BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 13 YEARS IN PRISON IN GANG-RELATED KILLING OF TEEN AT RAP VIDEO FILMING AT A MCDONALD’S

 

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man was sentenced to 13 years in prison for a gang-related shooting that killed a 17-year-old boy in a crowd that gathered for the filming of a rap music video in a McDonald’s parking lot. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “Rival gang members showed up at the filming of a music video at a McDonald’s and exchanged gunfire. Five people were shot, including a 17-year-old boy who died from his wounds. The defendant fired the fatal shot. This happened in 2021, as we saw the most shootings in 25 years and more teens were ensnared in gun violence. We remain resolute in making our streets safer and steering our youth from gang culture.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Luis Cruz, 21, of East 183rd Street, the Bronx, was sentenced today to 13 years in prison and five years post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter on May 30, 2023.

 According to the investigation, on May 15, 2021, at about 9 p.m., the defendant, with the ATR Trinitarios gang, exchanged gunfire with an opposition gang, the Shooting Boys, in the McDonald’s restaurant parking lot at Clay Avenue and Belmont Street in Claremont, where a crowd had gathered for the rap music video. The defendant fired a single shot from a .380-caliber pistol and Armanis Valdez, 17, was shot in the chest and died.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Connor Walsh of the 44th Precinct, Robert Cintron of Bronx Homicide and Police Officers Thomas Accomando of the 46th Precinct, and Ramon Mejia of the 44 th Precinct for their work in the investigation.

Governor Kathy Hochul Celebrates Completion of $51 Million Affordable Housing Development in Westchester County

 

Highly Energy-Efficient, All-Electric Development Brings 82 Affordable Apartments to Peekskill’s Main Street

Complements City’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative Strategy by Expanding Affordable Housing Options Downtown

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of a $51 million, all-electric affordable housing development that will bring 82 affordable apartments to downtown Peekskill in Westchester County.

“This development at 645 Main Street marks the next step in our work to make Westchester County and all of New York State more livable and more affordable,” Governor Hochul said.“ By adding diverse, energy-efficient housing options in thriving and transit-friendly cities like Peekskill, we are tackling New York’s housing shortage head on and expanding the possibilities for every family who wants to call New York home.”

The development, known as 645 Main, furthers the city’s goal of increasing affordable housing options as part of its $10 million New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative award that it received in 2019.

The development includes 82 apartments affordable to households earning between 40 and 80 percent of the Area Median Income, and a 140-space parking garage. There are 18 one-bedroom apartments, 50 two-bedroom apartments, and 14 three-bedroom apartments. 645 Main was constructed on a two-acre remediated brownfield site. The five-story building has frontage on both Main Street and Central Avenue.

The development was designed to meet the requirements of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Low-rise Residential New Construction program and was also designed and certified by the U.S. Green Building Council under LEED for Homes Gold. Sustainable features include a rooftop photovoltaic solar array, high-performance building envelope, high-performance heating and cooling conditioning systems, and low flow plumbing fixtures. The parking garage features a landscaped rooftop courtyard with underground stormwater infiltration system that retains surface water onsite to reduce the burden on the municipal system, and 30 EV charging stations.

Additional residential amenities include a community room leading to the rooftop courtyard, quiet and active lounges, fitness center, laundry room, and an onsite management office. The building is a short walk from the Peekskill Metro-North station.

The developers are the Housing Action Council and Wilder Balter Partners, Inc.

Financing for 645 Main included $8.9 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, $12.1 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and $12.3 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal.

The construction fulfilled the requirements of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's successful Brownfield Cleanup Program, which resulted in $6 million in tax credits issued by the New York State Department of Tax and Finance. NYSERDA provided $171,990 through the NY Sun Multifamily Affordable Housing Incentive program and is expected to provide an additional $69,200 through Low-rise Residential New Construction Program. Westchester County provided $5.7 million from the Housing Implementation Fund and $2.3 million from the New Homes Land Acquisition Fund.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “645 Main has transformed an undeveloped brownfield site into a sustainable, all-electric development with 82 affordable homes. In addition to the many amenities and green features, residents will be able to enjoy Peekskill’s walkable downtown and easy access to public transit. Governor Hochul’s housing agenda calls for more developments like this one that expand housing opportunities near transit while making New York a healthier and more affordable place to live.”

Michigan Marijuana Dispensary Owner Convicted of Tax Evasion and Obstructing the IRS

 

A federal jury in Detroit found a Michigan man guilty of evading federal income taxes and obstructing the IRS, among other charges.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ryan Richmond, of Bloomfield, owned and operated the marijuana dispensary Relief Choices, LLC in Warren, Michigan. From 2011 through at least 2014, Richmond had Relief Choices pay its operating expenses extensively in cash, and routed customer credit card payments through an unrelated third-party bank account to conceal his true business gross receipts. In 2015 and 2016, Richmond obstructed the IRS by misleading investigators – and particularly an IRS auditor examining his individual income taxes – about his knowledge of, role in and profits derived from his Relief Choices operation. Richmond caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $1.15 million.

Richmond is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 13 and faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion, three years in prison for obstructing the IRS and one year in prison for the willful failure to file a tax return count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Governor Hochul Announces Statewide Initiatives to Raise Awareness During Suicide Prevention Month

 

Office of Mental Health Launches Marketing Campaign for 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; Receives $10 Million Federal Grant to Better Integrate Services for Youth

Governor Issues Proclamation Marking September as Suicide Prevention Month; Orders State Landmarks and Bridges to be Illuminated in Teal and Purple

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced statewide initiatives underway to raise awareness of suicide prevention and the resources available to help all New Yorkers struggling with mental health challenges, including a digital campaign highlighting the state’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Governor Hochul also issued a proclamation acknowledging September as Suicide Prevention Month in New York and ordered state landmarks and bridges to be illuminated purple and teal on Sunday, Sept. 10, which is World Suicide Prevention Day.

“While we continue to break down the stigma associated with suicide, there remains work to be done to ensure all New Yorkers are aware of the help in our state that is just one phone call or text away,” Governor Hochul said. “By raising awareness and promoting earlier intervention, we can provide the support and resources necessary to save lives across New York.”

To raise awareness, the New York State Office of Mental Health’s Suicide Prevention Center launched a digital marketing campaign this month that will run through September highlighting the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which offers a three-digit number supported in all 62 counties. New Yorkers experiencing thoughts of suicide can call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org/chat for a direct connection to care and support.

Additionally, Governor Hochul announced that New York State has received a five-year $10 Million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to support the expansion of the Collaborative Care Model among youth-serving primary care practices. This funding will allow the agency to address mental and behavioral health problems among children and adolescents with a co-occurring mental and physical health problems by providing integrated services, with a goal of ensuring more equitable access to historically marginalized populations.

Governor Hochul's FY 2024 Enacted Budget significantly expanded the capacity of 988 Crisis Contact Centers by boosting funding for them from $35 million to $60 million per year. More than 185,000 calls were directly routed to crisis call centers in 2022, with roughly 31,000 calls coming from former service members connecting directly via the Veteran’s Crisis Line.

In August, Governor Hochul announced the availability of the OMH’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Education and Awareness Toolkit, an interactive resource tool designed to support individuals facing suicide risk. Numerous studies have shown that the Lifeline works—most callers are significantly more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful after speaking to a counselor.

Governor Hochul also issued a proclamation marking September as Suicide Prevention Month in New York State and also ordered certain state bridges and landmarks to be illuminated in purple and teal on Sunday, September 10:

• One World Trade Center
• Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
• Kosciuszko Bridge
• The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
• State Education Building
• Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
• Empire State Plaza
• State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
• Niagara Falls
• The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
• Albany International Airport Gateway
• MTA LIRR - East End Gateway at Penn Station
• Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
• Moynihan Train Hall

Rates of psychological distress among youth are at historic highs, according to a recent survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage of New York high school students who reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless for at least two weeks during the past year were the highest recorded over the past two decades.

OMH is also partnering with the New York State Bridge Authority to host Transportation For Life: How the Transportation Sector and Partners Can Prevent Suicide at Dutchess Community College on Sept. 22. This summit is aimed at promoting a commitment to suicide prevention and to collectively explore innovative strategies and initiatives to prevent suicides, raise awareness, and support those impacted.

OMH will host the 2023 Suicide Prevention Conference in Albany on Oct. 17. Free and open to the public, the conference is entitled Changing the Conversation on Youth Mental Health: From Crisis to Prevention, with a goal to increase youth suicide prevention and mental wellness efforts.

The Suicide Prevention Center offers free resources to school districts and organizations focused on prevention efforts, which are available by request. Hundreds of schools have received free suicide prevention resources since 2022. Visit the resource to submit a request.

The agency has also conducted extensive training, with nearly 51,000 New Yorkers completing suicide-specific course material since 2022. OMH will host additional in-person and virtual suicide prevention training through the end of the year.

The Suicide Prevention Center is also soliciting 12 first responder organizations and three military veteran organizations to participate in the CARES UP initiative. Selected organizations will receive up to $60,000 to participate in a two-year program to support resiliency, wellness, and prevention programming, along with peer- to-peer training, with the goal of increasing protective factors and reducing mental health distress faced by uniformed personnel. For more information about this initiative or the grant opportunity, please send an email CARESUP@omh.ny.gov.

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “Based on the volume of calls to our crisis contact centers, we see that demand is high for mental health support in New York State. With this campaign, our goal is to spread even greater awareness of this critical resource, so that all New Yorkers are as familiar with 988 crisis services as they are with dialing 911 in a medical emergency.”

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce - The Impact of Mentorship w/ IMentor

 

Join the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and IMentor for an afternoon of learning how male mentorship can have a transformative impact on the community and your business.

Reserve Your Spot - Click Here

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE’S STATEMENT ON THE 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEPTEMBER 11TH ATTACKS

 

"It has been over two decades since the attacks on September 11, 2001, and like so many New Yorkers, I remember the morning clearly. It is a memory that will forever be ingrained in our minds and live permanently within our hearts. The sense of fear and uncertainty, the devastation, and the grief. Twenty-two years later, we will never forget the men and women who lost their lives tragically on September 11, nor the people who suffered years later from injuries and illnesses as a result of the attacks, many of whom sacrificed their own safety as first responders. We are reminded to celebrate their lives as we mourn their deaths.

“9/11 left a lasting impact on the hearts and minds of New Yorkers, and on the people of our nation. It brought immense sorrow to our country, while providing a sense of strength and determination for us all to support one another – our fellow New Yorkers, fellow Americans – and to uplift each other through difficulty and turmoil. The loss felt insurmountable, and the unity unprecedented as it filled the city, and the entire country, with empathy. A day which should have weakened us made us stronger. United us. 

“I pray for continued healing for the families who lost loved ones, and for the city. I know that the pain will take a lifetime to heal, but I pray it will get better with each year that passes. New York is a city of resilience and will continue to move forward in strength, courage, peace and hope.”

Illinois Family Members Plead Guilty to Kidnapping, Forced Labor and Conspiracy for Coercing Two Minors and a Third Victim in Years-Long Forced Labor Scheme

 

Lorenza Domingo-Castaneda, 34, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty in the Central District of Illinois to three counts of forced labor and two counts of conspiracy to commit forced labor. On Aug. 18, co-defendant Catarina Domingo-Juan, 37, also pleaded guilty to three counts of forced labor and two counts of conspiracy to commit forced labor. A third co-defendant, Domingo Francisco-Juan, 43, previously pleaded guilty on Aug. 30 to forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.  

According to court documents, the defendants, who are siblings, conspired to bring two minor victims from Guatemala to the United States to work in their homes between December 2015 and March 2021. The defendants compelled the victims to provide domestic services within the homes and to work outside the homes at local hotels and factories. The defendants used false promises of a better life and an education to gain the permission of the victims’ mothers for their minor daughters to travel to the United States to live with the defendants. Domingo-Castaneda and Domingo-Juan also compelled a third victim to work in their homes and outside their homes at local businesses. The defendants isolated the victims in their homes, restricted their communications with their family in Guatemala and subjected them to physical, verbal and psychological abuse, among other coercive means.

“Human trafficking — particularly compelling the labor and services of unaccompanied minors — cannot be tolerated.” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Traffickers deftly use the promise of America to lure adults and children into the United States from thousands of miles away, only to then turn around and reveal their promises were false as part of a coercive scheme to compel their labor. The Justice Department remains steadfast in identifying and prosecuting human traffickers who exploit vulnerable victims for their own financial benefit.”

“Human trafficking is a scourge that affects not only far-flung locales but our local communities as well,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris for the Central District of Illinois. “Traffickers prey on vulnerable victims – including children – bringing them to the United States and entangling them in forced labor schemes. The Central District of Illinois is committed to prosecuting these crimes and further asks community members who are aware of any signs of such exploitation to pass that information on to law enforcement.”

“Labor traffickers only care about one thing — money,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago. “Those subjected to domestic servitude are robbed of their dignity and freedom. Thankfully, these victims were rescued thanks to the efforts of law enforcement. Apprehending labor and human traffickers who take advantage of our most vulnerable and rescuing those exploited will always be a top priority for HSI.”

In accordance with the plea agreements, the defendants face penalties of 20 years up to life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any penalty after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

HSI with the assistance of the Champaign Police Department, Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service and Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office investigated this case.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Declare Lunar New Year a School Holiday

 

Legislation (A.7768/S.7573) Requires All Public Schools Close for Asian Lunar New Year

 Governor Kathy Hochul today signed legislation to declare Asian Lunar New Year a public school holiday across New York State. Legislation (A.7768/S.7573) would ensure schools are not in session on Lunar New Year, underscoring Governor Hochul’s commitment to supporting and protecting New York’s AAPI community.      

“By designating Lunar New Year as an official school holiday, we are taking an important step in recognizing the importance of New York’s AAPI community and the rich diversity that makes New York so great,” Governor Hochul said. “It is not just a day off from school – it is an opportunity for our children to learn about and celebrate their own or different cultures and traditions.” 

State Senator John Liu said, "The Lunar New Year is the most significant time of the year for Asian Americans, and as the fastest growing community in the country, we need to make sure our heritage, culture and traditions are treated with the same respect and reverence as any other American holiday. Declaring Lunar New Year a State holiday is an important step in the recognition and validation of Asian Americans not just here in New York State, but throughout the country. Many thanks to Governor Hochul for making the signing of this legislation a priority."