Attorney General James Reminds New Yorkers that Selling Pets in Retail Stores Will be Illegal

Law Banning Sale of Pets in Retail Stores Going into Effect on December 15, Retail Pet Stores Selling Dogs, Cats, or Rabbits Could Face Up to $1,000 Per Violation

New York Attorney General Letitia James reminded licensed pet dealers with retail stores that selling dogs, cats, and rabbits will be illegal in New York starting on December 15. The pet sale ban is intended to stop dangerous large-scale breeding operations known as “puppy mills,” where animals are often mistreated and suffer from serious health issues. Puppy mills often misrepresent the health of the animals they breed and send retail stores sick pets that then cost families thousands of dollars in veterinary care. Retail pet stores that continue to sell pets after December 15 can face penalties of up to $1,000 per violation. New Yorkers can still adopt pets from duly incorporated humane societies, animal rescues, or licensed breeders.

“Bringing a new pet into a family should be a time of excitement and joy, but often animals from ‘puppy mills’ suffer from serious medical issues and leave families heartbroken over their sick pet and with a heavy bill to pay,” said Attorney General James. “This pet sale ban will help put an end to the dangerous puppy mill to pet store pipeline that endangers pets and costs New Yorkers thousands of dollars in veterinary care. New Yorkers interested in adding a furry friend to their family can still adopt a pet at a human society, animal rescue, or a licensed breeder.”

The Puppy Mill Pipeline Act, co-sponsored by Senator Michael Gianaris and Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, prohibits retail pet shops from selling, leasing, or transferring ownership of dogs, cats, or rabbits. Pet stores may still partner with registered, nonprofit animal rescue organizations to showcase animals available for adoption. The law allows pet stores to collect reasonable rental fees from rescue groups for space to showcase pets for adoption. Violators of the Puppy Mill Pipeline Act may be subject to enforcement action by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), which could include penalties of up to $1,000 per violation. 

Earlier this year, Attorney General James secured $300,000 from a Long Island pet store, Shake A Paw, for hundreds of consumers who were illegally and unknowingly sold sick puppies. An OAG investigation revealed that Shake A Paw falsely advertised sick pets as healthy, failed to disclose the animals’ legitimate medical conditions, misrepresented puppies’ breeds, and refused to reimburse consumers for veterinary bills they incurred because the dogs they purchased were sick. The illnesses and congenital defects in these animals were found to be consistent with puppies that are purchased from puppy mills. 

 

Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - Mayor Adams’ Refusal to Restore NYC Parks Budget is Unacceptable!

 

Mayor Adams’ refusal to restore critical funding for NYC Parks is outrageous!

This is a direct attack on the health, safety, and well-being of the millions of New Yorkers who rely on these vital green spaces.

 

The FY25 budget cuts gutted NYC Parks, eliminating nearly 800 essential positions, enforcing a hiring freeze, and cutting programs that families, seniors, and children in every borough depend on.

 

Despite his campaign promise to allocate 1% of the city budget to NYC Parks, Mayor Adams has chosen to prioritize austerity measures over our communities.

Demand Budget Restoration!

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

Permits Filed for 1801 Weeks Avenue in Mt. Hope, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a 13-story mixed-use building at 1801 Weeks Avenue in Mt. Hope, The Bronx. Located between East 175th Street and East 176th Street, the lot is near the 174-175 Streets subway station, served by the B and D trains. Steven Westreich of Westorchard Management is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 132-foot-tall development will yield 99,944 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 99 residences, most likely condos based on the average unit scope of 1,009 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar and 40 enclosed parking spaces.

Leandro Nils Dickson Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits were filed earlier this month. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Two Former Employees of Brooklyn Based Non-Profit Charged with Fraud and Bribery Offenses

 

Defendants Received Over $500,000 in Illegal Kickback Payments From Vendor Selected to Install Security Cameras at Homeless Shelters

In federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Gary DSilva, also known as “Pankaj DSilva,” Jonathan Velazquez and Luis A. Camarena with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery and money laundering, as well as substantive counts of wire fraud and federal-program bribery, for their roles in a yearslong kickback scheme.  The defendants were arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.

“These defendants misappropriated public funds through a brazen kickback scheme,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “When corrupt employees siphon public funds to line their own pockets, the neediest New Yorkers bear the brunt.  My Office will relentlessly pursue those who try to compromise the integrity of our community organizations.”

DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “These employees of a City-funded nonprofit participated in an illegal kickback scheme, enriching themselves by stealing from their employer, an entity providing critical services to New Yorkers in need, as alleged in the indictment.  Theft of precious public funds deprives deserving members of our community of resources and I am thankful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI for their shared commitment to protect those funds for the benefit of their intended recipients.”

“Gary DSilva and Jonathan Velazquez, two non-profit organization workers, allegedly received more than $500,000 in illicit kickback payments from Luis Camarena, a contractor hired to install security services in some of the city’s homeless shelters. This alleged quid pro quo agreement only enriched the involved parties and deprived the city of vital infrastructural improvements. The FBI will never tolerate corrupt individuals who selfishly steal public funds intended to support our city’s vulnerable populations,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.

As alleged in the indictment, DSilva and Velazquez were employed in the Management Information Systems department of a Brooklyn-based non-profit entity (the Organization) that supplied a number of services to indigent New Yorkers, including administering multiple homeless shelters.  DSilva and Velazquez, as part of their work for the Organization, were responsible for soliciting vendors to complete various projects involving information technology.  DSilva solicited bids from one such vendor (the Vendor) for multiple projects involving the installation or replacement of security cameras at the Organization’s homeless shelters.  Camarena was the principal of the Vendor.  The Vendor ultimately received approximately $1.6 million in payments from the Organization for work related to these security-camera projects from approximately 2017 to 2021.  During that same period, the Vendor paid a total of over $500,000 in kickbacks to DSilva and Velazquez.  These illegal payments took the form of payments to credit cards in the names of DSilva and Velazquez and their spouses and payments to shell companies registered to DSilva’s spouse.  In one email obtained during the investigation, Camarena, DSilva, and Velazquez discussed how they would divide the “profit” from the business the Vendor received from the Organization among themselves.      

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation Opens Investigation into Civilian Death in Brooklyn

 

The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of a civilian who died on November 20, 2024 following an encounter with a member of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Brooklyn.

On the evening of November 20, an unmarked NYPD vehicle was driving on Pennsylvania Avenue, just north of the intersection with Riverdale Avenue in Brooklyn. While driving down Pennsylvania Avenue, the officer ran over a civilian who was allegedly lying in the street. The civilian was transferred to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, 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.

These are preliminary facts and subject to change.  

With Violence and Crime Down Across New York, Governor Hochul Announces National Recognition of State’s One-of-a-Kind Network of Crime Analysis Centers

Shootings Down 26 Percent Through October and Crime Outside of New York City Down 11 Percent Through June

State Division of Criminal Justice Services, Which Funds and Supports

11 Centers in Partnership with Local Law Enforcement Agencies,

Receives One of Six Federal Excellence in the Field of Criminal Justice Awards

Crime Analysis Center Network Staff Handled 95,000 Requests for Service in 2023, Providing Critical Data Analysis, Information and Investigative Support To Help Local Law Enforcement Agencies Deter, Investigate and Solve Crimes

As violence and crime continue to decline across New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the State’s one-of-a-kind network of Crime Analysis Centers has been recognized with an Excellence in the Field of Criminal Justice Award, one of six presented recently by the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance to mark the 40th anniversary of the federal law that created the bureau. The State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) funds and supports 11 Crime Analysis Centers statewide in partnership with local law enforcement agencies. Staff at these Centers handled nearly 95,000 requests for service in 2023, providing critical data analysis, information and investigative support to help local law enforcement agencies deter, investigate and solve crimes. The Governor also highlighted that shootings in communities participating in the State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative are down 26 percent through October and overall crime is down 11 percent through the first six months of the year outside of New York City – demonstrating the effectiveness of the Crime Analysis Centers’ work in support of local law enforcement agencies and numerous other ongoing crime-fighting efforts. GIVE jurisdictions account for roughly 90 percent of violent crimes involving firearms and 85 percent of violent crime reported outside New York City.

“Doing everything I can to make sure that all New Yorkers and their families feel safe has been one of my top priorities since day one,” Governor Hochul said. “I commend the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and all of New York’s supporting law enforcement agencies for helping New York reach that goal, and further solidifying New York as a national leader in public safety.”

DCJS Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “The development and growth of our Crime Analysis Center Network would not have been possible without the unprecedented level of support, collaboration, and partnership we have received from local, state, and federal agencies and Governor Hochul’s ongoing commitment to ensuring we have the funding necessary to support its operations. While DCJS has received this recognition, we share it with those partners and the crime analysts and law enforcement personnel whose work, day in and day out, helps police and prosecutors solve, detect, and prevent crime and makes our state safer for all New Yorkers.”

Bureau of Justice Assistance Director, Karhlton Moore, presented the awards during a ceremony late last week in Washington, D.C. DCJS was one of two recipients of the Reducing Violent Crime Award, which recognizes an individual or team “for their significant contributions to the development and implementation of a successful approach to reduce violent crime in a specific jurisdiction or nationwide.” Two other awards – Co-Creating Safer Communities and Reforming Our Nation’s Criminal Justice System – were presented, with two honorees in each category. DCJS Deputy Commissioner Mark Heller, who oversees the Office of Crime Analysis and Strategic Partnerships, accepted the award on the agency’s behalf.

• Shooting incidents with injury declined 26 percent (525 vs. 705) through October 2024 compared to the same 10-month period last year, as reported by the 28 police departments outside of New York City that participate in the State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative. The New York City Police Department also reported a 6 percent decrease (817 vs. 865) in shooting incidents through November 17, 2024.
• Preliminary data reported to the state by police departments and sheriffs’ offices in the 57 counties outside of New York City show an 11 percent decrease in index crime during the first six months 2024, the most recent data available, when compared to the same time in 2023. There are seven index crime categories that are used to gauge overall crime trends: four violent (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and three property (burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft). The most significant decreases were reported in motor vehicle theft (-32 percent), followed by rape (-16 percent), and murder (-12 percent) when comparing January 1, through June 30, 2024, to that six-month period last year. The NYPD also reported a 2 percent decrease in crime complaints through Nov. 17, 2024.

About 210 crime analysts, investigators and other law enforcement personnel, either funded by DCJS or assigned by partner local, state, and federal agencies, staff the 11 Centers, located in Albany, Broome, Erie, Franklin, Monroe, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, and Suffolk counties, and Manhattan. More than 350 law enforcement agencies in 57 counties allow the centers to access records management systems, which include arrests, reported crimes, accident reports, traffic tickets and other calls for service; domestic incident reports; parole and probation records; and public surveillance camera systems, among other data and information sources.

Staff at the 11 centers analyze and compile data and information in response to requests for service, providing real-time investigative support to officers as they are responding to reported crimes; analyses of emerging crime trends, crime patterns, and calls for service that inform officer and resource deployment; and detailed briefings that provide investigators with leads on specific cases they are handling. Their work has allowed law enforcement agencies to solve homicides, car thefts, retail crime rings, and remove illegal guns from communities across the State.

Through a unique partnership with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (AFT), centers also have technology on-site that allows police and sheriffs’ investigators to process shell casings and identify potential matches across different incidents. Results are typically received from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) within 24 to 48 hours and have a 99.6 accuracy rating. Center analysts compile these results and provide those leads to police for further investigation. The 11 centers in the network also share data and information with the New York State Intelligence Center, operated by the New York State Police; the locally run Nassau County Lead Development Center.

About The Division of Criminal Justice Services

The Division of Criminal Justice Services provides critical support to all facets of the State's criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; providing support to police agencies handling missing persons cases; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X/Twitter.

Santa Clarita Man Charged with Distributing Opioid More Powerful than Fentanyl and Causing Victim’s Overdose Death

 

A Santa Clarita man has been arraigned on an indictment alleging he distributed protonitazene – a novel synthetic opioid that is up to three times more powerful than fentanyl – which resulted in a victim’s fatal overdose this spring, the Justice Department announced.

Benjamin Anthony Collins, 21, is charged with one count of distribution of protonitazene resulting in death.

This is believed to be the nation’s first death-resulting criminal case involving this narcotic.

Collins was arrested on November 18 and pleaded not guilty to the charge at his arraignment on Wednesday. A trial date of January 14, 2025, was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge ordered Collins jailed without bond.

According to the indictment, during the early morning hours of April 19, 2024, Collins knowingly and intentionally distributed protonitazene, which resulted in the death of the victim. In recent years, protonitazene has been sold over the internet and is believed to be several times more powerful than fentanyl, which itself is 50 times stronger than heroin.

Collins allegedly sold the 22-year-old victim pills containing protonitazene and arranged to sell the victim a bulk supply of these pills in the future. The victim, a resident of Stevenson Ranch, consumed the pills soon afterward in the front seat of his car and quickly died. His mother later found him dead in the front seat parked outside her home and called 911. 

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted, Collins would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department are investigating this matter.

Virginia Man Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison For Trafficking Over 40 Firearms And Selling Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Pills Containing Fentanyl

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JYSHUN TROWER was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote to 14 years in prison for trafficking firearms and selling counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. TROWER previously pled guilty to illegally transporting and distributing firearms and conspiring to distribute narcotics. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jyshun Trower placed countless New Yorkers’ lives in danger, attempting to flood the city with over 40 illegal firearms, including military-style assault weapons, that destroy human bodies and lives.  Trower also sold thousands of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing deadly fentanyl.  He now faces significant time in prison for his crimes.” 

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

From on or about June 5, 2023, through on or about December 14, 2023, TROWER illegally transported and sold firearms in Manhattan and the New York City Area.  In almost a dozen transactions, TROWER illegally sold approximately 43 firearms to an undercover law enforcement agent and others.  The firearms included multiple semiautomatic pistols, semiautomatic rifles, assault style rifles and pistols, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, a ghost gun, and components used to convert a semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic pistol—that is, a machine gun.  Images of several of the firearms that TROWER sold are below.

Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on July 21, 2023.

Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on July 31, 2023.

Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on August 17, 2023.

Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on August 25, 2023.

Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on September 29, 2023.

Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on December 14, 2023.

In addition, TROWER conspired to sell 10,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover law enforcement agent.  TROWER also had arranged with the undercover agent to include several firearms in the transaction.  On or about December 14, 2023, TROWER arrived at the sale location with the firearms, where law enforcement apprehended TROWER and recovered a bag containing over hundreds of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.

In addition to the prison term, TROWER, 27, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations New York Field Office.