RAJKUMAR CONTINUES DELIVERING FOR AD 38, OPENING DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY RESIDENT State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar proudly celebrated a powerful showing of community at her Tenants and Homeowners Assistance Day in Ozone Park-Cityline, where more than 40 residents turned out to access critical housing resources and support. The strong turnout highlighted the energy and engagement of the neighborhood and the Assemblywoman’s unwavering commitment to delivering meaningful services directly to Ozone Park and all of South Queens. The event brought tenants and homeowners face-to-face with expert guidance on foreclosure prevention, property tax exemptions, home repair grants, housing court cases, tenant advocacy, and more. Residents also received multilingual assistance, ensuring that vital resources reached everyone in the most linguistically diverse community in the world. Assemblywoman Rajkumar said, “Our Tenants and Homeowners Assistance Day is about opening the door of opportunity for every family in Ozone Park. When we bring government directly into the community, we empower people to protect their homes, build stability, and secure a brighter future. I will always stand with South Queens and continue delivering the resources our neighbors need to succeed.” The event builds on Assemblywoman Rajkumar’s extensive track record of hosting free, high-impact events across the district. This year, she has organized a Women’s Empowerment Celebration, OMNY Card van, pet vaccine clinic, e-waste recycling, and a mammogram clinic. She is continuing this momentum with free one-on-one legal advice next month, uplifting residents with the full power of the law to access justice and dignity, which Assemblywoman Rajkumar has fought for her entire career as a civil rights lawyer. With each initiative, Assemblywoman Rajkumar reaffirms her commitment to ensuring that opportunity is right at the doorstep of every Ozone Park resident. |
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
ASSEMBLYWOMAN JENIFER RAJKUMAR BRINGS COMMUNITY TOGETHER FOR SUCCESSFUL TENANTS AND HOMEOWNERS ASSISTANCE DAY IN OZONE PARK
Summer Stage in Harlem Arts, Roots, & Rhythm Night at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building Postponed Due to Forecast for Inclement Weather
Due to the forecast for inclement weather, the Summer Stage in Harlem Arts, Roots, & Rhythm Night featuring Keith “The Captain” Gamble with Kenny Allan Smith’s Peace & Serenity & the Harlem Choir & Clean Money Music scheduled for Thursday, August 20, has been postponed to Thursday, August 27.
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Mayor Mamdani, NYCHA to Bring Public Engagement Forums Directly to NYCHA Residents Across All Five Boroughs this Fall
More than 400 New Yorkers joined inaugural “NYCHA in Your Neighborhood” forums to connect directly with senior City and NYCHA leaders
Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt announced the next five “NYCHA in Your Neighborhood” events, bringing senior City and NYCHA leaders directly into public housing communities across all five boroughs from September through December.
The first three forums, held in May and June, brought 446 New Yorkers together with City and NYCHA leadership and resulted in 151 issues that received follow-up.
“NYCHA residents deserve a government that treats their concerns with urgency and respect. They deserve to be heard directly by the people responsible for delivering the services they rely on. We are putting NYCHA residents at the center of our policymaking, and these events give New Yorkers a direct line to City leaders, the opportunity to share their experiences and get the support they need to make their homes better,” said Mayor Mamdani. “We are making a historic $5.6 billion capital investment in NYCHA, and we’re bringing that same sense of urgency to every neighborhood we serve.”
“'NYCHA in Your Neighborhood' has proven that when we meet residents where they are for direct, face-to-face engagement, we can make a meaningful difference,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “Our inaugural events welcomed a combined total of over 400 attendees and resulted in the subsequent follow-up on more than 150 issues — demonstrating the value of connecting residents directly with NYCHA leadership and City services. We are excited to bring this level of direct interaction to all five boroughs for our next round of events, and grateful to Mayor Mamdani and our City partners for their continued collaboration and support as we work together to ensure NYCHA resident voices are heard and their concerns are addressed.”
At “NYCHA in Your Neighborhood” events, residents can participate in small-group discussions with senior City and NYCHA leaders, share feedback, ask questions and receive assistance. Residents can raise issues affecting their developments, buildings and apartments, including repairs, community programming, pests and waste, elevators, mold, lead and public safety.
The next round of NYCHA in Your Neighborhood events will be held on:
- Wednesday, September 16 – Queens
- Wednesday, September 30 – Staten Island
- Wednesday, October 14 – the Bronx
- Wednesday, November 18 – Brooklyn
- Wednesday, December 2 – Manhattan
Each forum will run from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, and will cover all NYCHA developments in the borough rather than a single property. NYCHA residents can learn more and register for upcoming events HERE.
The forums will include small-group discussions with NYCHA and City Hall leadership, as well as resource tables where residents can speak one-on-one with NYCHA staff about apartment repairs, tenancy concerns, environmental issues and other needs. Residents can also connect with staff from the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and other City agencies including the Department of Social Services (DSS), Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), Department for the Aging (DFTA) and NYC Parks.
“NYCHA in Your Neighborhood” builds on the Authority’s ongoing engagement with public housing residents, including resident leadership and tenant association meetings, board meetings, resident roundtables and surveys. Residents at each development also have a direct line to NYCHA through their Property Management Office and dedicated on-site staff, as well as specialty teams that respond around the clock to emergency heating, elevator and skilled-trades repair needs.
NYCHA residents who need assistance can call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 or submit work tickets through the MyNYCHA application
“‘NYCHA in Your Neighborhood’ creates a unique avenue for dialogue between residents and senior leaders across the Authority,” said NYCHA Chief Operating Officer Eva Trimble. “The first three events showed that residents are eager to connect directly to executive and specialty staff and that NYCHA’s leadership always has more to learn about the resident experience. It has been a truly extraordinary opportunity to meet with so many residents face-to-face, and we look forward to continuing these informative discussions this fall.”
ICE Lodges Detainers for Three Illegal Aliens Charged with Sex Crimes Against Children in Virginia
All three illegal aliens are being held at the same jail in Staunton, Virginia
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged detainers for three illegal aliens who have all been charged with sex offenses against children, and who are all being held at the same jail in Virginia.
All three suspects were arrested in late July and are currently being held at the Middle River Regional Jail in Staunton. The suspects are:
Efren Ramirez Escobedo, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, arrested on July 24 and charged with sexual assault – victim age 13-14 and sexual assault – forcible intercourse. He illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location.
Santos Bautista-Molina, a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, arrested on July 27 and charged with NINE counts of child solicitation and attempted sex offense with a child under 15. He illegally entered the United States through Texas in September 2005.
Bayron Jose De Paz-Lopez, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala, arrested on July 28 and charged with NINE counts of child solicitation and attempted sex offense with a child under 15. He illegally entered the United States through Arizona in 2021 and was RELEASED into the country by the Biden Administration.
“ICE has lodged detainers for three illegal aliens accused of sex crimes against children, all being held at the same jail in Staunton, Virginia,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “DHS is calling on Governor Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing these criminals from jail and to instead hand them over to ICE. Under Spanberger, the Commonwealth of Virginia has become a magnet for illegal alien crime. These reckless sanctuary policies are putting American lives at risk.”
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 July, ICE lodged a detainer for Nehemia Noel Fuentes-Banegas, an illegal alien from Honduras, after he was charged with attempted disarming of a law enforcement officer in Annandale, Virginia.
- In July, ICE arrested Raul Genesis Ortiz Moran, an illegal alien from Mexico, after he was charged with second-degree murder and aggravated sexual battery in the death of a 2-year-old girl in Louisa County, Virginia.
- In June, ICE lodged a detainer for Juan Arevalo Mendez, an illegal alien from El Salvador, after he was arrested for charges of rape and abduction in Fairfax County, Virginia.
- In June, an ICE investigation led to the sentencing of Samuel Flores de Dios, an illegal alien from Mexico, to 30 years in prison on charges of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
- In June, ICE lodged a detainer for Moises Domingo Rico Rosales, an illegal alien from Nicaragua, after he had been arrested for abduction of person with intent to defile and indecent exposure in Annandale, Virginia.
- In June, ICE lodged a detainer for Jose Nahun Aleman Hernandez, an illegal alien from Mexico, who was charged with molesting a 5-year-old girl in Woodbridge, Virginia.
- In June, ICE lodged a detainer for Cristian Wilfredo Alvarenga Aguilar, an illegal alien charged with carjacking, abduction, assault, and robbery in Herndon, Virginia.
- In May, Aroldo Santos-Velasques, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was sentenced in Loudoun County to 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl.
- In May, ICE lodged a detainer for Cristian Romero Saenz-Argueta, an illegal alien from El Salvador, who was arrested in Prince William County, Virginia and charged with raping a girl under the age of 15.
- 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.
30 Kilos of Cocaine Seized from Mail Delivery Service Packages in New York City
Two Separate Investigations Result in Cocaine Seizures in Brooklyn and Manhattan
Three alleged drug traffickers face charges in connection with using UPS package delivery services to smuggle large loads of cocaine into New York City. Two separate investigations resulted in the seizure of a combined total of 30 kilograms of cocaine (over 66 pounds) in Brooklyn and Manhattan as charged in an indictment and criminal complaint filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP). The cocaine carried an estimated street value of $900,000.
Joshua VARGAS was arraigned in Manhattan Supreme Court yesterday on a newly unsealed indictment, which contains charges related to the seizure of approximately 11 kilograms of cocaine in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn on July 15, 2026. The investigation, conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Task Force Division (DEA-NYTFD) Group T-23, with assistance from SNP’s Investigators Unit, uncovered another eight kilograms of cocaine shipped in an additional package with delivery intended for the same Brooklyn address.
A second investigation, conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force, with the assistance of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Enforcement Division (DEA-NYED) Group D-32, resulted in the arrests of Tyrone WATTS and Ines ZOUICHE in Kips Bay, Manhattan on July 27, 2026. Approximately 11 kilograms of cocaine were recovered from a UPS package. More than $4,000 cash and three allegedly forged driver’s licenses were also seized. Two children were present at the time of the arrests.
Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts, DEA New York Task Force Division, Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam, DEA New York Enforcement Division, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas announced the indictment and arrests.
“Drug traffickers will exploit any means possible to move their poison, including the use of legitimate package delivery services that millions of Americans rely on every day,” said DEA New York Task Force Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts. “These individuals used ordinary packages and our mail delivery system to conceal and transport large quantities of cocaine across the country and directly into New York City neighborhoods. The seizure of approximately 19 kilograms of cocaine underscores the scale of this drug trafficking operation. The DEA New York Task Force Division and our Task Force partners continue every day to target these networks before their drugs reach our city streets.”
“The seizure of 11 kilograms of cocaine in a UPS package destined for New York City, demonstrates the various methods drugs traffickers use when attempting to transport dangerous drugs throughout the country,” said DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “Drug traffickers continue to exploit every method at their disposal to conceal and transport illicit narcotics, but what is even more troubling is exposing their own children to this type of dangerous criminal activity. The DEA will not tolerate individuals who put profits ahead of public safety, especially when children are involved. I commend our Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the New York Enforcement Division, HSI, and our prosecutorial partners whose collaboration led to these arrests and prevented this cocaine from reaching our streets. The DEA and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in identifying, targeting, and dismantling those who abuse our nation’s mail system to distribute deadly narcotics.”
Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan said, “Our city’s supply of cocaine is surging. Frequently mixed with lethal opioids and other synthetic drugs, cocaine has been detected in over half of all overdose deaths in New York City. Throughout the city, our office has worked with our federal, state, and local partners to intercept significant amounts of cocaine. We have recovered multiple kilograms concealed in ordinary looking packages, which were transported by common parcel delivery services. We continue work closely with District Attorneys’ Offices to prosecute those who enrich themselves by endangering the safety of our communities.”
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “Drug traffickers continually adapt the ways they move dangerous narcotics into our communities, and law enforcement must be equally vigilant in identifying and disrupting those methods. Narcotics trafficking fuels addiction, threatens public safety and can drive violence in our neighborhoods. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs and hold those responsible accountable. I commend the Special Narcotics Prosecutor and our partners for their strong work on these cases.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas said, “These defendants are accused of turning an ordinary storefront delivery into the endpoint of an interstate cocaine shipment, allegedly using false identities and surveillance tactics to shield the scheme from law enforcement. By intercepting this shipment, investigators prevented 11 kilograms of cocaine from reaching New York streets and exposed conduct that placed the public, including children, dangerously close to a narcotics trafficking enterprise. HSI New York’s success is strengthened by partners who help us share intelligence, act with precision, and close the gaps criminals try to exploit across jurisdictions, agencies, and legitimate commerce.”
DEA-NYTFD Group T-23 is comprised of Special Agents with DEA, and officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the New York State Police, and U.S. Customs & Border Protection.
DEA-NYED Group D-32 is comprised of Special Agents with DEA, and Task Force Officers from the River Vale (New Jersey) Police Department, Englewood Cliffs (New Jersey) Police Department, and Amtrak Police Department.
The HSI Task Force is comprised of agents and officers with HSI and the NYPD.
Cocaine Delivery: East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
An investigation by DEA-NYTFD Group T-23 identified two UPS packages that allegedly contained cocaine and were shipped to 174 Bogart Street in East Williamsburg. The packages were flagged as suspicious at a UPS facility in Queens, where a K9 alerted positively to the presence of narcotics. Both had been sent by the same sender account from UPS stores in California. While the 174 Bogart Street recipient address was consistent, recipient names and suite numbers varied for each package.
On July 15, at approximately 2:12 p.m., an undercover officer posing as a UPS driver observed defendant Joshua VARGAS outside 174 Bogart Street exiting a gray Mercedes with Connecticut license plates. The undercover asked VARGAS if one of the packages was his and VARGAS allegedly responded in the affirmative, although the parcel bore a name other than his.
VARGAS was placed under arrest. A court authorized search of the package yielded three brick shaped kilogram packages of narcotics wrapped in tape. Following a positive K9 hit on the Mercedes, a FedEx package containing eight brick shaped kilogram packages of narcotics was seized from the vehicle. DEA laboratory analysis identified narcotics as from both packages as cocaine.
VARGAS is charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees and Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees in connection with these 11 kilograms of cocaine. Bail for VARGAS is set at $200,000 cash/bond.
Eight additional kilograms of cocaine were recovered from the second UPS package addressed to 174 Bogart Street. The investigation is continuing with respect to this package.
Cocaine Delivery: Kips Bay, Manhattan
In a separate investigation, members of the HSI Task Force identified a package containing 11 kilograms of cocaine that had been shipped from California for delivery to a UPS store in Kips Bay, Manhattan. The package was flagged and searched pursuant to a court authorized search warrant.
On July 27, 2026, HSI investigators with the assistance of DEA-NYED Group D-32 observed defendant Ines ZOUICHE allegedly receiving delivery of the package inside a UPS store located at 353 Third Avenue, where she was required to present identification to a UPS employee. Agents arrested ZOUICHE as she exited the store with the large parcel. She allegedly possessed a forged Delaware driver’s license.
Prior to ZOUICHE entering the UPS store, agents observed defendant Tyrone WATTS circling the block in a white Audi sedan, peering into parked cars in an apparent counter-surveillance maneuver. Investigators stopped WATTS after ZOUICHE’s arrest and discovered two children, including a toddler and a child under 10, were present in the white Audi. A black duffle bag recovered from the floor of the car allegedly contained approximately $4,000 cash, a vial of cocaine, and two more Delaware licenses. All three Delaware licenses bore ZOUICHE’s photo and the same date of birth but different names.
A subsequent court authorized search of ZOUICHE’s cell phone yielded a text conversation allegedly between her and WATTS from December 2025, in which ZOUICHE sent a passport style photo to WATTS and provided information that would normally appear on a license.
A criminal complaint charges WATTS and ZOUICHE with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree During an arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on July 28, 2026, bail for both defendants was set at $100,000 cash/$200,000 bond.
Bridget G. Brennan thanked Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., and commended her office’s Special Investigations Bureau and Investigators Unit, the DEA New York Task Force Division, the DEA New York Enforcement Division, the HSI Task Force, the NYPD, the New York State Police, and U.S. Customs & Border Protection and all the agencies involved for their work on the investigation.
Joshua Vargas Hartford, CT Age: 35 | CPCS 1st – 1 ct Attempted CPCS 1st – 1 ct CPCS 3rd – 1 ct Attempted CPCS 3rd – 1 ct |
Criminal Complaint | Charges |
Tyrone Watts Queens, NY Age: 35 | CPCS 1st – 1 ct Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument 2nd – 1 ct
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Ines Zouiche Brooklyn, NY Age 36 | CPCS 1st – 1 ct Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument 2nd – 1 ct
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The charges and allegations are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.