bronx Events!

Click HERE to visit the Restaurant Week Website for more information.



Save the Date for Riverdale Pride!


Look forward to seeing you!


505BX.org


Attorney General James Shuts Down Websites Impersonating NYS Department of State

 

Company Misled Small Businesses and Overcharged for Services AG James Offers Tips to Help New Yorkers Identify Real Government Websites

New York Attorney General Letitia James shut down two websites that impersonated the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS) and significantly overcharged users for services provided by NYSDOS. The misleading websites, created by Thomas Romano and his company, Steamin’ Weenie LLC (Steamin’ Weenie), closely mimicked NYSDOS’ Division of Corporations site by using the agency’s official seal and logo, and allowed users to file various business-related documents with federal, state, and local entities for much higher prices than NYSDOS offered. One of the websites charged $135 for a certified copy of a certificate of incorporation, which cost only $10 from NYSDOS at the time. The NYSDOS helps individuals file paperwork for their businesses, such as corporate registry documents, or start a limited liability company (LLC). There were no disclosures on the websites that they were operated by a private third-party agreeing to file documents on behalf of their users. In addition to shutting down the websites, Attorney General James secured $44,387 in penalties from the company and its owner.

“Misleading consumers is not a smart business plan, it’s unethical and illegal,” said Attorney General James. “These websites deceived hardworking New Yorkers who were simply trying to open up their own business and file the necessary paperwork to do so. Scam artists may think they are savvy, but breaking state laws and conning New Yorkers will get you into hot water with my office. I encourage everyone to be vigilant and ensure the websites they are visiting to conduct government business are legitimate.”

“Impersonating the New York Department of State as a way of defrauding business owners out of their hard-earned money was not only deceptive, unfair, and misleading, it was illegal,” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “Attorney General James shares the Department’s commitment to protecting New Yorkers and we thank her for her perseverance in holding these bad actors accountable.”

The NYSDOS alerted the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of the fraudulent websites. The websites, which the company has since taken down, adopted significant elements of the look and feel of the official website from 2021 and copied graphical elements. For example, the homepage of one website had a logo substantially similar to the one displayed on the official website, a slightly modified version of the state’s Great Seal, and a customer support phone number was listed with an Albany area code, although the sole operator of the website lived downstate. The website also referred to itself as the “Corporation Services Division,” a name similar to NYSDOS’ Division of Corporations.

screenshot of state website next to screenshot of misleading website

Today’s agreement requires Thomas Romano and his company to pay $44,387 in penalties and prevents the company and its owner from using any government logos, seals, or other similar iconography to deceive consumers into believing that they are dealing with a government entity. They will also be required to clearly and conspicuously disclose to consumers that they are a private third-party and not affiliated with the government. 

How to Identify a Government Website

New Yorkers should be vigilant of websites that may appear to be government sites but are not. Here are some recommendations for how to spot a legitimate government website:

  • Check the URL. Government websites typically utilize a ‘.gov’ domain name and a secure connection, which can be spotted when the URL begins with “https” instead of http, and/or the browser displays a padlock icon next to the URL.
  • Avoid selecting sponsored links. Typically, government websites will not appear as sponsored links after a web search.
  • Find the agency you’re looking for on the state’s main website. All the states’ agencies and services can be found on www.ny.gov. For New York City agencies and services, visit www.nyc.gov. Most localities will also house all their services and agencies on their main site.
  • Check the contact page. Legitimate websites have important information where web users can find how to reach a government agency, where to find that agency and social media links. The absence of a legitimate (or any) address and a working phone number should be a cause for concern.
  • Check the website's privacy policy. Websites should have adequate information about privacy, terms, and conditions of use.
  • Review your costs before paying. If a service fee appears to be too high, make sure you are on a legitimate government website using the tips above before making a payment.

If New Yorkers detect a website that is trying to pass itself off as an official government resource but is not, they are encouraged to file an online complaint with OAG’s Bureau of Internet and Technology.

RIKERS ISLAND INMATE SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STABBING NYC DOC OFFICER 12 TIMES IN THE HEAD

 

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Attempted Assault in the First-degree Victim Sustained Serious Injuries During Unprovoked Attack

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Rikers Island inmate has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stabbing a New York City Department of Correction Officer in the head multiple times.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant stabbed the victim, a DOC Correction Officer, a dozen times in the head with a sharpened metal. This was a brazen, unprovoked attack against a Correction Officer who was working his shift in the Protective Custody Unit in Rikers Island.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Dennis Applewhite, 29, a Rikers Island inmate, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio. During his arraignment on November 1, 2022, the defendant told the court that he wanted to plead guilty. He officially pleaded guilty to Attempted Assault in the first degree on February 7, 2023.

 According to the investigation, on October 31, 2022 at approximately 4:45 p.m., inside the Protective Custody Unit of the Anna M. Cross Center, the defendant went up to the 28-year-old Correction Officer and stabbed him in the back of the head 12 times with an eight-inch piece of sharpened metal. The defendant was removed by other Correction Officers who came to the victim’s aid. The victim was taken to Elmhurst Hospital after sustaining lacerations to his head and a puncture wound to the right side of his neck. The victim still has difficulty moving his neck since the attack.

 District Attorney Clark thanked Trial Preparation Assistant Mel-Asia Pugh and Jevet Johnson, Director of the Rikers Island Sex Offense Initiative, for their assistance.

 District Attorney Clark also thanked the New York City Department of Correction Intelligence Bureau, specifically Investigators Epifanio Vasquez, Lakeisha White, Juan Rivera, and Walter Holmes for their work in the investigation.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE RESPONDS TO THE ADAMS ADMINISTRATION'S NEW PROPOSED CUTS TO CITY AGENCIES

 

"The administration’s latest 'Program to Eliminate the Gap' will only deepen the deficit of vital city services.


"How can we justify further cuts to agencies when the city workforce is already drastically understaffed and services are suffering as a result? Four percent is not an abstract figure – it means real reductions in things like safe housing inspectors, shelter staff, sanitation workers, civil rights attorneys. It means New Yorkers get 4% less effective government and services than they deserve. Last year’s "savings" have already cost a city reeling from pandemic-era staffing reductions, and further cuts will only deepen the damage and undercut the effort to stabilize our city and its economy. All of these proposed cuts come from an administration that refuses to support additional revenue raising measures which could help to provide that stability. 


"The goal of the current city budget process should be preserving and strengthening the programs in place, not further slashing them. Long term austerity is not the answer, and our city’s commitment to meeting the needs of New Yorkers cannot be in question."


MAYOR ADAMS, OLR COMMISSIONER CAMPION ANNOUNCE TENTATIVE CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH PBA, PROVIDING FAIR WAGE INCREASES FOR FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS AND PILOT PROGRAM FOR EXTENDED TOURS

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Office of Labor Relations (OLR) Commissioner Renee Campion today announced a tentative contract agreement with the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) that will offer pay increases for New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers for the first time in six years. The eight-year agreement — which is retroactive to 2017 and would cover roughly 23,000 members of New York’s Finest — represents the first contract agreement with a union representing uniformed employees under the Adams administration.  For only the third time since 1994, the City of New York and the PBA have reached a voluntary agreement. 

The tentative agreement is retroactive, beginning on August 1, 2017, and ends on July 31, 2025. It includes wage increases ranging from 2.25 percent to 4.00 percent over the contract period. It also includes an equity fund to increase starting salaries for NYPD officers and to improve the schedule for raises in the early years of employment. Additionally, a new pilot program will allow officers to test working extended tours of 10 and 12-hour shifts. Officers participating in the pilot will work the same number of hours per year, but the program provides greater flexibility to increase staffing during times when crime is highest, or other issues arise.

“New York City will always support the men and women of the NYPD as they do one of the toughest jobs anywhere — and today, we’re proud to announce a historic deal with the Police Benevolent Association that will do just that,” said Mayor Adams. “As someone who wore the blue uniform and the badge for 22 years, I know that today’s agreement represents an acknowledgment that working people keep this city running and how this administration will always put working people first. The contract will allow our police officers to work a more flexible schedule, build morale, and ensure that New York remains the safest big city in America. I want to thank our tireless OLR commissioner, Renee Campion, and PBA President Pat Lynch for their partnership.”

“This is a contract agreement for the future, not just for New York City police officers but for our entire city,” said PBA President Patrick J. Lynch. “The challenges police officers face on our streets have never been greater, and our work has never been more critical to the city’s success. It’s no secret that police officers and our families have been under tremendous strain. We have lost far too many talented cops to better paying and less stressful policing jobs elsewhere. This agreement is not only a major step toward closing our pay gap relative to other police departments — it also significantly improves our members’ quality of life. We thank Mayor Adams, Police Commissioner Sewell, and their teams for engaging us in real conversations about what cops are going through and what we need to keep this city safe. We have much more work ahead of us, but today’s agreement is proof that those real conversations can produce real solutions.”

“This is a landmark agreement with a number of historic firsts for our officers, and we want to thank PBA President Pat Lynch for his partnership,” said New York City Office of Labor Relations Commissioner Renee Campion. “Mayor Adams has made clear that public safety is a top priority for this administration, and we are confident that this contract provides officers with the resources they need to get the job done.”

“The women and men who put on the blue uniform of the New York City Police Department each day and night — who dutifully safeguard everyone in every neighborhood throughout our great city — have more than earned the increased compensation reflected in this new agreement,” said NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. “They have achieved continuing reductions in crime and increasing quality of life for all the people we serve. Our police officers truly are special, courageous people, and everyone in our city is extremely fortunate to have them as protectors.”

The total cost of the tentative agreement is approximately $5.5 billion through Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27). It is fully funded for the first three years and has a net budgetary impact of approximately $2 billion through FY27. The agreement is consistent with raises other uniformed groups received in the last round of bargaining and is the first uniformed agreement reached in the new round.

The tentative agreement includes:

  • Equity fund for salary increases for entry-level and early officers: The contract dedicates funding to improve the early steps of the salary schedule. As of August 1, 2023, new officers in their first year will earn a base pay of $53,790, plus a neighborhood policing differential payment that automatically adds 2.25%, or $1,210, to the salary that all officers receive (previously negotiated in the 2012-2017 agreement). Altogether, officers will be compensated approximately $60,000 when including all differentials, holiday pay, and a uniform allowance. As of August 1, 2024, the top pay for police officers after 5.5 years of service, including all differentials, longevity, holiday pay, and uniform allowance, will be $131,500 per year.
  • Extended tour pilot: The city will introduce a groundbreaking pilot program to implement 10 and 12-hour tours for officers. This program is expected to improve officer morale while providing the NYPD with greater flexibility to increase staffing during times when crime is highest. Initially launching in two Bronx precincts, one transit district, and one housing service area, the pilot will run for six months, with plans to expand further if successful. Officers will work the same number of hours each year (2,088) with no additional cost or budgetary impact expected.

Members of the union will receive the following compounded and retroactive wage increases: 

  • August 1, 2017 – 2.25%
  • August 1, 2018 – 2.50%
  • August 1, 2019 – 3.00%
  • August 1, 2020 – 3.25%
  • August 1, 2021 – 3.25%
  • August 1, 2022 – 3.50%
  • August 1, 2023 – 3.50%
  • August 1, 2024 – 4.00%

The agreement is subject to ratification by the PBA’s members.

Housing Lottery Launches For Home Simpson Apartments At 1210 Simpson Street In Crotona Park East, The Bronx

 


The affordable housing lottery has launched for Home Simpson Apartments, a seven-story residential building at 1210 Simpson Street in Crotona Park East, The Bronx. Designed by Urban Architectural Initiatives and developed by St. Peter’s Deliverance Ministries and non-profit Help USA, the structure yields 72 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are 27 units for residents at 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $33,326 to $99,300.

Amenities include security cameras, bike storage lockers, a shared laundry room, a community center, business center, and an outdoor terrace. Residences come with air conditioning and hardwood floors. Rent includes all utilities.



At 60 percent of the AMI, there is one studio with a monthly rent of $972 for incomes ranging from $33,326 to $64,080; 11 one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,215 for incomes ranging from $41,658 to $72,060; 14 two-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,459 for incomes ranging from $50,023 to $86,460; and one three-bedroom with a monthly rent of $1,685 for incomes ranging from $57,772 to $99,300.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than June 5, 2023.