Rockland County Man Sentenced To Over 21 Years In Prison For Distributing Fentanyl That Resulted In Six Poisonings, Including Multiple Deaths

 

Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JUSTIN TURNICK was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern to over 21 years in prison.  TURNICK previously pled guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl.  In his plea agreement, TURNICK took responsibility for distributing fentanyl that resulted in three fatal fentanyl poisonings and three non-fatal fentanyl poisonings of teenagers and young adults between February 2020 and April 2022 in Rockland County, New York.  

Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Justin Turnick’s actions didn’t just facilitate addiction—they fueled a crisis that has claimed lives and inflicted unimaginable suffering.  The career prosecutors of this Office and our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration and in local law enforcement remain resolute in our mission to combat the fentanyl epidemic and to seek justice for those who have suffered.” 

According to the allegations in the Indictment, Court filings, and statements made in Court:

TURNICK engaged in the regular distribution of narcotics to members of his community in Rockland County, New York, including his friends, partners, and acquaintances.  TURNICK knowingly distributed fentanyl — a deadly and highly potent opioid — in various forms, including fentanyl that had been packaged into pills, pure fentanyl, and fentanyl-laced powder.

TURNICK distributed fentanyl that resulted in three fatal and three non-fatal poisonings:

1. On or about February 3, 2020, Gustaf Olsen died at age 19 as a result of fentanyl received from TURNICK.
2. On or about July 11, 2020, Jonathan Shashoua died at age 22 as a result of fentanyl received from TURNICK.
3. On or about January 5, 2021, an 18-year-old girl experienced a non-fatal poisoning as a result of fentanyl received from TURNICK.
4. On or about July 30, 2021, Ione Koenig experienced a non-fatal poisoning as a result of fentanyl received from TURNICK.
5. On or about July 31, 2021, Ione Koenig died at age 18 as a result of fentanyl received from TURNICK.
6. On or about April 19, 2022, a 23-year-old man experienced a non-fatal poisoning as a result of fentanyl received from TURNICK.

In addition to the prison sentence, TURNICK, 26, of Congers, New York, was sentenced to 5 years of supervised release.

Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Clarkstown Police Department, and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office.  He also thanked the Ramapo Police Department, the Westchester County Police Department, the Yonkers Police Department, the Putnam County Sherriff’s Department, and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office for their support and assistance in this matter.

Attorney General James Announces $970,000 in Grants to Fund Fair Housing Programs in the Capital Region

 

Grants Will Create and Sustain New Fair Housing Enforcement Program to Address Discriminatory Housing Practices

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced $970,000 in grants to support and expand fair housing testing and enforcement in New York’s Capital Region. This grant funding will be provided to United Tenants of Albany, Inc. (UTA) and the Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) to develop and launch the region’s first fair housing testing and enforcement program and fund the program for a minimum of two years. The Capital Region is the most populous region of New York state that is not currently served by a Qualified Fair Housing Organization (QFHO). QFHOs, as designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, operate fair housing enforcement programs and seek to protect families from housing discrimination. 

Housing discrimination perpetuates racial discrimination and discrimination against protected classes, and without the sort of fair housing testing and enforcement program now made possible by these grants, the Capital Region faces greater risk of social and economic inequality, neighborhood disinvestment, increased childhood poverty, and widening homeownership disparities. These grants will bring critical and necessary services to the Capital Region and promote fair access to housing for thousands of New Yorkers. 

“Access to housing is a basic human right, but too often, discriminatory practices and high prices prohibit countless New Yorkers from securing stable housing and further exacerbates the housing crisis,” said Attorney General James. “Investing in fair housing testing programs ensures we can create greater fair housing opportunities, protect tenants statewide, and hold landlords accountable. The new program supported by these grants will allow for an expansion of accessible and affordable housing across the Capital Region and help more New Yorkers find a place to call home.”

Fair housing testing programs seek to identify and investigate housing discrimination in order to ensure fair access to housing for all. In 2021, the New York state Legislature established the Anti-Discrimination in Housing Fund, which collects licensing fees and discrimination fines from brokers and real estate agents to finance grants in support of fair housing testing and enforcement efforts. Grants from the Anti-Discrimination in Housing Fund are intended to benefit local non-profit organizations focused on preventing illegal discriminatory housing practices.

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will award $520,000 to UTA to create a new fair housing enforcement program in the Capital Region and $450,000 to FHJC – a QFHO that is well-versed in fair housing testing and enforcement programs – to provide training and technical assistance while UTA develops and launches the program. The FHJC will be subcontracting with CNY Fair Housing, a Syracuse-based QFHO, to provide these services. The FHJC and CNY Fair Housing will also assist OAG in identifying additional regions in New York that could benefit from increased fair housing support.

By utilizing fair housing testing and enforcement programs, Attorney General James has been able to reveal and eliminate housing discrimination practices at real estate brokerages on Long Island. In March 2023, Attorney General James took action against Coldwell Banker for discriminating against Black, Hispanic, and other potential homebuyers of color. As a result of Attorney General James’ intervention, Coldwell Banker was required to implement fair housing training for all real estate agents and to fund programs to promote enforcement of and compliance with fair housing laws in Suffolk County. In August 2022, Attorney General James took action against three other Long Island real estate brokerages that were discriminating against homebuyers of color. In some cases, agents at these brokerages were recorded showing preferential treatment to white homebuyers, disparaging neighborhoods of color, and only directing homebuyers of color to homes in neighborhoods where residents predominantly belonged to communities of color. In a fair housing settlement with Attorney General James, these brokerages contributed more than $115,000 to fix discriminatory practices and implement fair housing trainings. 

The OAG is allocating $970,000 to grantees over the program period of two years. Program continuation and grant renewal options will be evaluated and determined by OAG.

BRONX MAN INDICTED FOR MURDERING TWO MEN, 6 DAYS APART

The Defendant Allegedly Shot Both Victims in the Head 

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been indicted on two counts of second-degree Murder for allegedly killing two people, six days apart. 

District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant allegedly killed his landlord, and just days later allegedly killed a possible witness to the slaying. We are bringing him to justice and will continue to hold perpetrators of gun violence accountable.” 

District Attorney Clark said Jailyn Wagner, 20, last of 852 East 176 Street, was indicted February 20. 2025, on two counts of second-degree Murder, two counts of first-degree Manslaughter, and four counts of second-degree Criminal Possession of Weapon. He was arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Kim Parker. He was remanded and is due back in court on May 23, 2025.

According to the investigation, on July 23, 2024, at approximately 2:53 a.m., the defendant allegedly shot his landlord, Idriss Cherif El Farissy, 28, multiple times in the head, outside the victim’s apartment building on 852 176th Street. Wagner allegedly fled the scene on a Citi-Bike to a nearby park and then returned after he changed clothes. He then entered his building while police were responding to the murder.

On July 29, 2024, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Wagner allegedly shot Roman Martinez Malave, 39, multiple times in the head inside his mobile home which was parked near East 176th Street and Mohegan Avenue. The victim was living out of the trailer, which was parked half a block away from the July 23rd shooting. The defendant allegedly fled to a park afterwards, changed his clothes, and walked home. 

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Dominic Robinson of Bronx Homicide and Detective Chad Poidomani of the 48 Precinct for their work on the case.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt. 

Israeli Freight Forwarder Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Violating Export Restrictions Imposed on Russia

 

Gal Haimovich, 49, of Israel, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to illegally ship aircraft parts and avionics from U.S. manufacturers and suppliers to Russia, including for the benefit of sanctioned Russian airline companies. In addition, Haimovich paid the full forfeiture amount of $2,024,435.44 at today’s sentencing.

As part of his plea agreement, Haimovich admitted that his scheme involved deceiving U.S. companies about the true destination of the goods at issue, and that the defendant and others attempted to conceal the scheme by submitting false information in export documents filed with the U.S. government.

According to court documents, Haimovich owned an international freight forwarding company that was an affiliate in a group of companies that did business in various countries, including the United States and Israel. Haimovich, through those companies, operated as a freight forwarder of choice for individuals and entities seeking to illegally export goods to Russia in violation of U.S. export control laws. Between approximately March 2022 and May 2023, Haimovich facilitated the export of aircraft parts and avionics, including those with missile technology applications, from the United States through the Southern District of Florida, to various third-party transhippers on behalf of Russian customers. These Russian-end customers routinely instructed Haimovich to deceive the U.S.-based manufacturers and suppliers about the ultimate destination of the goods.

For example, between April 2022 and April 2023, after the United States imposed additional restrictions on the export of goods to Russia in response to the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Haimovich arranged for more than 160 shipments to companies in the Maldives and United Arab Emirates that were responsible for the illicit transshipment of the goods to Russia. One such shipment, of an air data module, occurred in August 2022. Haimovich, who had been hired by Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines) to deliver the aircraft component to Russia, directed a co-conspirator to falsely inform the U.S. supplier that the part was destined for the Maldives; in fact, Haimovich knew that the part was destined for Russia for the benefit of S7 Airlines.

Haimovich also agreed that, between March 2022 and May 2023, he billed Russian customers, including Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines), more than two million dollars to have aircraft parts and avionics illegally exported from the United States to Russia. In connection with Haimovich’s plea, he agreed to the entry of a forfeiture money judgment in the sum of $2,024,435 and to forfeit various aircraft parts and components.

Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Kevin J. Kurland of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, and Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.

BIS and FBI investigated the case.

NYC Comptroller Recovers $640K+ in Owed Back Wages for Office Workers at City Medical Facilities

 

The New York City Comptroller’s Office reached a substantial settlement with United Staffing Solutions, Inc. (United) for prevailing wage violations concerning 54 temporary office workers at various medical facilities across the five boroughs. The settlement payments total $644,032.81, including back wages, civil penalties, and interest.  

“United Staffing willfully underpaid fifty-four medical office workers their hard-earned wages under the City’s prevailing wage laws,” said Comptroller Brad Lander. “My office will fight for every prevailing wage worker employed or contracted by the City of New York to ensure they get the money and benefits they deserve.” 

“As a result of this settlement, fifty-four workers will receive back wages that are years overdue — including one worker who was shorted nearly $30,000,” said Claudia Henriquez, Director of Workers’ Rights at the Comptroller’s Bureau of Labor Law. “The Bureau of Labor Law is committed to protecting workers’ rights and holding City-contracted employers accountable.” 

The Comptroller Office’s Bureau of Labor Law’s investigation found that United failed to pay prevailing wage and supplemental benefits to 54 employees who worked as secretaries, clerks, and receptionists from April 2015 through August 2018. The Bureau of Labor Law filed a lawsuit against United Staffing at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) in April 2024. After the Bureau of Labor Law presented its case to the trial judge, United agreed to settle the matter and admitted to a finding of willfulness against the company. As a result, the Bureau of Labor Law recovered significant back wages for workers, including one worker who was owed nearly $30,000 during this period.  

This determination is United’s first willful violation. If they receive a second disposition against them within a six-year period, the City will bar United from submitting a bid or award them any city service contract for five years.  

Under the New York Labor Law, the New York City Comptroller sets and enforces prevailing wage and living wage laws for public works projects and certain service contracts in the City of New York. Temporary office workers are covered by prevailing wage under New York City’s Living Wage Law, NYC Administrative Code § 6-109.  

Agency Attorneys Alta Viscomi and Kristyn Sanito and Supervising Attorney Amy Luo handled the litigation and presented the Bureau of Labor Law’s case at OATH . The investigation of this matter was handled by Investigator Annabelle Walters under the supervision of Deputy Director of Investigations Jose Quiroz and Director of Investigations Francisco Gonzalez. The audit was performed by Xiaoyue Lin under the supervision of Stuart Rimmer, Director of Audit. The Bureau of Labor Law is overseen by Claudia Henriquez, Director of Workers’ Rights.  

Governor Hochul Announces Completion of 33-Unit Affordable Housing Development in Westchester

All-Electric Maple Commons in Croton-on-Hudson Offers Affordable, Transit-Oriented Homes in Walkable, Thriving Community

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the completion of Maple Commons, a new housing development in Croton-on-Hudson that offers 33 affordable, energy-efficient homes in a walkable, transit-oriented community. The $18 million two-building complex, developed by Regan Development, is affordable for residents earning up to 80 percent of the Area Median Income. In the past five years, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has created or preserved more than 5,000 affordable homes in Westchester County. Maple Commons continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year Housing Plan which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

“Maple Commons brings critically needed affordable apartments to Croton-on-Hudson, one of the State’s first Pro-Housing Communities,”  Governor Hochul said. “This highly energy-efficient, transit-oriented development is the latest example of my administration’s commitment to making our state more affordable and ensuring all New Yorkers have access to a stable and secure place to live.”

Located on Maple Street in the village of Croton-on-Hudson, the newly-constructed development features an 8,000 square foot park that is open to the public, and additional outdoor common spaces, including a playground. All residents will be provided free high-speed internet in their unit.

The highly energy efficient, all-electric development has been certified under the NYSERDA New Construction – Housing Program. Efficiency measures include high-efficiency equipment for space heating and cooling, domestic hot water, and appliances.

State financing includes State and Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits that will generate $11.1 million in equity and $1.7 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Westchester County provided $1.7 million through their New Homes Land Acquisition Program.

Register to attend the GreenThumb Garden Recognition Awards Ceremony

GreenThumb Garden

Recognition Awards Ceremony

Saturday, March 29, 2025

Join NYC Parks GreenThumb for a night honoring our exceptional gardeners and community garden groups who have made a lasting impact in 2024 and beyond. This awards ceremony will be open to the public, so anyone can celebrate with the volunteers who have beautified neighborhoods, grown healthy food, protected the environment, and helped heal their communities. 

The 7th Annual GreenThumb Garden Recognition Award honorees with NYC Parks GreenThumb staff at the Prospect Park Picnic House on April 18, 2024. Photo by Malcolm Pinckney, NYC Parks

8th Annual GreenThumb Garden Recognition Awards

Saturday, March 29, 2025
7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

The New York Historical
170 Central Park West
at Richard Gilder Way (77th Street)
New York, NY 10024

Registration is required. Please register on Eventbrite.

2024 Award Categories:

• Going the Extra Mile Award (Group or Individual)
• Lifetime Achievement Award (Group)
• Lifetime Achievement Award (Individual)
• Rookie of the Year Award (Group)
• Youth Award (Individual or Group)
• Public Art & Cultural Programming Award (Group) 
• Urban Agriculture Award (Group)
• Community Engagement Award (Group)
• Garden & Landscape Design Award (Group)
• Environmental Innovation Award (Group)
• Community Garden Partner Award

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who nominated a GreenThumb gardener or garden group! We truly appreciate your input in helping recognize the incredible work of community gardeners. These dedicated individuals spend countless hours volunteering, engaging their communities with events and resources, and maintaining vital green spaces for all New Yorkers to enjoy. 

Assemblymember John Zaccaro - FREE Food Giveaway Hosted by Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr.

 

Friends, 

Join me on Friday, February 28th, for a FREE food giveaway at Zimmerman Playground. See our flyer below for details. 

 

When: Friday, February 28, 2025

Time: 1:00PM

Where: Zimmerman Playground - 650 Britton Street

 

Please remember supplies are limited and this is a first come, first serve basis. Looking forward to seeing everyone on Friday afternoon. 

 

Sincerely, 
 

John Zaccaro Jr. 

New York State Assembly 

80th Assembly District