Weekly News from State Senator Gustavo Rivera!

 

SENATOR RIVERA IN THE COMMUNITY

EID AL-ADHA MUBARAK FROM SENATOR RIVERA

Senator Rivera extends his heartfelt wishes to the Muslim community in the Bronx and throughout New York State for a joyous and peaceful Eid al-Adha. Eid Mubarak!

SENATOR RIVERA IN ALBANY

SENATOR RIVERA ON THE 2026-27 NEW YORK STATE BUDGET

This week, Senator Rivera joined his colleagues in the Senate Majority to vote for the 10 bills of the 2026 New York State Budget.

The reckless actions of the Trump administration to defund critical programs across our state set the stage for a particularly difficult budget this year.

Senator Rivera regrets that the budget was very delayed as a result of non-monetary policy negotiations that have left the Legislature with a single week to focus on the people’s business.

Despite these setbacks, Senator Rivera focused on delivering for New Yorkers and The Bronx. Click here to listen to Senator Rivera's remarks on the health portion of the State Budget 2026-27

THE 2026 NEW YORK STATE SENATE VETERAN HALL OF FAME AWARD GOES TO JUAN PARRA

This year, Mr. Juan Parra, a resident of New York's 33rd Senate District in the Bronx, was recognized by Senator Rivera at the 2026 Veterans Hall of Fame Ceremony. Mr. Parra began his military career with the Marine Corps in 1987 and served during Operation Desert Storm before earning a commission as an officer in the Army National Guard and later serving as an investigator with the United States Air Force. 

Following the September 11 attacks, he returned to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and later served on the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. After retiring from the Air Force as a Major in 2017 and concluding his federal service with the Department of Homeland Security in 2022, Mr. Parra has continued to advocate for veterans and his community as Second Vice-Chairperson of Bronx Community Board 5 and Chairperson of its Veterans Committee.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS & RESOURCES

Senator Rivera urges Bronx rent-stabilized tenants to testify in the upcoming Bronx Public Hearing of the Rent Guidelines Board on June 8, and inform the Board about the impact these proposed hikes could have in our communities. Bronx Public Hearing Date: Monday, June 8, 2026 Time: 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Location: Main Theatre of Hostos Community College/CUNY 450 Grand Concourse Bronx, NY 10451 If you wish to speak at one of the hearings, you must register beforehand. You can do so by completing the hearing registration form. You can also register to speak on-site.

Register Here

Interpretation Available: Spanish. This location has the following accessibility option(s) available: Wheelchair Accessible Public can view the meeting via RGB’s YouTube channel but must participate in-person to testify.

RGB YouTube Channel

ADDITIONAL DATES: Thursday, June 4, 2026 (5 p.m.-8 p.m.) at Jamaica Performing Arts Center (Queens) Thursday, June 11, 2026 (7 p.m.-10 p.m.) at the Theatre at City Tech (Brooklyn) Tuesday, June 16, 2026 (5 p.m.-8 p.m.) at Symphony Space (Manhattan)

SATURDAY 6/13: JOIN THE AMERICAN RED CROSS AND THE FDNY AT THEIR SMOKE ALARM INSTALL EVENT IN THE BRONX!

CALL TO ACTION! WHEN: Saturday, June 13 at 9:00AM WHERE: The Pentecostal Temple of the Living God ADDRESS: 1921 Walton Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453 **If you can't make it to this event, you still have a chance to learn more about fire safety campaign and how to obtain a free alarm by clicking on the link below!

LEARN MORE AND REQUEST A SMOKE ALARM

JUNE 1ST! DON'T LOSE YOUR BENEFITS!

New SNAP Work Requirements: What You Need to Know

New federal rules are changing SNAP work requirements for some New Yorkers. Starting this year, certain adults may need to work, attend job training, or volunteer to keep their benefits.

You may be affected if you are:

● Between ages 18–64

● Not living with a child under 14

● Not exempt due to a health condition or other reason



If these rules apply to you, you may need to take action each month to avoid losing your SNAP benefits.



Check your status and learn what to do: on.nyc.gov/snap.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH PART OF THE SOLUTION (POTS)!

6/1 - 6/5: FREE OSHA 40-HOUR TRAINING FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING PARTICIPANTS WITH U.S. WORK AUTHORIZATION

FREE OSHA 40-HOUR TRAINING (OSHA 30 + SST Certification) Dates: Monday–Friday, June 1–5, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Requirements: Spanish-speaking participants with U.S. work authorization Participants will earn their OSHA 30 and SST cards — required to work on construction sites in New York City. Topics include construction hazard recognition, fall safety, worker rights, and NYC safety standards. Spots are limited! Contact Jenny Germosen at 929-566-7957 or jgermosen@potsbronx.org.

FRIDAY 6/12: JOB FAIR FOR PARTICIPANTS WITH U.S. WORK AUTHORIZATION

JOB FAIR – In collaboration with NAICA & the NYS Department of Labor Date: Friday, June 12, 2026 | 11:00 AM Requirement: Work authorization required to participate Employers from various industries and community resources will be present. To register, contact Eric Claudio at (929) 566-7923 or eclaudio@potsbronx.org.

HIGHER EDUCTION SERVICES CORPORATION (HESC) FINANCIAL AID UPDATES

Below are June’s financial aid opportunities, events, and resources to better navigate higher education financial aid opportunities!  Excelsior Scholarship and Enhanced Tuition Award The Excelsior Scholarship and Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA) applications are now open, helping New York State students access affordable higher education. For eligibility, visit our webpage.    Deadline to apply is August 31, 2026. Explore all NYS Aid Programs, including eligibility criteria and deadlines here.  Financial Aid Program Reminders! Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship – Deadline June 18, 2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)– Deadline June 30, 2026 (AY 2025-26) Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) – Deadline June 30, 2026(AY 2025-26) NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program– Deadline August 15, 2026 Excelsior Scholarship Program – Deadline August 31, 2026 Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA) – Deadline August 31, 2026 👉View all opportunities Mark Your Calendars HESC has expert-led, upcoming virtual events to help students navigate college financial aid with confidence:  Parent Night Out: Complete your FAFSA/TAP with HESC!  June 9 – 4:00-5:30p June 23 – 4:00-5:30p Students and families can receive hands-on assistance to complete FAFSA and TAP applications.  Financial Aid Options for Military Families in New York State  June 11 – 12:00-1:30p  Learn about benefits that support educational opportunities for veterans, active-duty members, and their families. Understanding the NYS STEM Incentive Program June 15 – 6:00p  Pursuing a career in STEM? Find out how eligible students can receive tuition support for college. Get Support with your DREAM Act & Alternate Pathway Applications  June 17 – 12:00-1:30p  Learn how to complete your DREAM Act and Alternate Pathway applications with expert guidance.   👉View all HESC events Have Questions? Call HESC! Call HESC directly at 1-888-697-4372 for anything from financial aid assistance to resolving issues like a HESCPIN account reset; no appointment necessary.   Important: To protect student privacy, HESC can only share information with a parent or guardian if they’re listed on the application or the student is present.  Visit the HESC website for more information. Sign up for HESC Text alerts to receive timely financial aid information, including application openings and deadlines.

As a reminder, should extreme heat occur, New Yorkers are advised to stay cool and stay hydrated. Avoid spending prolonged periods of time outdoors. Call 911 immediately if you or someone else shows signs of heat-related illness, such as confusion, dizziness, or difficulty breathing. For more preparedness tips, visit: nyc.gov/BeReady or nyc.gov/beattheheat.

U.S. Coast Guard Eliminates Race-Based Preferences for Commissioning of Officers

 

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement announcing that the U.S. Coast Guard has eliminated race-based preferences for college students who wish to enlist and commission as officers in the Coast Guard.

The program in question, the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI), includes a preference for students from educational institutions that meet certain quotas for specifically identified racial groups in their student bodies.

Such requirements stand in stark contrast to the Trump Administration’s focus on fairness, merit, and eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies throughout the federal government. They are also in violation of the equal protection requirements of the U.S. Constitution.

DHS announced the termination of these requirements on May 28.

“The Trump Administration is more focused than ever on eliminating unconstitutional DEI policies like this one,” said DHS General Counsel James Percival. “Racial quotas, like those included in this program for students who want to enlist and commission as officers in the U.S. Coast Guard, are a direct violation of the United States Constitution’s equal protection requirements. By getting rid of these unconstitutional diversity quotas, we are returning the Coast Guard’s focus to military readiness, upholding the law, and making America a safer place.”

“Eliminating racial quotas in federal programs remains a priority of the Justice Department,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.“Access to opportunities like the Coast Guard’s pre-commissioning initiative should be based exclusively on merit, not the racial composition of your college. This resolution helps ensure that equality of opportunity.”

By eliminating these racial requirements, CSPI can continue to function in a racially neutral manner where merit and achievements, not immutable characteristics, determine who will become commissioned officers in the Coast Guard.

Armed Johnson County Drug Dealers Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison

 

A federal judge sentenced Kaven Lee Stephenson, 37, to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to sell and possess with intent to sell fentanyl, possession with the intent to sell 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. The Court already sentenced co-defendant Johnny Brian Guin, 47, to 14 years on March 23, 2026.    

U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle said, “Let this be a warning to all drug dealers. If you peddle poison for profit in our communities, we will take your freedom, your toys, your money, and maybe even your home. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill; Prison Awaits – Do Right.” 

Between 2023 and 2024, law enforcement executed three search warrants at two homes Kaven Stephenson owned on Massengill Pond Road in Angier, NC. During the execution of the first search warrant in October of 2023, law enforcement located over 50 grams of fentanyl and methamphetamine, crack cocaine, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, more than $2,000 cash, an AR-15 rifle with a large capacity magazine, a M5 rifle with a large capacity magazine, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a stolen .22 rifle. Stephenson was arrested on state charges related to these crimes, but he made bail and bonded out just a month later. 

Law enforcement executed a second search warrant in July of 2024 after receiving reports of an armed robbery occurring at Stephenson’s residence. Law enforcement discovered a hidden compartment, or “trap,” built into the dead space of a wall just outside the master bedroom. Inside the “trap,” they discovered 218 grams of methamphetamine, 279 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, a money counter, two 9mm pistols, and over $8,500 cash. In a search of Stephenson’s person and the master bedroom, law enforcement located over $2,500 cash, digital scales, and drug paraphernalia. Again, State law enforcement arrested Stephenson on state charges related to these crimes. Again, he made bail and bonded out. 

In August of 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at another home owned by Stephenson on Massengill Pond Road. They found Stephenson and co-defendant Johnny Guin inside. During the search, law enforcement located over 115 grams of methamphetamine, multiple firearms, and more than $1,500 cash. 

Pursuant to the judgment, all currency, firearms, and Kaven Stephenson’s properties on Massengill Pond Road were forfeited to the United States. 

“Armed drug dealers present a dangerous mix of violence and lawlessness in our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “We’re fortunate to have solid partnerships in place with local, state and federal agencies that recognize these dangers and work to hold these violent offenders accountable.”

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by ​U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III​. ​The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, Raleigh Police Department, Cary Police Department, DEA, and the NCSBI collaborated on this investigation. 

D.A. Bragg Announces Indictment In $2 Million Lingerie Loan Fraud

 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., announced the indictment of KEVIN JUIN, 35, for allegedly stealing more than $2 million in loans purportedly meant to acquire a high-end lingerie company. JUIN is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with one count of Grand Larceny in the First Degree.[1]

“Business dealings must be handled with integrity in the finance capital of the world,” said District Attorney Bragg. “As alleged, Kevin Juin solicited more than $2 million in purported loans to invest in a lingerie company, while funneling the money to personal accounts to fund a luxurious lifestyle. My Office’s Investigation Division remains committed to rooting out fraud to ensure honesty in financial transactions.”

As alleged in court papers and stated on the record, beginning in January 2025, JUIN orchestrated a loan fraud scheme by convincing a business school classmate to provide over $2 million in short-term bridge loans that would purportedly be used to finalize the acquisition of Honey Birdette, an Australian lingerie company owned by the PLBY Group.

JUIN initially obtained approximately $1.2 million as a bridge loan with 10 percent annual interest and executed a convertible promissory note to repay the loan within 90 days. JUIN also offered his classmate the option of converting up to ten percent of the outstanding loan into common stock in the lingerie company after the deal closed. JUIN subsequently obtained two additional loans from his classmate, promising additional common stock in Honey Birdette, totaling 25 percent, in addition to the 10 percent annual interest on the principal loan amount. Overall, JUIN received $2,015,000 from his classmate.

As further alleged, rather than use the funds in furtherance of any acquisition, JUIN instead used the loans for personal expenses such as rent, luxury watches and jewelry, designer clothing, international travel, OnlyFans subscriptions, dining, private members clubs, and payments to a cleaning lady.

Despite continuously using the loans for personal expenses, JUIN represented to his classmate on dozens of occasions that the deal would be completed imminently. When the loan came due, JUIN provided numerous excuses for his failure to pay and lied about the status of the acquisition and repayment of the loan. JUIN eventually asked his classmate for a fourth loan in exchange for more equity. The classmate did not agree to extend any more funds to Juin until he was paid back per the terms of the first three loans. To date, Juin has failed to repay the loan and only has a few thousand dollars left in his bank account.

[1] The charge contained in the indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.

Mayor Mamdani Appoints Edwin Raymond as Sheriff of New York City

 

Retired police lieutenant spent years advancing accountability and integrity in law enforcement 

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the appointment of Edwin Raymond as the new Sheriff of the City of New York. Raymond is a retired police lieutenant who served as Commanding Officer of Brooklyn North Community Affairs and as a platoon commander in the 83rd and 81st Precincts. He joins the Mamdani administration after serving in the New York State Attorney General’s Office as the nation’s first social justice liaison.  

  

Raymond, the child of Haitian immigrants, joined the New York City Police Department (NYPD) at 22 years old. He spent eight years serving as a police officer in Transit District 32 and the 77th Precinct. He was later promoted to sergeant and lieutenant before retiring from the force in 2023. Raymond’s efforts to improve law enforcement practices earned him several honors, including the NAACP’s Courage Under Fire Award.  

  

“Edwin Raymond represents the kind of public servant New Yorkers deserve: principled, courageous and deeply committed to justice,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Throughout his career, he has fought to build a public safety system rooted in effectiveness, accountability and public trust. Edwin understands that true safety comes when government earns the confidence of the people it serves, and I am proud to welcome him to our administration as Sheriff of the City of New York.”  

  

“I’m grateful to now be part of Mayor Mamdani’s administration as the City’s new Sheriff,” said Sheriff Raymond. “Growing up in East Flatbush as the son of Haitian immigrants, I experienced both the public safety challenges facing working-class communities and the inequities that too often undermine trust in government. Choosing a career in public service was my response to those realities. I look forward to continuing that work as Sheriff by helping build a safer, fairer and more accountable city for all New Yorkers.”  

  

The Sheriff is an officer of the court and serves under the Department of Finance (DOF). As Sheriff, Raymond will oversee legal processes and mandates, including matters involving judiciary law, civil practice law and real property actions. The Sheriff is also responsible for seizures of money and property pursuant to warrants and court orders, as well as enforcing mental hygiene warrants, tax laws and laws related to unlicensed cannabis enforcement.  

  

About Edwin Raymond  

  

Edwin Raymond most recently served as the nation’s first social justice liaison in the Office of the New York State Attorney General. In that role, he supported the Chief Investigator in advancing accountability and integrity in law enforcement.  

  

Raymond retired from the NYPD in 2023 after serving as Commanding Officer of Community Affairs for Patrol Borough Brooklyn North (PBBN). Over the course of his 15-year career with the department, he served in a number of roles, including lieutenant and platoon commander.  

  

Raymond holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. 

Governor Hochul Announces Five-Year Labor Agreement with Civil Service Employee Association

Agreement with CSEA Covers More Than 55,000 New York State Employees, One of the Largest Public Employee Unions in the State

Agreements Include Yearly Salary Increases, Increases in Location Pay and Changes in Health Benefits

Contract Subject to Union Membership Ratification

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that her administration has reached a contract agreement with the Civil Service Employee Association (CSEA) for a five-year term running until April 1, 2031. The agreement is subject to ratification by union membership, which includes more than 55,000 New York State employees in a wide variety of roles.

“This agreement is a fair deal for both CSEA members and the State of New York,” Governor Hochul said. “Here in New York State, we value public servants and their dedication in making the Empire State a better place to live for all New Yorkers. I thank the leadership of CSEA for their work in realizing this deal, and I thank the members of CSEA for their commitment and contributions in delivering essential services to the people of New York State.”

CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan said, “We applaud Governor Hochul’s recognition of the hard work CSEA members provide to the state every day through this fair contract. This agreement delivers meaningful wage increases and helps address affordability challenges working people are facing.”

The agreement includes increases in salary for employees in each year of the agreement. The agreement also includes paid prenatal leave, increases in location pay and health insurance changes that reduce costs for employees by eliminating certain co-pays and minimizing reliance on out of network providers.

CSEA represents New York State employees in four bargaining units. The contract agreement must be ratified by CSEA rank and file members.