Governor Hochul Announces Results of Toll Enforcement Operations on New York State Thruway

New York State Police Troop T Conducted Four Enforcement Details Across the State in Partnership With Thruway Authority

Operations Took Place in Capital, Hudson Valley and Western New York Regions

Troopers Seized 214 Vehicles and Issued More Than 1,100 Tickets To Ensure Public Safety and Accountability

38 Individuals Owed Nearly $103,000 in Unpaid Tolls and Fees to Thruway Authority

Thruway Authority Has Recovered More Than Two-Thirds of Monies Owed to Date From Thruway Suspended Drivers

Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York State Police Troop T, in partnership with the New York State Thruway Authority, seized 214 vehicles and issued more than 1,100 tickets during four statewide enforcement details on the Thruway system to proactively address the use of missing, altered, or obscured license plates (known as ghost plates) that some motorists intentionally use to avoid tolls. The enforcement details took place during the first half of this year along the 570-mile Thruway system in the Capital, Hudson Valley and Western New York regions.

“These enforcement operations are about protecting public safety, holding toll evaders responsible and safeguarding the toll dollars that drivers rightly contribute to maintain our transportation network,” Governor Hochul said. “We will continue working with the Thruway Authority and the New York State Police to put the brakes on ghost plates.”

In total, the owners of 38 vehicles that were impounded and had Thruway suspended registrations owed $103,000 in unpaid tolls and fees to the Thruway Authority. The Authority has since recovered more than $70,000.

This is part of an ongoing commitment to combatting motorists using ghost plates to avoid tolls, evade traffic enforcement cameras, or operate unregistered or unlicensed vehicles. In 2025, the State Police and Thruway Authority conducted seven enforcement details across the state, resulting in State Police seizing a total of 310 vehicles and issuing 1,749 tickets. This initiative resulted in the Authority recovering more than $132,000 of the $224,000 owed (59 percent) from 42 vehicle owners.

2026 Toll Enforcement Details on NYS Thruway System:

• On March 17, State Police impounded 80 vehicles from motorists crossing the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge (GMMCB), which connects Westchester and Rockland counties, including 18 impoundments for unpaid Thruway tolls. Troopers issued 293 tickets as part of the operation, 141 of which were for license plate violations.
• On May 5, a second detail was conducted on the GMMCB, in which State Police impounded 69 vehicles, 10 for unpaid Thruway tolls. The operation resulted in 290 tickets, including 178 for plate violations.
• On May 5, another detail took place in the Western region, and State Police impounded 15 vehicles from motorists on I-190 in Buffalo, 3 for toll evasion on the NYS Thruway. Troopers issued 262 tickets, including 138 for plate violations, during the operation.
• On June 11, State Police impounded 50 vehicles from motorists on I-87 in Albany, 7 for unpaid Thruway tolls. Troopers issued 310 tickets as part of the operation, including 58 for license plate violations.

Date	Location	Total Tickets Issued	Tickets for License Plate Violations	Total Vehicles Impounded	Vehicles Impounded for Thruway Toll Evasion
March 17, 2026	GMMCB	293	141	80	18
May 5, 2026	GMMCB	290	178	69	10
May 5, 2026	I-190 Buffalo	262	138	15	3
June 11, 2026	I-87 Albany	310	58	50	7
	TOTAL	1,155	515	214	38

 

Throughout each detail, troopers focused on suspended registrations, many of which had been suspended for unpaid tolls or lack of insurance, which resulted in the vehicle being towed. Additionally, troopers issued tickets for fraudulent and obstructed license plates, as well as speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, cell phone use, driving with an expired driver’s license or expired registration, and other violations. The Troop T Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit (CVEU) also participated to enforce safety standards and regulations for trucks, buses and other commercial vehicles.

State Police Troop T, which is responsible for the daily law enforcement and public safety activities along all 570 miles of the Thruway, led the operation while the Thruway Authority’s Traffic Safety and Maintenance teams assisted with traffic control.

Fraudster Sentenced To 51 Months In Prison For Running Ponzi Scheme

 

Matthew Melton Held Accountable After Fleeing the United States

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that MATTHEW MELTON was sentenced to 51 months in prison for committing securities fraud by running a Ponzi scheme.  MELTON pled guilty in April 2026 to securities fraud before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who imposed the sentence. 

“Matthew Melton sold investors on a sophisticated trading strategy and guaranteed extraordinary returns,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “In reality, the supposed algorithm did not exist, and he used investor money to fund his lifestyle and sustain his scheme before fleeing the country.  Our Office and our partners are committed to holding financial fraudsters personally accountable, and if you defraud our retail investors, we will bring you to justice.  In the past 18 months, our Office has criminally charged 27 CEOs and corporate leaders with fraud, charged 12 individuals with insider trading, and doubled the number of insider trading investigations year over year.” 

According to the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:

MELTON promoted an investment vehicle he called “Price Physics,” which purported to invest in futures contracts using a proprietary trading algorithm.  He promised investors guaranteed returns of up to 12% per month, of which he said he would keep only 2% as compensation.  In reality, there was no proprietary trading algorithm, and MELTON invested almost none of the millions of dollars he raised in the manner promised to investors.  The few times that MELTON did make trades, it was not in futures contracts, and the trading was generally unprofitable.  For the most part, instead of trading, MELTON used his investors’ money to pay his personal expenses—including mortgage payments and sailing excursions—and to pay earlier investors in Ponzi-like fashion.

On approximately December 15, 2020, MELTON received word of a criminal investigation.  Four days later, MELTON fled the United States and stopped using his email account, credit cards, bank accounts, and phone number, and soon after, MELTON soon stopped communicating with investors.  MELTON remained at large for the next three years, until he was apprehended by law enforcement in October 2023, while he was traveling through the United Kingdom.  MELTON was extradited back to the United States in December 2025.

In addition to the prison term, MELTON, 62, of Boulder, Colorado, was ordered to pay restitution, in an amount to be determined within 90 days, and forfeiture in the amount of $3,756,135, representing proceeds from his illegal scheme.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking and Murder in the Course of Sex Trafficking

 

Defendant Murdered a Rival Pimp During a Dispute Over the Control of a Sex Trafficking Victim

Omari Scott, also known as “Prince” and “Sir Prince,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto to 50 years in prison for murder in the course of sex trafficking, sex trafficking two victims (Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2), and promoting prostitution.  Scott was convicted by a federal jury in June 2025 of murder in the course of sex trafficking and sex trafficking Jane Doe 2.  Prior to trial, Scott pleaded guilty to sex trafficking Jane Doe 1 and promoting prostitution.  The charges relate to Scott’s trafficking of women at an open-air sex market in Brooklyn known as the “Penn Track” and his orchestration of the murder of a rival pimp after a dispute over the control of Jane Doe 2.  Restitution to the victims will be determined at a later date.

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 sentence.

                        

“The defendant earned this lengthy sentence through a pattern of ruthless violence, exploitation of vulnerable women, and abuse,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “His actions caused lasting harm to his victims and demonstrated a complete disregard for the law and for human dignity. Our Office’s prosecutors and law enforcement brought him to justice and their noble work demonstrates a deep commitment to protecting the community from those who commit these heinous crimes.”

“Omari Scott carried out a disturbing level of violence and exploitation of innocent victims. The FBI is dedicated to defending the individuals subjected to these crimes and pursuing offenders who threaten innocent civilians,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“The NYPD has no tolerance for anyone who sexually exploits women and profits from these horrific crimes,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “Omari Scott was a predator of the worst kind – using violence and financial control to force victims into this work and even orchestrating the murder of a rival for encroaching on his business. Thank you to the NYPD investigators, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their work to get this sex trafficker off our streets for good.”

As proven at trial, for years, Scott trafficked women at the Penn Track and other locations in New York City and New Jersey.  He lured his victims in with promises of love and money, but once he had manipulated them into working for him, he took all the money they earned.  He imposed nightly quotas and used violence and threats of violence to keep his victims earning.  For example, Scott told an associate on a recorded call that he was “beating this b--- up tonight” for failing to work quickly enough to locate customers and, on another occasion, Scott warned a victim that he would “knock [her] out for disrespecting me.”  In taking the money they earned, Scott rendered these women dependent on him for food, clothing, and shelter for themselves and for their young children.                   

In April 2023, Scott learned that Jane Doe 2 was planning to leave him to work for a rival, Cleveland Clay, in prostitution.  Scott found Jane Doe 2 on the Penn Track, grabbed her by the hair, dragged her through the street, and threw her into his car.  After Clay refused to back down, the defendant recruited another sex trafficker, Michael Simmons, to murder Clay.  The defendant gave Simmons a gun and sent him to kill Clay, which Simmons did on May 1, 2023 in a White Castle parking lot on the Penn Track.  Simmons then returned to Scott, who had been waiting for him in a nearby laundromat parking lot, to report that the job was done.  Clay succumbed to his wounds several hours later.  Simmons pleaded guilty in January 2025 to murder in the course of sex trafficking and sex trafficking of Jane Doe 2 and is awaiting sentencing.

Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - VCPA is Hiring a Supervisor of Volunteers

 

Van Cortlandt Park Alliance is hiring a full-time Supervisor of Volunteers to working closely with other VCPA staff will lead adult and teen volunteers in stewardship programs and implement training protocols to ensure safe and effective volunteer projects throughout the park. The Supervisor of Volunteers will play an essential role in leading and expanding park stewardship programs in support of VCPA and NYC Parks’ efforts. Stewardship programs include hands-on maintenance of the 20+ miles of trails, restoration and enhancement of 600+ acres of forest, wetlands, pond, and the Learning Garden, and support maintenance of many other locations throughout the park. 

Details Here!

Our Contact Information
Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
80 Van Cortlandt Park South, Ste. E1
Bronx, NY 10463
718-601-1460
http://vancortlandt.org