Mayor Adams Hosts Community Conversation in Morris Park

 

Mayor Adams Hosts Community Conversation in Morris Park

By Robert Press

Commissioner Fred Kreizman of the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit opened the meeting by introducing himself and thanking the High School for Visual Arts Principal Dr. Iris Weitherspoon for the use of the school. He then mentioned that staff from the mayor's office were at each table for the past hour to facilitate discussion, to come to a consensus on what question to ask the mayor from each table. 

The elected officials Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato, Assemblyman John Zaccaro, and Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, along with Deputy Mayors,  Commissioners or Agency heads who were present were announced, before Mayor Eric Adams was introduced. The elected officials led by Borough President Gibson spoke and then Mayor Adam took control of the meeting.   

Mayor Adams thanked everyone who came out, and then reminded everyone that he was a police officer for twenty-two years, that he inherited a city that had a forty percent rise in crime, COVID was everywhere, students were not being educated, and continued with many other items that were leading to a decline in New York City. He then said in just two years Unemployment, crime, homicides, and shootings are down, while tourism and subway ridership are up. seventeen thousand illegal guns and forty thousand mopeds have been taken off the streets. As for the migrant situation Mayor Adams said that he can't stop the buses from coming, and taking care of the migrants has cost the city five billion dollars. He added that we can't even give them jobs to clean graffiti or the streets because that is against federal laws. He added that you don't see encampments like you see in other cities.   

Mayor Adams then called on Dr. Mitchell Katz to tell the audience about the Just Home project at Jacobi Hospital. In Dr. Katz's words he mentioned housing projects at other city hospitals like a nurse residency in Queens and a new building in Brooklyn with Comunilife for supportive housing. (In fact checking Dr. Katz's statement Woodhull Hospital is building a ninety-three unit building on hospital property at 171 Throop Avenue as Phase Two, that will have fifty-six units of supportive housing for patients of NYC Health and Hospital who are experiencing homelessness, and they will receive services from Comunilife and health care from Woodhull Hospital. The remaining apartments comprise twenty-one affordable homes for extremely low-income seniors, fifteen affordable homes for low-income New Yorkers and one super's unit according to a HHC press release for Woodhull Hospital dated April 27, 2023. Phase One was built in 2019 with eighty-nine units of affordable and supportive housing on the WoodHull campus at 179 Throop Avenue. After the meeting I was able to ask Dr. Katz if there would be any further buildings on the Jacobi Campus, to which he refused to answer.)  

Dr. Katz went on to say that for Just Home at Jacobi the City Council had given HHC one million dollars to develop a project specifically at the Jacobi campus in order to care for people coming out of Rikers Island especially people who are older and had medical problems. The land that we have is the land we have. It's not as if I could look where else this could go. I looked here because it was already on Jacobi, and we felt that this was a great synergy because these people are going to need medical care. Here they are on a campus where we can deliver medical care. This is a project very similar to the project that is in Harlem. This is not the first time New York City has had a supportive housing project for people with justice involvement who have come out of Rikers. It had been called an experiment when it was brought to the people around the Jacobi campus that had never been done before.

Mayor Adams and Dr. Katz went back and forth on items such as how many units were at the Jacobi project. Dr. Katz said he didn't know, but Commissioner Kreizman said 58 supportive units, 25 affordable units to 60 percent AMI, to which Dr. Katz said the affordable units are a nice model to mention. Then it went, Mayor Adams: So it's not 100 percent of those who are reentering. Dr. Katz: That is correct. Mayor Adams: Part of it is for affordable housing. Dr. Katz: Correct. Mayor Adams: Okay. Think about this for a moment. The hardest placement we have in the city is for single adult males. No one raised their hands and said, hey, Eric, bring them here. No one. We're required to house them. When you have a program like this where 25 of the units are affordable, 50-some of them are returning medically with medical issues, that's a balance. 

The questions then started with one resident saying during a meeting at Jacobi Dr. Katz had his head down on his phone almost the entire meeting, she went on to say that the local elected officials are against the Just Home project and that her backyard is Jacobi Hospital. She added that it is not people coming out of Rikers, but pre-trial detainees, and another resident outside the Jacobi fence on Seminole Avenue continued that the community does not want people currently detained in Rikers Island placed in Jacobi Hospital free to go anywhere in the community not knowing what crimes they are accused of with only a security guard to watch as they come and go. Councilwoman Marmorato then showed a petition she said had three thousand signatures on it from residents against placing Rikers Island inmates at Jacobi Hospital. She added that there are four homeless shelters in the vicinity of Jacobi Hospital which would be the fifth in the middle of the metro north rezoning that is to bring 7,500 new units of affordable housing. Mayor Adams asked for clarification on the homeless shelters, and a representative from the Human Resources Administration said he knows of two single men's shelters with a capacity of two hundred men each. Councilwoman Marmorato said the other two were a two hundred bed facility just built on Stillwell Avenue right next to the new Morris Park station, and another on Jarret Place in the rezoning area.

Mayor Adams then went to other tables to hear other problems such as a rat problem in a residence that he asked his Rat Czar to handle after the meeting, problems of car break ins and items such as wheels and mirrors being stolen, which the new captain of the 49th precinct addressed. The old infrastructure of the area and flooding that now occurs when it rains. After the City Planning commissioner spoke about the new buildings the commissioner from the Department of Environmental Protection said that he and the councilwoman who is on the City Council Environmental Committee had just done a walkthrough of the area where the flooding has occurred. He said more catch basins are needed. To a question of illegal vendors and smoke shops on White Plains Road Captain Theanthong commanding officer of the 49th Precinct said that officers were moved to different shifts to handle other crime issues that were mentioned before, and he has asked for traffic agents to ticket double parked cars to open the street up. As for the smoke shops he said one was just closed and he is looking into the selling of cannabis on the street and how to handle it from the legal department.

Other questions were about the misnomer as Mayor Adams called it that migrants are getting what regular city residents can't get, another question was if the AMI for affordable housing which is too high for residents of the Bronx to afford, where Mayor Adams said he wants affordable housing for his city workers who can not find housing in the city. The last two questions were of a new extension to a local school that the community wants to go to the eighth grade saying there are not enough middle school seats in the area. That will have to be brought up with the superintendent who was not at the meeting, and the last question was on the gang member database the city council wants to disband, which the mayor said to write to the chair of the Public Safety committee and council members who are on that committee. The mayor stayed briefly to talk to some area residents continuing on the Just Home project until the mayor was whisked away by staff.

People were seated at tables like this in the Gym of the high school with a staffer from the mayor's office and a member of the Community Affairs police department. Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato listens as people are talking.

The elected officials seated up front (R - L) Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, Bronx DA Darcel Clark, Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato, Assemblyman John Zaccaro, and Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar.

Mayor Adams came out from behind the table to walk among the people. In the background Dr. Mitchell Katz is on his cellphone.

Captain Theanthong, commanding officer of the 49th Precinct answers the question of crime in the precinct area.

North Korean Government Hacker Charged for Involvement in Ransomware Attacks Targeting U.S. Hospitals and Health Care Providers

 

Hacking Group Known as “Andariel” Used Ransom Proceeds to Fund Theft of Sensitive Information from Defense and Technology Organizations Worldwide, Including U.S. Government Agencies

A grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment on Wednesday charging North Korean national Rim Jong Hyok for his involvement in a conspiracy to hack and extort U.S. hospitals and other health care providers, launder the ransom proceeds, and then use these proceeds to fund additional computer intrusions into defense, technology, and government entities worldwide. Their ransomware attacks prevented victim health care providers from providing full and timely care to patients.

“Two years ago, the Justice Department disrupted the North Korean group using Maui ransomware to hold hostage U.S. hospitals and health care providers,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s criminal charges against one of those alleged North Korean operatives demonstrates that we will be relentless against malicious cyber actors targeting our critical infrastructure. This latest action, in collaboration with our partners in the U.S. and overseas, makes clear that we will continue to deploy all the tools at our disposal to disrupt ransomware attacks, hold those responsible to account, and place victims first.”

“Rim Jong Hyok and his co-conspirators deployed ransomware to extort U.S. hospitals and health care companies, then laundered the proceeds to help fund North Korea’s illicit activities,” said Deputy Director Paul Abbate of the FBI. “These unacceptable and unlawful actions placed innocent lives at risk. The FBI and our partners will leverage every tool available to neutralize criminal actors and protect American citizens.”

“North Korean hackers developed custom tools to target and extort U.S. health care providers and used their ill-gotten gains to fund a spree of hacks into government, technology, and defense entities worldwide, all while laundering money through China,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The indictment, seizures, and other actions announced today demonstrate the Department’s resolve to hold these malicious actors accountable, impose costs on the North Korean cyber program, and help innocent network owners recover their losses and defend themselves.”

“Today’s indictment underscores our commitment to protecting critical infrastructure from malicious actors and the countries that sponsor them,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas. “Rim Jong Hyok and those in his trade put people’s lives in jeopardy. They imperil timely, effective treatment for patients and cost hospitals billions of dollars a year. The Justice Department will continue to disrupt nation-state actors and ensure that American systems are protected in the District of Kansas and across our nation.”

“The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to root out malicious actors who seek to degrade the Department of the Air Force’s ability to protect the nation,” said Commander Brigadier General Amy S. Bumgarner of OSI. “Multiple OSI units, including one of our newly established National Security Detachments, which were established to provide counterintelligence, law enforcement and analytical support to protect technology at the earliest stages of advanced research and development, provided support to this investigation.”

“While North Korea uses these types of cybercrimes to circumvent international sanctions and fund its political and military ambitions, the impact of these wanton acts have a direct impact on the citizens of Kansas,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “These actions keep our families from getting the health care they need, slowing the response of our first responders, endangering our critical infrastructure and, ultimately, costing Kansans through ransoms paid, lost productivity, and money spent to rebuild our networks following cyber attacks. Today’s charges prove these cyber actors cannot act with impunity and that malicious actions against the citizens of Kansas and the rest of the United States have severe consequences.”

“The indictment of individuals responsible for breaching U.S. government systems, regardless of their location, demonstrates the dedication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA-OIG), the Justice Department, and our law enforcement partners to relentlessly investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable those who believe they can operate in the shadows,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Robert Steinau of NASA-OIG.

According to court documents, Rim and his co-conspirators worked for North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau, a military intelligence agency, and are known to the private sector as “Andariel,” “Onyx Sleet,” and “APT45.” Rim and his co-conspirators laundered ransom payments through China-based facilitators and used these proceeds to purchase internet infrastructure, which the co-conspirators then used to hack and exfiltrate sensitive defense and technology information from entities across the globe. Victims of this further hacking include two U.S. Air Force bases, NASA-OIG, and entities located in Taiwan, South Korea, and China. Related Andariel activity has been the subject of private sector reporting, and a cybersecurity advisory with updated technical indicators of compromise  was published by the FBI, the National Security Agency, U.S. Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Defense’s Cyber Crime Center, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Administration, and South Korean and United Kingdom partners today.

The Justice Department and the FBI are also announcing the interdiction of approximately $114,000 in virtual currency proceeds of ransomware attacks and related money laundering transactions, as well as the seizure of online accounts used by co-conspirators to carry out their malicious cyber activity. The FBI previously seized approximately $500,000 in virtual currency proceeds of ransomware attacks and related money laundering transactions. In addition to these actions, the Department of State announced today a reward offer of up to $10 million for information  leading to the location or identification of Rim. The State Department’s Rewards for Justice program has a standing reward offer for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, while acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government, engages in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

Private sector partners are also taking other voluntary actions to limit the spread of Andariel-created malware. In partnership with the Department, Microsoft developed and implemented technical measures to block Andariel actors  from accessing victims’ computer networks. Additionally, Mandiant is publishing research today that highlights its unique insights into Andariel’s tactics, techniques, and procedures. These actions by Microsoft and Mandiant were a significant part of the overall effort to secure networks, and they will help cybersecurity practitioners prevent, identify, and mitigate attacks from Andariel actors.

Maui Ransomware and Money Laundering

As alleged in the indictment, Rim worked for North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB), a military intelligence agency, and participated in the conspiracy to target and hack computer networks of U.S. hospitals and other health care providers, encrypt their electronic files, extort a ransom payment from them, launder those payments, and use the laundered proceeds to hack targets of interest to the North Korean regime.

The Andariel actors used custom malware, developed by the RGB, known as “Maui.” After running the maui.exe program to encrypt a ransomware victim’s computer network, the North Korean co-conspirators would extort the organization by leaving a note with a cryptocurrency address for a ransom payment.

The Andariel actors received ransom payments in a virtual currency and then laundered the payments with the assistance of Hong Kong-based facilitators. In at least one case, these Hong Kong facilitators converted ransom funds from cryptocurrency to Chinese yuan. The yuan was then accessed from an ATM in China in the immediate vicinity of the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which connects Dandong, China, and Sinuiju, North Korea.

Exfiltration of Sensitive Data from Companies and Government Agencies

Rim and his co-conspirators used ransom proceeds to lease virtual private servers that were used to launch attacks against defense, technology, and other organizations, and to steal information from them. Victims of this further hacking included U.S. defense contractors, two U.S. Air Force bases, NASA-OIG, South Korean and Taiwanese defense contractors, and a Chinese energy company. The Andariel actors obtained initial access to victims’ networks by exploiting known vulnerabilities that had not been patched by the victims, including the widespread Log4Shell vulnerability. (Additional tactics, techniques, and procedures are available in the joint cybersecurity advisory  released today.) The Andariel actors stole terabytes of information, including unclassified U.S. government employee information, old technical information related to military aircraft, intellectual property, and limited technical information pertaining to maritime and uranium processing projects.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Huschka and Chris Oakley for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Neeraj Gupta and George Brown of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case.

The FBI continues to investigate Andariel’s hacking and money laundering activities. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, and NASA-OIG provided valuable assistance.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Attorney General James Announces Takedown of Gun and Drug Trafficking Ring Operating in New York City

 

13 Individuals Arrested for Roles in Multistate Operation that Sold Assault Weapons, Ghost Guns, and Cocaine

AG’s Investigation Recovered 74 Firearms, Including Assault Weapons and Ghost Guns

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the takedown of a multistate gun and drug trafficking network that sold assault weapons, ghost guns and other firearms, and cocaine in New York City. The takedown recovered 74 firearms, including nine assault-style rifles, eight assault-style pistols and four ghost guns, over 2,100 rounds of ammunition, and 500 grams of cocaine with a street value of $15,700. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) arrested 13 individuals and charged them with 358 crimes for their roles in trafficking these firearms and narcotics into New York City from New Jersey and Florida. 

“Assault weapons and ghost guns pose some of the greatest threats to our communities, and we will do everything possible to keep them out of New York,” said Attorney General James. “As a result of our investigation, we took dozens of dangerous and illegal guns and narcotics out of our communities and stopped this multistate crime operation from continuing to profit off violence. Protecting New Yorkers from gun violence is a joint effort, and I thank our partners in law enforcement for their commitment to public safety.”

The takedown was the result of a ten-month joint investigation led by OAG Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and the United States Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) New York Strike Force Group Z-13, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The investigation included physical and covert video surveillance, court-authorized wiretapping of cellphones, the analysis of electronic evidence, including cellphone communications, and other traditional investigative operations.

The investigation began in August 2023, focusing on Anthony Ortiz Vasquez, who sold illegal firearms, illegal rapid-fire modification devices that transform semiautomatic weapons into automatic weapons, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition. Wiretap evidence revealed a coordinated network of individuals around Ortiz Vasquez working together to buy, store, transport, and sell these firearms and accessories. 

The investigation revealed that Ortiz Vasquez bought firearms from Nelphy Reyes-Peralta, Nestor Vasquez Vargas and his cousin Derek Vargas, Harry Laureano, and Jeffry Deschamps. Nestor Vasquez Vargas, who resides in Kissimmee, Florida, would mail illegal firearms – some of which he custom painted – to Ortiz Vasquez in Paterson, New Jersey. Ortiz Vasquez bought firearms from the other defendants at various locations in Paterson, often using codewords like “toys,” “sneakers,” or “panties,” to refer to the guns when arranging purchases. Ortiz Vasquez and his sources also referred ammunition as “food” and the illegal rapid-fire modification devices as “switches” when they communicated about sales. In addition to Ortiz Vasquez’s payments, Tiffany Diaz Fermin and brothers Carlos Torres and Juan Torres sent money transfers through Zelle and CashApp to pay the firearms sources.   

After buying the firearms, Iris Molina, Tiffany Diaz Fermin, and Kiara Rodriguez stored firearms for Ortiz Vasquez at Molina, Diaz Fermin, and Ortiz Vasquez’s homes in Paterson. Ortiz Vasquez also enlisted his mother, Yadira Vasquez, to help move, hide, store, and pay for the firearms. 

Carlos and Juan Torres regularly assisted Ortiz Vasquez in driving the firearms, rapid fire modification devices, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition, from Paterson, New Jersey to Washington Heights in New York City where they were sold. The defendants consistently made their sales on the same street corner in Washington Heights. In addition, Deschamps, Laureano, Yadira Vasquez, and Rodriguez all drove firearms from New Jersey to Manhattan and were each present for at least one sale made by Ortiz Vasquez. The defendants used different methods to disguise the weapons and ammunition as they transported them. They often wrapped guns in blankets and sheets or hid them in reusable grocery bags, and at least once used a guitar case to hide an assault rifle while driving it to New York City.  

Ortiz Vasquez also sold 500 grams of cocaine in Washington Heights, which was consistently sourced from his brother, Hector Vasquez.

Assault rifles, ghost guns, ammunition, and a high-capacity magazine recovered by the investigation

An assault-style pistol, other firearms, and ammunition recovered by the investigation

In addition to recovering 500 grams of cocaine, the investigation recovered 74 firearms, including nine assault-style rifles, eight assault-style pistols, and four ghost guns. Investigators also recovered 2,175 rounds of ammunition, more than 50 high-capacity magazines, and nine illegal rapid-fire modification devices. 

Those arrested as part of the takedown are:

• Anthony Ortiz Vasquez, 24, Paterson, New Jersey
• Nelphy Reyes-Peralta, 47, Wayne, New Jersey
• Nestor Vasquez Vargas, 20, Kissimmee, Florida
• Hector Vasquez, 36, Passaic, New Jersey
• Derek Vargas, 21, Paterson, New Jersey
• Jeffry Deschamps, 31, Paterson, New Jersey
• Carlos Torres, 22, Paterson, New Jersey
• Juan Torres, 21, Paterson, New Jersey
• Harry Laureano, 31, Paterson, New Jersey
• Iris Molina, 39, Paterson, New Jersey
• Tiffany Diaz Fermin, 28, Paterson, New Jersey
• Yadira Vasquez, 42, Hackensack, New Jersey 
• Kiara Rodriguez, 23, Hackensack, New Jersey

With respect to the firearms trafficking charges, Ortiz Vasquez, Reyes-Peralta, Carlos Torres, Juan Torres, Deschamps, Hector Vasquez, Yadira Vasquez, and Rodriguez are all charged with Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree, which is a class B violent felony and carries a maximum prison sentence of 25 years, as well as various other firearms sale and possession-related charges. All of the defendants are charged with Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, which is a class E felony and carries a maximum prison sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years.

With respect to the narcotics trafficking charges, Ortiz Vasquez and Hector Vasquez are also charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a class A-I felony, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, as well as various other narcotics-related charges.

“The arrest of these individuals and the seizure of dozens of firearms and cocaine reflects the partnership the DEA has with our federal and local law enforcement partners, including the New York Attorney General’s Office, when working together to target those individuals that pose a threat to our communities,” said DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “Whenever illegal rapid-fire modification devices, ghost guns, and high-capacity magazines of this size are recovered, it is a stark reminder of the dangers law enforcement officials face when targeting these individuals and organizations. Today, the community is safer with these individuals off our street.”

“These 13 defendants have been linked to an alleged gun trafficking scheme involving over 70 firearms, including high-powered, black-market weaponry,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo. “HSI New York continues to work in lockstep with our law enforcement partners to eradicate illegal firearms from our communities. While today’s actions are a step in the right direction to protect the public safety, there is more work to be done. HSI New York is proud to stand side-by-side with the New York Attorney General’s Office, the NYPD, the DEA, the New York State Police, and all agencies involved in confronting the gun violence epidemic directly and forcefully.”

“This important investigation shows how seamless interagency coordination is effectively combating large-scale illegal gun and drug trafficking in New York City,” said NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “Disassembling these dangerous operations has prevented bloodshed on our streets and averted untold tragedies in our communities. I commend our NYPD investigators, our partners at the New York Attorney General’s office, and our many other local, state, and federal colleagues for their commitment to this shared public safety mission. We vow to not rest until every New Yorker is completely safe and feels completely safe, too.”

This is the latest example of Attorney General James’ ongoing efforts to take down illegal gun and drug trafficking rings, which have secured indictments against 18 gun traffickers in July 2024 alone. Earlier this month, Attorney General James announced the takedown of a gun trafficking ring operating in Queens. In June 2024, Attorney General James announced the guilty pleas and sentencing of 14 defendants for their roles in a drug trafficking ring that sold fentanyl pills and cocaine in Western New York. In April 2024, Attorney General James announced the convictions of 12 defendants who sold heroin and methamphetamine disguised as prescription drugs, as well as cocaine and counterfeit Xanax pills in the Hudson Valley. Also in April, Attorney General James announced the indictment of four individuals for selling ghost guns and other firearms in Central New York. In March 2024, Attorney General James secured a $7.8 million judgment against gun retailer Indie Guns for illegally selling ghost gun components in New York. In February 2024, Attorney General James announced the takedowns of a gun trafficking network that sold ghost guns and assault-style rifles and a narcotics trafficking network in Dutchess County. 

The Attorney General would like to thank the partners within the joint OCDETF Strike Force, which includes members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the New York State Police (NYSP). Additional thanks go to the Passaic City (New Jersey) Police Department, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General – Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) Weapons Trafficking Unit, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the New Jersey State Police Weapons Trafficking North Unit, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service for their valuable assistance and participation in this investigation.

The investigation was led by NYPD Detective/Task Force Officer (TFO) Hector Rodriguez of the joint OCDETF Strike Force Group Z-13, under the supervision of NYPD Sergeant Ryan Boylan, NYPD Lieutenant Michael Pomerantz, NYPD Assistant Chief Jerry O’Sullivan, and under the overall supervision of NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. The OCDETF Strike Force Group Z-13 is also overseen by HSI New York Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Ivan J. Arvelo.  Dennis Acheson is the DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC). Christopher Roberts is the DEA Associate Special Agent in Charge (A/SAC) and Frank A. Tarentino, III is the DEA Special Agent in Charge for the New York region. 

For OAG, the investigation was led by OCTF Detective Robert Geary, under the supervision of OCTF Supervising Detective Paul Grzegorski, Assistant Chief Ismael Hernandez, and Deputy Chief Andrew Boss, with special assistance from the detective specialists from the OAG Special Operations Unit, led by Deputy Chief Sean Donovan. The Attorney General’s Investigations Division is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes.

Governor Hochul Expands Access to Lifesaving Overdose Emergency Kits in Domestic Violence Programs Across New York

 

Assistance for Survivors of Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence, Who Are at Increased Risk of Overdose

Continues New York’s Efforts to Address Opioid and Overdose Epidemic Including Providing Nearly 700,000 Naloxone Kits Statewide, Making More than $335 Million in Opioid Settlement Funds Available, and Deploying Mobile Units and Other New Strategies

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that domestic violence shelters and service providers across New York State will now have access to free Overdose Emergency Kits following a partnership between the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV), the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), and the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). The kits are made possible by Project COPE (Community Overdose Prevention Education), a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant-funded initiative.

“The opioid and overdose epidemic has impacted far too many New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “Alongside harm reduction, preventive, and treatment support programs, the expanded access to lifesaving overdose emergency kits in domestic violence programs will save lives, and we will continue to focus State resources towards addressing the overdose epidemic effectively and compassionately.”

This initiative continues Governor Hochul’s aggressive, ongoing efforts to address the opioid and overdose epidemic. Over the past 18 months, New York has distributed nearly 700,000 Overdose Emergency Kits statewide, including many through New York’s first-in-the-nation online ordering portal.

An Overdose Emergency Kit is a wall-mounted metal box that contains naloxone, the medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. As part of this new initiative, residential domestic violence providers can place a kit in their shelters so that residents and staff have access to this life saving medication. Also included in the boxes are training resources for administering naloxone. Additionally, Project COPE is offering free training for domestic violence program staff on harm reduction and overdose prevention.

Research has repeatedly shown a strong correlation between domestic violence and substance use. One example is through substance use coercion, a prevalent but underrecognized form of abuse that poses a significant danger to survivors. Additionally, studies show people who are abused are more likely to use substances as a way to cope with abuse related trauma and physical harm. Survivors experience unique risk factors that put them at increased risk of overdose, including pervasive social stigmas towards both survivors and substance use that can cause major barriers to accessing care. This means many survivors are unable to obtain lifesaving overdose prevention tools like naloxone. Domestic violence programs are uniquely poised to bridge this gap through offering naloxone onsite to survivors.

Through this partnership, OPDV, OASAS and OCFS hope to reach survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence who may otherwise never have access to lifesaving resources like naloxone due to the numerous barriers they face.

In addition to this effort, New York is continuing to address the opioid and overdose epidemic by:

• Leading the nation by making more than $335 million in opioid settlement funding available to support a full continuum of prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery initiatives in New York State. This funding is being distributed in accordance with the priorities of the Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board. More information on the initiatives this funding is supporting is available here.
• Creating mobile units that bring services directly to people in their communities, offering admission assessments and medication induction for all types of MAT, medication administration and observation, toxicology tests, and other medical services. They are designed to reach people who face barriers accessing traditional brick-and-mortar locations.
• Deploying outreach and engagement services support teams that connect high-risk individuals and populations to harm reduction and treatment services and provide health education.
• Establishing Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) to provide an array of coordinated services to address substance use and/or mental health, including crisis intervention, screening and assessments, and treatment planning.
• Opening crisis stabilization centers to provide support, assistance, and urgent access to care for individuals experiencing a crisis situation related to substance use and/or a mental health condition. These programs assist individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “People in domestic violence situations can be at an increased risk for substance use, and it is important that we work to reach them with information and resources to help them stay safe. The naloxone included in these kits is one of the most important tools we have to prevent overdose deaths, and by working with our partners to make this medication more accessible, it will help to save lives across New York State.”

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).