Illegal Alien, Co-Leader of Nationwide Drug Trafficking Ring, Who Plotted to Kill Centralia, Washington Police Officer, Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

 

Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Revealed Mexican National Sourced Thousands of Fentanyl Pills and Pounds of Meth from Her Family in Mexico

Seized fentanyl and methamphetamine.

A 35-year-old Mexican national who was illegally residing in California was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 years in prison for her leadership role of a massive drug distribution ring. Iris Adrianna Amador-Garcia of Bellflower, California, arranged for the distribution of pound quantities of methamphetamine, hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and large quantities of heroin. She also laundered drug proceeds, possessed firearms, and distributed drugs as far away as New York, southeastern states, and Fiji. After one large load of drugs was seized during a traffic stop, Amador-Garcia hatched a plan to locate and kill the Centralia police officer who made the stop.

In ordering the 15-year sentence, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said, “Threats against law enforcement is a line in the sand that is completely unacceptable.” 

“This sentence sends a clear message that those who traffic fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other deadly drugs into our communities, and those who threaten violence against law enforcement, will be held accountable,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Amador-Garcia led a far-reaching criminal organization that distributed dangerous narcotics across the country while sourcing drugs from Mexico and seeking to retaliate against an officer who disrupted the operation. Through DEA’s Fentanyl Free America, we are working every day to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain, reduce the availability of these deadly drugs, and save American lives.”   

“This criminal organization was well-organized, well-sourced, and well-connected. This defendant was prepared to take drastic measures to protect what she had built. She and her criminal associates were intercepted openly discussing killing an officer after a large shipment of drugs was seized,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Floyd. “I am grateful for the diligent work of law enforcement to keep that officer safe, and to take these dangerous traffickers off the street and shut down their pipeline of devastating narcotics.” 

According to records filed in the case, law enforcement identified the leaders of the drug trafficking ring as early as February 2020. Indictments were returned in the fall of 2021. The drug ring, headed by Amador-Garcia and Jose Alfredo Maldonado-Ramirez, distributed drugs widely: in Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized 9 pounds of methamphetamine in a traffic stop on May 16, 2020. Another 30 pounds of meth were seized in a stop on April 2, 2021, and 57 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills were seized in a traffic stop on September 28, 2021.  Additionally, on August 17, 2021, law enforcement seized 19 pounds of methamphetamine that conspirators attempted to mail to Fiji.

During a search of the residence where Iris Amador-Garcia was living with her brother and two co-conspirators, agents seized a kilogram of fentanyl, 80,000 fentanyl pills, and 2 firearms.   Eight additional firearms were seized at other search locations in Washington and California.

In asking for a 15-year sentence for Amador-Garcia, prosecutors noted that she was an equal leader of the ring along with Maldonado-Ramirez. “The nation-wide reach of this Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), led by Iris AMADOR-GARCIA and MALDONADO-RAMIREZ, sets it apart from most organizations prosecuted in this District. This DTO distributed dangerous drugs to all corners of the United States…. they distributed to several large redistributors in Washington, as well as others in the northeast (New York and Massachusetts), the southeast (Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, and Arkansas), and the Midwest (Illinois and Ohio). In addition, the DTO even expanded to distributing drugs internationally to Fiji. The majority of drugs they were selling, both in Washington and elsewhere, were coming from Iris AMADOR-GARCIA’s family in Mexico.”

“Ms. Amador-Garcia and her organization distributed incredibly large amounts of deadly drugs to all corners of the country. Not only did she deal drugs, she also inflicted violence on our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners are committed to making our streets safer as we continue to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations like Ms. Amador-Garcia’s.” 

The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division (SFD) Tacoma Resident Office (TRO) and Bremerton Police Department (BPD), with assistance from  Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement (TNET); the Seattle, Puyallup, Auburn, Federal Way, Kent, Bonney Lake, Tacoma,  and Lakewood Police Departments; the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office; Washington State Department of Corrections; Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET): Centralia and Chehalis Police Departments; Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET); and Washington State Patrol; Thurston Narcotics Team (TNT), Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, and Mason County Sheriff’s Office; United States Postal Inspections Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) with support from Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas ( HIDTA).

This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. 

5-9 Brims Gang Member Pleads Guilty in Connection With August 17, 2025 Shooting in Crown Heights

 

Mass Shooting at Crowded Bar Left Three Dead and 10 Injured

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Timothy Spence pleaded guilty to assault in-aid-of racketeering and a firearms crime related to his involvement in the August 17, 2025 shooting at Taste of the City Lounge in Brooklyn, New York, during which thirteen individuals were shot and three died.  Spence, a member of the 5-9 Brims gang, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to an information charging him with assault in-aid-of racketeering in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1959(a)(3), and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Orelia E. Merchant. When sentenced, Spence faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty plea. 

“As part of a gang dispute, Spence and others opened fire in the middle of a crowded bar, leaving three people dead and ten other injured victims,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “As today’s guilty plea demonstrates, our Office is committed to prosecuting all gang-related gun violence and holding accountable those who perpetuate it.”

“The defendant and other members of the 5-9 Brims turned a crowded Brooklyn bar into a war zone when they opened fire on rival gang members, killing three people and injuring 10 others,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “Today’s guilty plea reflects the NYPD’s relentless pursuit of the violent gang members who wreak havoc in our communities and claim lives.  Thank you to the tireless work of our NYPD investigators and our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for holding these dangerous criminals accountable."

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division for their outstanding work and assistance in this investigation and prosecution. 

As set forth in court filings, in the early morning hours of August 17, 2025, Spence was at Taste of the City Lounge, a restaurant and hookah bar in Brooklyn, New York, with members and associates of the 5-9 Brims.  Also present at the lounge were individuals associated with the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (or “GD”), a rival of the 5-9 Brims.  At approximately 3:00 a.m., members of the 5-9 Brims began shooting at associates of GD, who returned fire.  Spence, who was armed when the shooting began, shot towards a group of individuals affiliated with GD.  Within approximately six seconds, over 40 shots were discharged into the crowded bar, killing three and injuring ten.  

Governor Hochul Announces $15 Million Project to Enhance Shoreline at Bayswater Point State Park in Queens

Project Protects Community Park From Erosion

Expands Recreational Access With New Boardwalk and Fishing Pier

Governor Hochul today announced construction will begin this spring on a $15 million project to enhance Bayswater Point State Park in Queens. The project will improve recreational access, strengthen long-term shoreline resilience and restore a mosaic of wildlife habitats across the 16-acre park on Jamaica Bay.

“This park restoration project enhances opportunities for Queens families to ‘Get Offline and Get Outside’ in Far Rockaway while advancing a more sustainable and resilient future for the community park’s shoreline,” Governor Hochul said. “With an innovative approach to bolster the shoreline, we’re protecting this special area from erosion and enhancing valuable habitat for future generations.”

The project will create approximately 2,000 linear feet of living shoreline, more than four acres of native plantings, to create sustainable and robust shoreline and restore five acres of tidal marsh habitat. Breakwaters, including eco-concrete tide pools, will be strategically placed offshore to reduce wave energy and combat future erosion.

Additional elements include:

• Constructing a new ADA accessible fishing pier and elevated boardwalk over sensitive habitat to improve public access
• Removing and management of invasive species
• Restoration of both low and high salt marsh ecosystems
• Removing deteriorated bulkhead remnants

New York State Parks Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser said, “This project addresses the critical need for shoreline restoration at Bayswater Point State Park. Thanks to Governor Hochul and our many partners, this investment will strengthen the park’s natural resources while creating new opportunities for the public to experience this scenic and peaceful coastal landscape.

The project is supported by a $9.7 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), $3.2 million from the Jamaica Bay Damages Mitigation Fund, and $1.6 million from the Environmental Protection Fund.

Bayswater Point State Park comprises over 16 acres at the tip of a peninsula jutting out into Mott Basin on the eastern shore of Jamaica Bay in Far Rockaway and nestled within a quiet residential community. The park’s terrain is varied and includes beach front, wetlands and woodlands. Passive recreation, such as hiking, fishing, bird watching, picnicking and nature appreciation are embraced by visitors to the park.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 86 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.  

Attorney General James Announces Former New York State Trooper Sentenced for Manslaughter

 

Former Trooper Baldner Caused the Death of 11-Year-Old Monica Goods When He Rammed the Goods Family’s Car with State Police Vehicle

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the sentencing of former New York State Police (NYSP) Trooper Christopher Baldner, 47, of Catskill for causing the death of 11-year-old Monica Goods on December 22, 2020. On March 13, 2026, Baldner was found guilty on the charge of Manslaughter in the Second Degree by an Ulster County jury. Today, Baldner was sentenced to two and a half to seven and a half years in prison. He was remanded into custody following sentencing. 

On December 22, 2020 at 11:40 p.m., Tristin Goods was driving northbound on the New York State Thruway with his wife and two young daughters on the way to his home for Christmas. Near mile marker 92 in Ulster County, Trooper Baldner was on patrol in his marked New York State Police vehicle and stopped the Goods family car for speeding. During the stop, Baldner deployed pepper spray into the interior of the car and Mr. Goods sped away. During the pursuit, Baldner rammed his police vehicle into the rear of the Goods family’s car twice. Upon the second strike, the Goods’ car skidded into the center guard rail, flipped over, and came to rest upside down. The impact ejected Monica Goods from the car, causing her death. 

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

ICE Lodges Detainer Asking Sanctuary Politicians in Virginia to Not Release Illegal Alien Charged with Child Rape

 

This is yet another tragic example of illegal alien crime that has run rampant in sanctuary Virginia under Governor Abigail Spanberger

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer asking sanctuary politicians in Prince William County, Virginia to not release from jail an illegal alien who has been charged with raping a girl under the age of 15.

On May 26, 2026, police in Manassas, Virginia arrested Cristian Romario Saenz-Argueta, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador. According to local reports, the 31-year-old Saenz-Argueta used social media to connect with a girl who was under the age of 15, falsely portraying himself as 18 years old. He eventually arranged an in-person meeting with his victim in a parking lot in November of 2025, where he sexually assaulted her.

Saenz-Argueta now faces three felony charges, including one count of rape by force, threat, or intimidation, and TWO counts of carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 14.

“This sick illegal alien from El Salvador now faces three felony charges for raping a girl under the age of 15,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “DHS is asking sanctuary politicians in Prince William County, Virginia to not release this pedophile from jail and cooperate with ICE law enforcement. Due to the reckless policies of Governor Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians, Virginia has become a magnet for criminal illegal aliens who know that they’ll be protected in this state. How many more innocent victims have to be hurt by illegal aliens before Governor Spanberger cooperates with ICE law enforcement?”

Saenz-Argueta illegally entered the country at an unknown date and location. He returned to El Salvador in 2022, before illegally re-entering the United States – a felony – at an unknown date and location.

During her first days in office, Governor Spanberger signed executive orders banning state cooperation with ICE as well as terminating 287(g) state and local agreements.

Under Governor Spanberger, Virginia has become a hotbed of illegal alien crime. Some of the recent illegal alien crimes in the sanctuary state include:

• In May, ICE lodged a detainer for Jorge Enrique Garcia-Rodriguez, an illegal alien from Mexico, who was arrested in Franklin County, Virginia and charged with forcible intercourse with a victim under the age of 13 and SIX counts of possession of child pornography.
• In May, ICE arrested Eduardo Perez-Legra, an illegal alien from Cuba with prior felony convictions for drug trafficking and cocaine possession, in Newport News, Virginia.
• In May, ICE arrested Walvin Victor Hugo Garcia, an illegal alien from Guatemala, after he was released by sanctuary politicians in Fairfax County despite facing charges of raping a child under the age of 13.
• In May, ICE arrested Josue Saul Garcia-Lopez, an illegal alien from El Salvador and MS-13 gang member, in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
• In April, Roni Mendez-Escobar, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was arrested by ICE after previously being released by Fairfax County, despite being charged with possession of child porn with intent to distribute.
• In April, ICE lodged a detainer asking sanctuary politicians in Arlington County to not release Luzvin Orvando Garcia Moran, an illegal alien from Guatemala, after he was arrested for attempted rape.
• In April, Israel Christopher Flores-Ortiz, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, was convicted for NINE counts of assault and battery after he groped multiple underage girls at a high school in Fairfax County.
• In April, the Fairfax County District Attorney’s Office offered an insane plea deal of just 5 years to two illegal aliens who murdered a man at a park and walking trail in Oakton, Virginia in July of 2024.
• In April, Misael Lopez Gomez, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was arrested and charged with murder and felony child abuse after bludgeoning his own 3-month-old daughter to death in Fairfax County.
• In March, Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was arrested and charged with second degree murder after fatally stabbing a man inside his home in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia.
• In February, Abdul Jalloh, an illegal alien from Sierra Leone with more than 30 prior arrests, was charged with murder after fatally stabbing 41-year-old Stephanie Minter at a bus stop in Hybla Valley, Virginia.

Bronx Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl That Caused the Fatal Overdoses of Three Victims, Including A 12-Year-Old Child

Special Agent in Charge of the New York Task Force Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Christopher Roberts, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment charging ARISTIDES CABRERA, a/k/a “Buddha,” with drug crimes resulting in the fatal poisoning of Alex DeFilippo and Kyla McCarthy on May 29, 2022.  The Indictment previously charged CABRERA with drug crimes resulting in the fatal poisoning of a 12‑year-old child on June 28, 2022, and with having used, carried, and possessed firearms in connection with his drug trafficking crimes.  On March 25, 2026, following the initial Indictment, CABRERA was brought into federal custody from New York State custody, where he had been serving state sentences for other firearm and drug crimes.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken. 

“The unsealing of a superseding indictment against Aristides Cabrera sends a clear and powerful message to those who continue to poison our communities with fentanyl and other illicit drugs: your day of reckoning is coming,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts.  “This defendant’s alleged actions contributed to the tragic loss of three lives, including that of a young person whose future was senselessly stolen.  The blatant and utter disregard for human life demonstrated in this case underscores the devastating toll drug traffickers inflict on our communities and families every day.  Through the tireless work of our investigators and the close collaboration of our prosecutorial partners, we were able to pursue death-resulting charges that reflect the gravity of these allegations and the irreversible harm caused.  While no investigation or prosecution can restore the lives lost, the DEA remains steadfast in its mission to ensure those responsible for fueling addiction, violence, and death are identified and brought to justice.” 

“As alleged, Cabrera’s drug dealing not only caused the death of a 12-year-old child but also the deaths of two adults,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “This case shows: if you deal fentanyl, you’ve chosen to deal in death.  And there is no place for you in New York.”

“Because of this defendant, three New Yorkers, including a 12-year-old child with disabilities, overdosed on drugs and lost their lives,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.  “Despite knowing about these deaths, the defendant continued selling the same narcotics, showing a complete disregard for human life.  This case is a devastating example of the danger fentanyl poses, especially when it is brought into a home with children.  I thank the NYPD detectives, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District, and our law enforcement partners for working to hold this criminal accountable.”

As alleged in the Indictment and other public filings:

From at least in or about November 2017 through in or about January 2024, CABRERA worked with others to sell, among other things, heroin, fentanyl, and para-fluorofentanyl in the Longwood neighborhood of the Bronx, New York.  During a single-month span of that period, between on or about May 29, 2022, and on or about June 28, 2022, CABRERA’s drugs killed three people, including a 12-year-old boy with a history of autism spectrum disorder who had been residing with CABRERA and others in his Bronx apartment.  

Despite knowing about these deaths, CABRERA continued selling the same drugs, including during a later period in which he was detained at a state correctional facility. CABRERA led his drug trafficking operation, in part, from his Bronx apartment, where he stored firearms and significant quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, a deadly fentanyl analogue.  CABRERA stored narcotics, including fentanyl-laced pills, in multiple locations in his apartment, including in a safe where he also kept firearms.  CABRERA typically met and sold drugs to customers in the immediate vicinity of his apartment. 

On or about May 29, 2022, CABRERA met with and sold drugs to Alex DeFilippo (also identified in the Indictment as Victim-1) and a relative of DeFilippo. CABRERA knew DeFilippo and had previously engaged in narcotics transactions with him. CABRERA also previously discussed drug sales with DeFilippo’s intimate partner, Kyla McCarthy (also identified in the Indictment as Victim-2).  After purchasing CABRERA’s drugs, DeFilippo returned to McCarthy’s apartment.  Shortly thereafter that same day, McCarthy’s cellphone was used to conduct three internet searches, all of which related to the use of naloxone (commonly known as Narcan), a nasal spray used to reverse the deadly effects of overdoses from opioids like fentanyl.  Approximately eighteen hours later, at the request of one of McCarthy’s family members, NYPD officers responded to the apartment to conduct a wellness check.  Inside, NYPD officers discovered DeFilippo and McCarthy, both of whom had died after ingesting the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl sold to them by CABRERA.  One unused dose of Narcan was found at McCarthy’s feet.

Less than a month after the fatal overdoses of DeFilippo and McCarthy, on or about June 28, 2022, at CABRERA’s apartment, a 12-year-old boy was found by a family member in his bed unresponsive and foaming at the mouth.  The boy was transported to a Bronx County hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. 

CABRERA, 35, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and three counts of distribution of narcotics resulting in death, all of which crimes carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.  CABRERA is also charged with firearms use, carrying, and possession in connection with his drug trafficking crimes, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. 

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

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, DEA, and Drug Enforcement Task Force Division, as well as Special Agents, Task Force Officers, the Digital Forensics Unit, and the Complex Analytics and Social Media Enhancement Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  Mr. Clayton also thanked the Bronx District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in the case. 

Mayor Mamdani Recommends Melanie Hartzog and Janette Sadik-Khan to Serve on MTA Board

 

Nominees bring decades of experience to advance a more affordable, accessible transit system

 

Mayor also announces Dan Garodnick and David Jones will continue serving on MTA Board  

Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced his recommendation of Melanie Hartzog and Janette Sadik-Khan to serve on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board, underscoring his administration’s commitment to delivering a safe, affordable and reliable transit system.

Hartzog and Sadik-Khan bring a wealth of experience in government, nonprofit leadership and transportation policy. If confirmed by the New York State Senate, they will help advance the Mayor’s vision for a transit system that works for riders, including his commitment to making buses fast and free. Mayor Mamdani also announced that Dan Garodnick, former New York City Council Member and former Director of the Department of City Planning, and David Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York, will continue to serve on the MTA Board as mayoral appointees.

“Millions of New Yorkers use public transit every day to get to their jobs, take their children to school and visit loved ones. They should not settle for a system that is expensive, unreliable and inaccessible. My administration is committed to building a transit system that people can count on — one with fast buses, reliable service and public infrastructure that meets the needs of a growing city,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Melanie and Janette have dedicated their careers to delivering results for New Yorkers, and alongside Dan and David, they will help ensure that this city gets fast and free buses, and that riders have strong advocates at the table. I’m grateful for their willingness to serve.”

“As a lifelong New Yorker, I understand just how essential our public transportation system is to the people of this city because I use it every day and always have,” said Melanie Hartzog, President and CEO of The New York Foundling. “I'm honored by Mayor Mamdani's recommendation that I serve as a member of the MTA's Board of Directors and by the opportunity to help ensure our transit system is not just affordable, accessible and reliable, but delivers the level of service New Yorkers expect and deserve.”

“The New York City region works because its transit system works,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, principal with Bloomberg Associates and former Commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation. “As we enter a new transportation era, we need a transportation action plan that matches our ambitions. I am grateful to Mayor Mamdani for the opportunity to serve on the MTA Board and to be a vote and a voice for all riders looking for affordable transportation and the access that our buses and rail provide to jobs, housing and opportunities.”

About Melanie Hartzog

Melanie Hartzog is the President and CEO of The New York Foundling, one of New York’s longest-serving nonprofit organizations. The Foundling serves more than 30,000 people every year in the New York area and Puerto Rico and has more than 40 programs across five service lines including child welfare, developmental disabilities, education, juvenile justice and health and behavioral health.

Prior to joining The Foundling, Hartzog served as New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, overseeing the city’s social service agencies. She previously served as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, where she oversaw the largest municipal budget in the United States, responsible for funding all city programs and services for New Yorkers. Before joining the Office of Management and Budget, Hartzog served as Executive Director of the Children’s Defense Fund. Previously, she served as Family Services Coordinator for the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and Deputy Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services. She also led a social services unit in the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, and she was Director of Policy and Advocacy for the Human Services Council of New York City, Inc.

Hartzog holds a Master of Science degree from the New School’s Milano School of International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy and Bachelor of Arts from Eckerd College.

About Janette Sadik-Khan

Janette Sadik-Khan was Commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation from 2007–2013 under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, leading one of the most sweeping revitalizations of the city’s streets in a half-century.

During her tenure, New York City added nearly 400 miles of bike lanes and the first parking-protected bike paths in North America. The department she led set in motion more than 60 plazas across the city, including the historic plazas that opened Broadway through Times Square to people, sparking economic recovery throughout the area. She collaborated with the MTA to launch the city’s first seven rapid bus lines and oversaw hundreds of intersection and street redesigns that contributed to the city’s record-low traffic fatalities. Sadik-Khan oversaw the 2013 launch of Citi Bike, which sees more than 200,000 daily rides and which has expanded to become the world’s largest city bike share system outside of Asia.

She currently advises mayors of cities around the world as a principal at Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies. She has assisted mayors and their teams in developing safer, people-focused street redesigns in cities like Detroit, Chicago, Mexico City, Bogotá and Bratislava, including the building of 60 pedestrian plazas in neighborhoods across Milan and assisting London Mayor Sadiq Khan with the sweeping pedestrianization of Oxford Street.

Sadik-Khan was a Senior Vice President of Parsons Brinckerhoff, a leading international engineering firm. Previously, she worked in Washington, D.C., as a Deputy Administrator at the US Department of Transportation. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Occidental College, and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.   

Washington Man Sentenced for Hate Crime Charge After Stabbing a Black Woman Metro Bus Passenger

 

A Washington man was sentenced today to a federal hate crime charge for violently assaulting and stabbing a Black female passenger because of her race. Adan Hernandez-Mayoral was sentenced to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release for an incident in which he used a dangerous weapon, a knife, to cause bodily injury to the victim because of her race and color.

According to court documents, Adan C. Hernandez-Mayoral boarded a King County Metro bus on March 7, 2024, and immediately began making racially charged comments about Black people. Hernandez-Mayoral started antagonizing the victim, a Black woman, and yelled, “I don’t like Black people, f***in’ hate ’em.” The defendant referred to the woman as “Rosa Parks” and told her to move to the back of the bus. When the woman attempted to move away from him, Hernandez-Mayoral followed her, while hiding a knife behind his back. When the bus doors opened at a stop, Hernandez-Mayoral grabbed the woman, pushing her off the bus and into a fence. He immediately began beating her all over her body. He stomped on her after she fell to the ground. He then used the knife to repeatedly and violently stab the woman. The victim was wearing a thick coat, sparing her from more serious injuries. Hernandez-Mayoral fled the scene but was located and arrested by officers from the Kent Police Department later that evening.

“Today, we have delivered justice with the sentencing of Adan Hernandez-Mayoral for his brutal, racially motivated attack on the victim,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Assaults like these destroy our communities by breeding fear and distrust of public places and facilities. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute such cases to restore safety and confidence in our cities’ streets and transit systems.”

“Racially motivated attacks such as this one shock the conscience of our community,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington. “This office will join with our state and local partners to ensure these crimes are investigated and those who commit them will be held accountable. Such hate has no place here.”

“The victim in this case was minding her own business on a familiar public transit route when a stranger made offensive comments about her race, threw her off the stopped bus, and then brutally assaulted her with a knife,” said Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “Together with our partners like the Kent Police Department, the FBI will hold accountable those like Mr. Hernandez-Mayoral who engage in violent hate crimes.”

“This was a horrific and deeply disturbing racially motivated assault that targeted an innocent member of our community because of the color of her skin,” said Chief Rafael Padilla of the Kent Police Department. “I am pleased to have reached this conviction on her behalf.  Hate-fueled violence has no place in Kent.”

On Dec. 23, 2025, Hernandez-Mayoral pleaded guilty to Hate Crime Causing Bodily Injury.