27 Defendants Charged With Federal Crimes Targeting The United States Postal Service

 

Multi-Agency Initiative Increased Federal Enforcement Against Perpetrators of Mail-Related Robberies, Frauds, and Thefts

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Daniel B. Brubaker, the Inspector in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ROBERT DIAZ with robbing two United States Postal Service (“USPS”) carriers of postal keys and, along with Matthew Modafferi, the Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of the USPS, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”), James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), also announced that 26 additional defendants have been charged in the past six months with federal crimes targeting the USPS and involving property stolen from the USPS as part of a multi-agency initiative to increase federal enforcement against perpetrators of mail-related robberies, frauds, and thefts. 

 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “My Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the safety of USPS employees and the integrity of the United States mail.  The indictment against Robert Diaz and the many others who have been charged with mail-related crimes over the past several months should send a clear message that criminally targeting the U.S. mail is a serious federal offense and will not be tolerated.” 

USPIS Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “As Postal Inspectors our primary mission is the protection of our people, the postal employees who serve the public dutifully each day.  We will bring a laser-sharp focus to any investigation of violent criminals and individuals who target our employees, and whose members by doing so seek to steal from the public.  The charges against these individuals prove the resolve of Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners to pursue these organizations with every resource at our disposal, and to ultimately see that justice is served.”    

USPS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi said: “We appreciate the outstanding effort by both our Law Enforcement partners and the Department of Justice.  The vast majority of Postal Service employees are honest, hardworking individuals who would not violate the public’s trust in this manner.  An employee who decides otherwise, however, will be aggressively investigated by OIG Special Agents.  These cases serve as an excellent example of the successful collaboration between the USPS OIG, our federal and state law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue and prosecute Postal Service employees and their co-conspirators involved in criminal activity.”

FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: "The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that the United States Postal Service is not targeted for nefarious activity by criminal actors.”

NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “The charges announced today allege crimes that targeted and, in some cases, betrayed our mail delivery system to prey on innocent victims.  Fortunately, our NYPD investigators and law enforcement partners worked in tandem to disrupt this conduct and bring these defendants to justice.  We will continue to work hand-in-hand with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the USPS Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York to stamp out mail-related crimes and protect the integrity of a service relied upon by millions of New Yorkers.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment, Complaints, and other public filings:[1]

On June 28, 2022, and July 8, 2022, ROBERT DIAZ robbed postal carriers and stole arrow keys belonging to the USPS.  Today, an Indictment was unsealed charging DIAZ with two counts of robbery of a postal carrier and two counts of postal key theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

From January 19, 2022, through April 19, 2023, AUBREY FRAZER, an employee of the USPS, stole mail from a USPS facility in Manhattan.  He was charged on June 6, 2023, with mail theft by a postal service employee, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

From May through October 2022, ANDY ARIEL SANTANA cashed more than $100,000 of stolen and fraudulently altered postal money orders in the Bronx.  He was charged on August 14, 2023, with money order fraud and receipt of stolen mail, which carry a total maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

From October 24, 2022, through April 15, 2023, SHERROD MURPHY and RAYSHAWN NIBLACK participated in a mail theft scheme targeting relay and panel boxes in the Bronx.  They were charged on April 24, 2023, with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, which carries maximum sentence of five years in prison.

From January through August 2023, ERIC BROWN purchased stolen checks and other items worth more than $200,000 that had been unlawfully removed from the mail by a postal employee.  He was charged on September 28, 2023, with conspiracy to commit mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. 

On June 15, 2023, KHAYYAM ALEXANDER, SAHEED DUPREE, and DIAMANTE PERRY used a stolen postal key to steal mail from one or more collection boxes in the vicinity of 73rd Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan.  They were charged that same day with one count of conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

On June 21, 2023, JOSE MATOS possessed more than $60,000 of checks that were stolen from the United States mail and a distribution quantity of crack cocaine.  He was charged the following day with receipt of stolen mail and possession with intent to distribute narcotics, which carry a total maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

On June 26, 2023, LYDELL YANCEY possessed stolen mail and a stolen postal key and was apprehended after being near a collection box in the vicinity of 79th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan.  He was charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

On July 6, 2023, DEANDRE JACKSON, QUAMEL PIERCE, and RAHEEM WALLACE possessed stolen mail and a stolen postal key and were apprehended being near a collection box in the vicinity of York Avenue and 72nd Street in Manhattan.  They were charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

On July 10, 2023, MICHAEL EDWARDS and CARLOS MERCADO used a stolen postal key to steal mail in the vicinity of 74th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.  They were charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and MERCADO was also charged with attempted assault of an officer engaged in official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

On July 25, 2023, JONATHAN CARBUCCIA, JUAN CARBUCCIA, and MANUEL PEREZ stole mail from a collection box in the vicinity of 68th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan.  They were charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

On August 1 and 8, 2023, CHRISTIAN CEBOLLERO, an employee of the USPS, stole checks and other items from a USPS facility in Manhattan.  On August 8, 2023, he was charged with two counts of mail theft by a postal service employee, which carry a total maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

On August 14, 2023, EMMANUEL HERNANDEZ stole mail from a collection box in the vicinity of 79th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan.  He was charged that same day with one count of mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

On August 18, 2023, JOHN BURBANO used a stolen postal key to steal mail from collection boxes in the vicinity of 68th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan.  He was charged that same day with postal key theft and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

On August 23, 2023, JEREMY PINALES DIAZ stole mail from a collection box in the vicinity of 33rd Street and Madison Avenue.  He was charged that same day with mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

On September 18, 2023, JAYVAUGN VALENTINE and BRIAN GUTIERREZ used a stolen postal key to steal mail from a collection box in the vicinity of 68th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan.  They were charged the same day with conspiracy to commit postal key theft and mail theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

On September 26, 2023, DONTE GOULBOURNE and ARMANDO KENNETH BENIQUEZ were apprehended in the Bronx after they used a stolen postal key to steal mail.  They were charged that same day with conspiracy to commit mail theft and postal key theft, postal key theft, and mail theft, which carry a total maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the USPIS, USPS-OIG, FBI, NYPD, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. 

The cases are being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin M. Burkett, Katherine Cheng, Connie Dang, Lisa Daniels, Jackie Delligatti, Jerry J. Fang, Justin Horton, William Kinder, Henry Ross, Chelsea Scism, and Adam Sowlati are in charge of the prosecutions.

The charges contained in the Complaints and 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 Complaints and Indictment and the description of the Complaints and Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.                              

Three Individuals Convicted in $93M Home Health Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

 

A federal jury in Miami convicted a Florida man and woman for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud Medicare by billing over $93 million for home health therapy services that were never rendered.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Karel Felipe, 42, of Miami Shores, and Tamara Quicutis, 54, of Hialeah, conspired with others to submit false bills to Medicare for three home health companies located in Michigan. Their co-conspirators recruited individuals from Cuba to sign Medicare enrollment documents and appear as the owners of the home health agencies to conceal the identities of Felipe, Quicutis, and others involved in the scheme. Felipe, Quicutis, and their co-conspirators used these home health companies to submit claims for services that were not rendered using lists of stolen patient identities. Felipe, Quicutis, and their co-conspirators used hundreds of shell companies and bank accounts to launder the Medicare fraud proceeds and convert the proceeds into cash at Miami-area ATMs and check cashing stores.  

After the trial commenced, a third defendant, Jesus Trujillo, 52, of Miami, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and one count of conspiring to commit money laundering. Trujillo oversaw a group of people that recruited nominee owners for home health agencies and shell companies and converted Medicare fraud proceeds into cash.

The jury convicted Felipe and Quicutis of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. They are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 4, 2024, and they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each conspiracy charge. Trujillo is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 21 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office made the announcement.

The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Jamie de Boer, D. Keith Clouser, and Emily Gurskis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Governor Hochul Highlights Plan to Aggressively Expand New York’s Legal Cannabis Market and Crack Down on Illegal Sales

Applications to Legally Grow, Process, Distribute, and Sell Cannabis Are Now Open

Office of Cannabis Management Launching New Partnerships with Localities and Additional State Agencies to Significantly Increase Fines, Penalties, and Opportunities for Store Closures

Aggressive Enforcement Efforts Have Yielded More Than 8,500 Pounds of Illegal Product, Estimated Value More Than $42 Million

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the largest expansion of New York State’s legal cannabis market to date, with hundreds of licenses being made available to individuals and businesses interested in legally growing, processing, distributing, and selling cannabis. The application period is open as of today, October 4, and will remain so for two months. The Governor also announced the results of continued aggressive enforcement against the illegal sale of cannabis across the state undertaken by the Office of Cannabis Management and the Department of Taxation and Finance, which to date has yielded the seizure of more than 8,500 pounds of illicit product with an estimated street value of more than $42 million. She also announced new partnerships with localities that will enable them to pursue padlocking orders against businesses illegally selling cannabis from State courts, and a new multi-agency initiative to target illegal operators for labor violations, thus significantly increasing fines and penalties that businesses may face. New York’s legal cannabis market is now poised to be one of the largest in the world; one that will ultimately generate hundreds of millions in revenue annually, as well as create or sustain thousands of jobs across the state, all while prioritizing equity, promoting small business growth, ensuring product quality, and maintaining consumer safety.

"We know there's room for improvement as New York works to launch a brand-new cannabis industry and crack down on illicit operators, and I'm committed to working with all stakeholders to get the job done right," Governor Hochul said. "My Administration is laser-focused on shutting down illegal storefronts, protecting the health and safety of children, and helping small businesses thrive. We will continue working to build the most equitable adult-use cannabis industry in the nation that invests in communities and rights the wrongs of the past."

Chris Alexander, Executive Director of New York State Office of Cannabis Management said, “This is a significant moment for entrepreneurs who have been waiting for an opportunity to join this consequential market. We’re building the biggest and fairest cannabis market in the world, and the opening of a new application window means an expansion of opportunity. New York’s market is centered around equity, with the nation’s strongest anti-trust protections in place that ensures small operators will forever have a place in our cannabis industry. I appreciate Governor Kathy Hochul’s fierce commitment to anti-trust regulations in cannabis, and I’m eager to see what this new crop of entrepreneurs can do to transform cannabis in and out of New York.”

Largest Expansion of Legal Market to Date

Read the Application Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions here.

Starting today, October 4, 2023, and lasting through December 4, 2023, all eligible applicants will be able to apply for licenses for cultivation, processing, distribution, sale, or to operate a microbusiness. This will be a significant expansion of the existing market that is being expanded in phases to ensure that New York’s cannabis market grows in a stable way, avoiding the price shocks and collapses seen in other states that have resulted in the failure of small businesses and significant contractions in overall market value.

OCM and the CCB will accept applications for review and will begin awarding licenses for cultivators, processors, distributors, microbusinesses, and retail dispensaries in early 2024. During this application window, currently operational Adult-Use Conditional Cultivators and Conditional Processors will also be able to apply to transition to full, non-conditional licenses. Entrepreneurs seeking to apply for licenses will be able to file their applications through the New York Business Express (NYBE) platform, accessible here.

The regulations governing all categories of licenses were approved by the CCB on September 12. These regulations create a framework for an equitable and sustainable cannabis industry grounded in public health best practices, including keeping cannabis products out of the hands of youth, establishing product quality and safety guidelines, outlining employee training standards, and defining business security requirements to protect public safety. These regulations also incentivize sustainable cannabis operations by prioritizing energy and resource efficiency and protecting against wasteful business practices. Critically, these regulations maintain the equity goals laid out in New York’s Cannabis Law and the Marihuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA). The finalized regulations are the result of significant public feedback, with OCM and the CCB receiving more than 4,000 comments between December 2022 and July 2023.

The CCB anticipates issuing a significant amount of retail licenses are adopting an approach that has the ultimate goal to ensure that New Yorkers have access to as many locations as possible to legally buy cannabis as quickly as possible. Owing to the constantly shifting nature of the retail environment and because the process of opening a storefront is both resource-intensive and lengthy, the number of retail licenses initially issued will likely be larger than the number of stores that are anticipated to open in this first phase. This approach is designed to guard against market volatility, help small businesses enter the market, and expand consumer access.

Aggressive Crackdown on Illegal Operators: Results to Date and New Partnerships

Governor Hochul announced today the results of the last four months of aggressive enforcement against unlicensed cannabis businesses undertaken by OCM and DTF, which were granted new powers only in May of this year under a new law championed by the Governor. By taking decisive action against unlicensed cannabis businesses, New York State is making a significant stride toward cracking down on unlawful cannabis operations that jeopardize public safety, consumer well-being, and the integrity of New York State's legal cannabis market.

Since June 7, OCM and DTF have conducted 246 inspections across the state, and have seized more than 8,500 pounds of illegal cannabis products, which have an estimated street value of more than $42 million. The Governor also announced today the results of concentrated enforcement actions on the West Side of Manhattan and in Downtown Brooklyn, two areas of New York City with a proliferation of illegal cannabis shops. These actions, which took place just in the last two days, resulted in the seizure of nearly 150 pounds of product worth close to $600,000.

Businesses found to be illegally selling cannabis have been issued Notices of Violation and have also had Orders to Cease Unlicensed Activity affixed to the outside of the doors. Those businesses must now appear at an administrative hearing, where the final fines and penalties they will face will be determined. Fines for the illegal sale of cannabis start at $10,000 per day and can rise up to $20,000 per day for the most egregious conduct. An additional fine of $5,000 can be levied for removal of the Order, and the inspected businesses may also be subject to additional violations and penalties under the Tax Law. Additional fines may be assessed. The enforcement legislation passed in May also authorized OCM to seek a State court order to ultimately padlock businesses found to be in repeated violation of the law. In addition, the law makes it a crime to sell cannabis and cannabis products without a license.

To bring many levels of government together to combat the illicit sale of cannabis, Governor Hochul announced today new partnerships between OCM and the Attorney General’s Office through which municipalities across the state can receive training on how to utilize a particular provision -- Section16-A -- of the new enforcement law signed by Governor Hochul in May to pursue padlocking orders in State Court. 16-A authorizes local governments, including county attorneys, to pursue padlocking orders based on inspections conducted by OCM and DTF without OCM having to petition the court for such an order against a business found to be engaged in egregious conduct. This authority significantly augments the ability for different levels of government to work together to shut down illegal cannabis operators.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said, "Expanding the number of cannabis licenses while simultaneously taking action against unlicensed sellers is a common sense way to support small businesses and incentivize entrepreneurs to legally enter the marketplace. My office worked closely with the Office of Cannabis Management and Governor Hochul to shut down unlicensed dispensaries, and we will continue to coordinate with our partners in government to ensure New York's cannabis laws are upheld. By holding unlicensed cannabis sellers accountable, my office is helping ensure New York can realize the intended purpose of MRTA, namely to remediate some of the societal harm caused by the so-called war on drugs.”

Governor Hochul also highlighted the recent success by the City of Syracuse to leverage OCM and DTF inspections conducted against illegal operators together with the application of the State Property Maintenance Code to pursue closures of buildings the City deemed unfit or unlawful under the Code, another example of how municipalities can play an active role in combating the illicit market.

In addition to these new partnerships with localities, the Governor announced that several additional State agencies will now be bringing the weight of their business enforcement powers to bear as part of the State’s creative and aggressive approach to combating the illicit market. The Department of Labor and the Workers Compensation Board will join these efforts to ensure businesses suspected of selling cannabis without a license are compliant with New York State labor and workers compensation laws:

Building the Nation’s Most Equitable Cannabis Market: Protecting Independent Operators and Small Businesses

New York’s cannabis market has some of the strongest protections for a sustainable and competitive market in the nation. The approach is designed to prevent market monopolization by large corporations and to ensure that small businesses have real opportunity to compete and thrive in New York’s cannabis market. The MRTA established a “two-tier” system, which prevents licensees on the supply side of the market from having more than a minimal financial interest in businesses on the retail side of the market.

To ensure transparency, accountability, and regulatory compliance, OCM will implement a robust system for tracking the ownership and financial interests of cannabis license applicants and owners. This includes the requirement for applicants to list their “True Parties of Interest” (TPI), which will enable OCM to assess ownership stakes of individuals and businesses operational in one tier of the market across the other tier. This critical information will serve a vital function in upholding the integrity of New York’s two-tier market and the viability of small businesses to compete across the supply and retail sides of the market.

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Bond Calendar for Fourth Quarter

 

Tentative Schedule Includes $9.11 Billion of New Money and Refunding Debt Sales

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced a tentative schedule of planned bond sales for New York state, New York City and their major public authorities during the fourth quarter of 2023.

The planned sales of $9.11 billion include $6.43 billion of new money and $2.68 billion of refundings as follows:

• $7.60 billion scheduled for October, $5.74 billion of which is for new money purposes and $1.86 billion of which is for refunding purposes;
• $125 million scheduled for November, all of which is for new money purposes; and
• $1.38 billion scheduled for December, $560 million of which is for new money purposes and $820 million of which is for refunding purposes.

The anticipated sales in the fourth quarter compare to past planned sales of $3.38 billion during the third quarter of 2023, and $5.65 billion during the fourth quarter of 2022.

The State Comptroller’s Office chairs the Securities Coordinating Committee, which was created by Gubernatorial Executive Order primarily to coordinate the borrowing activities of the State, New York City, and their respective public authorities.  All borrowings are scheduled at the request of the issuer and done pursuant to their borrowing programs.

A new schedule is released every quarter and updated as necessary. The schedule is released by the committee to assist participants in the municipal bond market. It is contingent upon execution of all project approvals required by law. The collection and release of this information by the Office of the State Comptroller is not intended as an endorsement of the proposed issuances it contains.

The prospective fourth quarter calendar includes anticipated bond sales by the following issuers: the City of New York, the Empire State Development Corporation, the Environmental Facilities Corporation, the New York City Housing Development Corporation, the New York City Transitional Finance Authority, the New York Power Authority, the New York State Housing Finance Agency, the New York State Thruway Authority, the New York Transportation Development Corporation, the State of New York Mortgage Agency, the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority and the Utility Debt Securitization Authority.

Calendar:

Securities Coordinating Committee (SCC) Forward Issuance Bond Calendar

NEW YORK STATE AWARDS CONTRACT TO EVALUATE ASSISTED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAM

Office of Mental Health Awards $1 million Contract to Human Services Research Institute to Review the Program Established by Kendra’s Law Independent Evaluation is Part of the Law’s Five-Year Renewal

The New York State Office of Mental Health has awarded $1 million to the Human Services Research Institute to conduct an extensive two-year review of its Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program, which was created following the passage of Kendra’s Law in 1999. The agency was tasked with conducting an independent evaluation as part of the five-year renewal of the law that was approved in the FY 2023 State Budget.

“We always need to evaluate the impact of the mental health programs we oversee,” Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “This evaluation will help us to better understand the effectiveness of assisted outpatient treatment in helping individuals in their recovery and in ensuring they have the necessary treatment and services to live successfully in their community.”

Starting in January 2024, Human Services Research Institute will design and develop the evaluation, collect, and analyze data, and submit a final report within two years.  The evaluation will compare the treatment and health outcomes for individuals who have received court ordered community-based services with the treatment of those who receive a comprehensive package of voluntary services. 

Court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment was implemented in New York State in 1999, with the goal of ensuring individuals with mental illness and a history of hospitalizations or violence get assistance while living in the community, even if they have previously been unwilling to engage in treatment. This program allows judges to order individuals to comply with treatment while also requiring the state and localities to ensure treatment and services outlined in a court-ordered treatment plan are adequately provided.

Local county governments and New York City are responsible for operating and supervising these programs, with their mental health directors investigating reports of individuals in need of assisted outpatient treatment, file petitions, and coordinating the delivery of court-ordered services. Program coordinators at each of OMH’s five field offices work with these local directors to monitor the program and the care they provided.

More than 20,000 unduplicated orders for assisted outpatient treatment have been issued statewide since November 1999. Counties have conducted more than 46,000 investigations to determine whether individuals met the statutory criteria for the program, and have filed more than 32,500 petitions, with about 95 percent of them ultimately being granted by the court.

Kendra's Law was established in memory of Kendra Webdale, a young woman who died after being pushed in front of a subway train in New York City in January 1999. The man who pushed her had a history of mental illness and hospitalizations but was not receiving treatment at that time.

“We view the use of involuntary treatment orders as an infringement on people’s rights and, accordingly, expect the study to investigate whether a full array of proven voluntary and culturally responsive approaches is alternatively offered as a first resort, in compliance with Kendra’s Law,” New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services CEO Harvey Rosenthal said. “This study must investigate whether state and local governments and inpatient and outpatient providers are sufficiently funding and providing enhanced services of this kind, including peer outreach, respite and first responder programs.”

The program has been reviewed several times over the past two decades, with reports being issued in 2005 and 2009. The latest study found that the program and increased services improved a range of important outcomes for its recipients.

To develop the framework for the evaluation, OMH’s Office of Advocacy and Peer Support Services conducted a series of focus groups earlier this year that were led by Upstate Bureau Director Regina Shoen, an individual with lived experience with the program. These focus groups gathered insight from individuals and families with personal experience, in addition to advocates and service providers.

“We were pleased to have worked with the community to ensure the perspective of individuals with lived experience in assisted outpatient treatment were central to the design and implementation of this important study,” Chief Advocacy Officer Amanda Saake said. “We take great pride in ensuring that the voices of the people involved with and impacted by this program and will continue to drive this process.”

MAYOR ADAMS CONCLUDES TWO-DAY SUMMIT ON FENTANYL CRISIS IN AMERICA

 

Two-Day Summit With Local Leaders From Across Country Worked Towards National Strategy To Combat Fentanyl Overdoses Through Education, Enforcement, Prevention, and Treatment 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today marked the conclusion of a two-day summit on the fentanyl crisis in America that brought elected leaders, public health officials, and law enforcement professionals from across the country to New York City to work towards a national strategy to combat fentanyl overdoses. The summit was held yesterday and included representatives from major cities across the nation, including Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; New Orleans, LA; and more, and included strategy sessions focused on education, enforcement, awareness, prevention, and treatment.  

  

“The national fentanyl crisis has taken far too many New Yorkers and Americans far too soon — including one-year-old Nicholas Dominici last month. But, as we are alarmed by the dangers of this drug, this group of local leaders is not going to sit back and let what happened to prior generations happen to our babies and families,” said Mayor Adams. “I am grateful to everyone who traveled across the country to share the best practices and creative ideas we’ll need to tackle this urgent epidemic. Together, we can work towards a day when we can stop the flow of fentanyl into our cities, hold bad actors accountable, and protect New Yorkers and all Americans from this dangerous drug so no family needs to be devastated by this poison again.” 

  

“Throughout the last two days, leaders from across New York City and key cities across the country came together to discuss the opioid crisis,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Opioids claim the lives of thousands here in the city and tens of thousands across the country every year, and this summit provided an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from intervention models across municipalities, and help build a strategy to tackle one of the most important public health and public safety issues of our time. Ultimately, the summit is a meeting full of hope for what is possible, as we build out interventions that we know work and that have helped us slow the pace of overdoses.” 

  

“Behind every statistic, every policy, and every solution we discussed over the past two days, there are real lives at stake,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III. “We had cities here from across the country reeling from the same devastating impacts that we’re feeling here but who are taking different approaches than we are to address it, so this conversation was extremely valuable. A crisis of this magnitude cannot be solved overnight, and we look forward to continuing this work together.” 

  

“The fentanyl crisis has cut across a wide swath of our nation, affecting people from all walks of life in every neighborhood,” said New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “To combat this scourge locally, the NYPD and our law enforcement partners are relentless in our efforts to shut down illegal narcotics manufacturers and suppliers, to hold those involved in drug operations fully accountable, and, ultimately, to save lives. The ideas discussed at this valuable summit can surely help form the basis for a national strategy that keeps all Americans safe.” 

  

“This is a crisis that demands imagination, ingenuity, and intentional strategy and partnerships,” said New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “By bringing together leaders from across the nation, we can share information about what New York City can teach as well as learn. By bringing together public health and public safety officials, Mayor Adams demonstrates the need to address downstream treatment, harm reduction, and overdose prevention, while cutting off upstream supply. Overdose affects all of us — in our respective cities, as well as our personal lives. We can and must do everything in our power to save lives, and cities will lead the way.” 

  

“As the largest municipal hospital system, we are on the front lines of this crisis every day,” said NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “We are engaging people wherever they are touching our system — in our hospital settings such as the emergency departments, in the community, or on the street through our Street Health Outreach and Wellness vans. Our goal is to get patients connected to care wherever they are most comfortable. I want to thank Mayor Adams for his commitment to this issue as we address this together with our city partners.” 

  

“Stationed at the intersection of public health and safety, our office recognizes that collaboration and innovation are needed to solve the fentanyl crisis ravaging communities across the country,” said New York City Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jason Graham. “The fentanyl summit convened by Mayor Adams presents a powerful opportunity to work with our colleagues across jurisdictions and disciplines on meaningful strategies to end overdoses and save lives.” 

  

“The fentanyl crisis in our cities demands sustained, long-term strategies that tackle the problem at its root,” said Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice Director Deanna Logan. “Mayor Adams’ leadership has brought together jurisdictions across the country to share the law enforcement and public health best practices and innovative strategies that save lives. I look forward to continued partnership with our fellow cities as we confront this crisis.” 

  

At this week’s summit, health care professionals, elected leaders, and law enforcement officials from across the country shared best practices on education and prevention strategies, treatment, harm reduction, law enforcement, funding strategies, and legislative action. Practitioners discussed innovative strategies for tackling the dire circumstances surrounding the fentanyl crisis and developing and implementing effective cross-sector approaches to the fentanyl emergency. 

  

Topics specifically included harm reduction programs that are designed to lead to less risky activity and better health outcomes, engagement with community members and law enforcement, recovery strategies directed at young people, and the combination of law enforcement and public health strategies to reduce overdose deaths.  

  

At the conclusion of the summit, participants agreed on several action items to guide the development of a national strategy to address the ongoing fentanyl crisis: 

•   Formalizing a multi-city task force that will pilot innovative strategies; 
•   Drafting a white paper outlining national best practices and opportunities; 
•   Enhance data-sharing on a national level to ensure accurate and timely coordination around lab and overdose data, including neighborhood-level data; 
•   Defining terms for cities across the nation to reduce the stigma around addiction and substance abuse and standardize communication among policymakers, public health professionals, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders; 
•   Increasing collaboration and communication among key public health and public safety stakeholders in municipalities across the country; and 
•   Identifying city, state, and national funding and legislative needs to prevent overdose deaths and save lives. 

  

The summit included New York City officials on the front lines of this crisis including DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Vasan, H+H CEO Dr. Katz, and Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Graham, who opened the summit with a panel conversation on the prevention of overdoses and overdose deaths. New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan discussed her office’s efforts to combat fentanyl from a law enforcement perspective. The summit concluded with consideration of steps to advance the most effective strategies for tackling the fentanyl crisis. 

  

In addition to members of the Adams administration, the summit included representatives from Los Angeles County, CA; Philadelphia, PA; New Orleans, LA; Dallas and Laredo, TX; New Haven, CT; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York division. New York City district attorneys were also represented, including Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark and Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon. 

  

Fentanyl is now the most common drug involved in overdose deaths in New York City, including the death of a one-year-old Nicholas Dominici in the Bronx last month. Drug overdoses killed 2,668 individuals in New York City in 2021 — a 78 percent increase since 2019 — with fentanyl detected in 80 percent of those deaths. 

  

“The New York City Mayoral Fentanyl Summit focused on two of the most urgent public safety and health threats in our city,” said Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “Fentanyl and other dangerous synthetic drugs are taking too many lives too soon and the DEA New York Division embraced the opportunity to participate in this important event to collaborate with representatives from New York public health, law enforcement, educators, first responders, and drug prevention and treatment specialists.  The DEA commends Mayor Adams and his team for their hard work throughout this summit and continued focus on saving lives from fentanyl poisonings.”     

  

“The overdose crisis continues to cause immeasurable, irrevocable harm to our communities – both in Philadelphia and nationally,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “While cities strive to make progress on many fronts, more work is needed to stay ahead of this evolving, deadly crisis. The rise in fatal overdoses and rapidly emerging racial disparities require our cities to pivot in our overdose response. We need new tools, new awareness, and new information to stay ahead of this fast-evolving crisis, and we are grateful to the City of New York for convening us to amplify and accelerate this work.” 

  

“We know opioid abuse is a relentless battle in the City of Yonkers and in cities across the country,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “Thank you to Mayor Adams and his administration for leading the charge in uniting our cities to strategize against this nationwide crisis. The City of Yonkers looks forward to continued collaboration with our partners to help improve the quality of life for our residents and their families.” 

  

“We know that harm reduction saves lives and in Washington DC we are keenly aware that interventions across the harm reduction spectrum are vital in reducing and preventing fatalities from opioid overdoses,” said Washington, D.C. Interim Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Ciana Creighton. “The double endemic and pandemic of fentanyl and COVID-19 created new challenges that we believe we can overcome with the right approach.” 

  

“I just attended a national fentanyl summit in New York City called by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, to talk with and learn from my colleagues around the county about ways to address this horrible drug called fentanyl,” said Louisville Deputy Mayor for Emergency Services David James. “I want to thank Mayor Adams for organizing this very important summit and thank Mayor Greenberg for sending me.” 

  

“Mayor Adams’ fentanyl summit affirmed what we’ve seen in Dallas — this is a national public health crisis,” said Dallas City Councilmember Adam Bazaldua, co-chair, City of Dallas Opioid Response Strike Force. “Bringing everyone together is the only way to move forward effectively. Breaking down silos not only affords us the opportunity to learn best practices, but also helps streamline consistency in our efforts to combat this epidemic. I look forward to hosting our peer cities in Dallas in January.” 

  

“The summit was a phenomenal opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the country to learn more about best practices and have the space to brainstorm common solutions to a very complex issue,” said Carlos Sosa-Lombardo, executive director, New Haven Department of Community Resilience. 

Laborers Recruit Apprentices

 

The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) for Construction and General Building Laborers, Local Union #79, will conduct a limited recruitment November 3, 2023 to November 16, 2023 for 200 Skilled Construction Craft Laborer apprentices, the New York State Department of Labor announced today.

The recruitment for JATC for Construction and General Building Laborers, Local Union #79 will be offered online from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., during the recruitment period (11/3, 11/6, 11/7, 11/8, 11/9, 11/10, 11/13, 11/14, 11/15 and 11/16/2023), excluding legal holidays. This is a limited-application recruitment. Only 2,000 applications will be distributed, on a first-come, first-serve basis. The recruitment will be offered for 10 business days or until 2,000 applications have been issued, whichever comes first. Applicants who do not have internet access may visit their local library or visit local New York State Department of Labor Career Center (see: dol.ny.gov/career-centers).

All applications must be received no later than November 17, 2023.

The Committee requires that applicants:

• Must be at least 18 years old (at the start of the program).
• Must have a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma (such as TASC or GED).
• Must attest that they are physically able to perform the work required of a skilled construction craft laborer, which may include:
• Working at heights.
• Working in confined spaces.
• Working in extreme temperatures, both indoors and outdoors.
• Lifting and carrying 94 pounds of material for a distance of 30 feet and stacking it to a height of approximately 54 inches.
• Using a shovel to load approximately half of a cubic yard of sand into a wheelbarrow, wheeling it 100 feet, and depositing it into a sand container.
• Must pass a drug screening, at the applicant’s expense, after acceptance into the apprenticeship program.

Application Instructions:

• Go to http://www.mttf.org.
• Follow the links for Local Union #79.
• You will see directions on how to complete your request for an application.
• Fill out the required fields. Do not add any information outside of the fields.
• Applicants may only apply once during the recruitment period.
• Once your request has been completed and accepted, you will receive a confirmation email.
• Applicants who received a confirmation email will receive an application in a separate email.
• The first 2,000 applicants, who are placed into the pool of applicants, will receive an application in a separate email.
• Download, print, complete, sign and return the application.
• Applications must be returned, in person, within 10 business days from the date the application was requested to Construction & Building Laborers Local #79, 42-53 21st Street, Long Island City, NY 11101, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (excluding lunch hour 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.), excluding legal holidays, on the following dates: November 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 2023. All applications must be received no later than November 17, 2023.
• Applicants who do not come in with a competed application will be considered to have voluntarily removed themselves from the pool of applicants.
• Everyone who successfully applies will receive a date and time for an interview on the day they drop off their completed application.

Please understand that if a greater number of applicants apply than Local # 79 can accept into their pool of candidates, some applicants may not get through this time. However, Local #79 hopes that work will be plentiful, and another recruitment can be held in the near future.

For further information, applicants should contact JATC for Construction and General Building Laborers, Local Union #79 at (718) 383-6863. Additional job search assistance can be obtained at your local New York State Department of Labor Career Center (see: dol.ny.gov/career-centers).

Apprentice programs registered with the Department of Labor must meet standards established by the Commissioner. Under state law, sponsors of programs cannot discriminate against applicants because of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, or marital status. Women and minorities are encouraged to submit applications for apprenticeship programs. Sponsors of programs are required to adopt affirmative action plans for the recruitment of women and minorities.