Thursday, July 5, 2018

MAYOR DE BLASIO AND POLICE COMMISSIONER O’NEILL DELIVER REMARKS AT STREET CO-NAMING CEREMONY IN HONOR OF DETECTIVE MIOSOTIS FAMILIA


  Mayor Bill de Blasio: It’s an honor to be with all of you today. Everyone is gathered here to remember a truly great New Yorker. And today there’s a message of family running through this gathering. Not only because of the surname Familia, but because of the feeling, the deep feeling we have for this beautiful family that we came to know in the last year, that we came to know in their grief, but we saw their love, we saw their strength, we saw their goodness, and we saw all that they gave to Miosotis to make her as great as she was. Let’s applaud and thank this beautiful family

There is another family, the family of the 4-6 Precinct. A tightknit group, people care about each other – lookout for every New Yorker, but look out for each other as well. I remember the day after the tragedy being here with so many of you and you could see the strong bonds between the members of the 4-6 family. And there is something beautiful even midst the tragedy, and another family – the extended family, the larger family of the NYPD, a family that feels each loss personally. But in the best tradition of a good and strong family is there for those who have lost not only at that moment or that year, but for years, and years, and decades to come. That is a very proud and honorable tradition of the NYPD. The NYPD we know is the greatest police force in the world. We see it over, and over again in the actions that the men and women of the NYPD undertake, but we’re reminded of it moments like this too, the humanity, and the warmth and the decency of the people who make up this police force. We also saw it yesterday on the day we celebrate our nation at the Statue of Liberty, the courage and skill of the members of the NYPD performing a rescue. Another reminder of how much we depend on all of you in uniform. I want to thank everyone who is here, a special thanks to First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan, and to the leadership of the NYPD, of course Commissioner O’Neill and Chief of Department Terry Monahan, all the leadership present here today. I want to thank the elected officials who are here, the labor leaders who are here, everyone who is here in common cause to honor this hero.

There are so many powerful messages in the life of Miosotis Familia. A guardian angel for the people of this community and a guardian angel for her family as well, and she is really one of the finest examples you will ever see of the American dream, and the kind of striver that has always made New York City great. She had a dream; she wanted to go to college. She was the first in her family to achieve that dream. She had a dream that she wanted to join the NYPD, and she got there, and she experienced what it meant to be a part of this extraordinary organization. She dreamed and she achieved. And always with warmth and heart the love she gave to all those around her was so powerful and you can tell how much love she gave to her family, and how they always came first. She made the city, she made this community better. And I don’t know if our founding fathers could have pictured Detective Miosotis Familia centuries later, but they would have been proud of her because she lived up to all the ideals of this nation. And she was taken from us on the very day we celebrate our founding as a country. She lived those ideals – it’s not easy to live those ideals and she did it so well, in so many ways. And we honor her. We miss her but we honor her, because she lived so well. I want to speak to this good family because you made possible all that was good in the life of Detective Miosotis Familia, and she made possible such good for you. Adriana, thank you for the wisdom you gave her, for the values you gave her, for the strength you gave her. Muchísimas gracias. And to Peter and Delilah and Genesis, we’ve all watched you with such admiration. Your mother would be so proud of everything that you do – the way you speak, the way you think, your dreams, your hopes – and you know that she gave so much of that to you.

It was so clear to me in the time I spent with the family that her strength transferred directly to her beautiful children. That they’re filled with the same kind of passion, the same kind of hope that so much a part of the life of their mother. I want you to know, I think you do know that she will always, always be with you in so many ways. In your spirit, in your strength, you will hear her voice, her loving voice in so many ways and you’ll always know what a hero she was, how much good she did in the world, how many people she uplifted. Every single one of us will meet adversity, but in those moments of adversity you’ll hear the voice of your mom and she will strengthen you.

For everyone, what a blessing that Miosotis Familia walked among us and she taught us something about how to live, and it’s for us to take that lesson – put it into action every day.

Lieutenant Tony Giorgio, NYPD: And thank you so much, Mr. Mayor. It is indeed my pride and privilege to introduce the Police Commissioner of the City of New York, The Honorable James P. O’Neill.

Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill: Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for being here on this very hot day. Welcome to Detective Miosotis Familia Way, thank you for coming here to honor Miosotis and to celebrate her incredible life and career. It’s been one year since she was murdered and over the past twelve months I’ve gotten to spend some time with her family, friends, and colleagues. And all those who knew her best agree, Miosotis was truly a special person and her death was an indescribable loss for our department, for our city, and in fact, for our entire nation. Miosotis, like most cops, just wanted to do her job. Work hard, live without fear, and improve her lot in life, while also making better the lives of her 86-year-old mother, her two girls, and her son. But she also wanted to do something else, she wanted to improve the lives of other families too, and she made the decision to become and NYPD cop – a Bronx cop. She epitomized why many people choose to become police officers. This morning’s church service and this ceremony are testaments to how remarkable Miosotis was.

It’s important that we are here today. Miosotis’s work was not in vain and her legacy will never fade from importance or memory. Genny, Peter, Delilah – your Mom made it her mission to make your home, New York City, a better place and safer place for everyone. And I vow to you as I did last year at your mom’s funeral, we will continue to find our way forward in her honor because that’s what cops do. Cops are regular people who believe in the possibility of making this safer world. Miosotis believed in the possibility of being part of something larger than herself. When many people often overlook is that law enforcement and public service at the local level are the very foundation of peace and order because without public safety there is no possibility of democracy. Everything that government promises, freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from fear, everything starts with public safety. Miosotis knew this and every cop knows this. That’s why violence against the police and what we represent is a dishonor to civilized society. Miosotis’s murder was an act of hate, an act of hate against a group of people who believe that society can be better.

All her killer could see was a uniform, even though Miosotis was so much. She was assassinated solely because of what she represented and for the responsibility she embraced, fighting crime and keeping people safe is not a responsibility that police take lightly and neither should the public. Cops sign up for the job of protecting strangers knowing there are inherent risks but not one of us ever agreed to be murdered in an act of indefensible hate and not one of us signed up to never return to our families. When the fabric of society, the blanket of public safety we provide is torn by a senseless, direct assault on one of our protectors, we need everybody, all 8.6 million New Yorkers to help step up, help our great city and our nation back on to more stable footing. I want to see what’s possible when we recognize that we are one of New York City’s family – all deserving of equal treatment, all deserving of equal respect. We know the public we serve needs us, and we need the public too. We want all of our neighborhoods to be safer places for our children, for our elderly, and for ourselves.

But without peace and safety we have nothing, it’s a shared responsibility, people must participate, they must not retreat, again as I said this time last year, it seems we put all of our societal failure on our police to solve. There’s not enough drug addiction funding, many say it’s the police who should change their tactics, there’s not enough money for mental health, many say it’s the cops who need to alter what they are doing on the streets. If our society hasn’t adequately invested in schools, the cops need to figure that out too. We tell our police, you’re the counselor, you’re the parent, you’re the social worker, you’re the referee, but policing was never intended to solve all of those problems. Let’s be clear, NYPD has done great things here to diffuse tensions between police and communities but it’s not enough, it will never be enough and that’s fine because it’s our duty to keep fighting crime, to keep making people safe. That’s what we swore and oath to do and that’s what Miosotis vowed to do as well.

We know that renaming streets or dedicated plaques or inscribing memorial walls could never ease the pain that comes with a loss like this but our anger can be transformed into change. Our sorrow can make us a better society. We can take these opportunities to remember how Miosotis lived and what she died defending and now every person who comes by the precinct where Miosotis worked and dedicated so much of her time and energy will see her name. And someone, maybe a few generations from now will ask, who was Detective Miosotis Familia? They will read her name out loud and that will be another opportunity for a cop, a resident, or someone who works in this neighborhood to tell her story. And people who never had the good fortune of meeting Miosotis will learn all about her life and what she stood for. They will find out how much she cared for her children and her family, her community and her fellow cops. They will know what everyone here today already knows, that Miosotis’s life though it ended tragically was lived brilliantly. Our job now is to continue her legacy, to finish the work she started, and to make sure that no one ever forgets.

Finally, I want to thank City Councilman Ritchie Torres for sponsoring the bill that rededicated this block in the Bronx in Miosotis’s honor. Thank you to all the men and women of the New York City Police Department who put on that uniform each and every day just like Miosotis did. Just like Sergeant Paul Tuozzolo did, just like Steven McDonald did, just like all the other heroes we’ve lost over the years did – all in the name of fighting crime and keeping this great city safe. So we will back again and again to honor Miosotis’s sacrifice. We will do everything we can to live up to the example she set for us.

Thank you all for your incredibly important work, always look out for one another, and be safe. Thank you very much.

Wave Hill Events July 19‒July 26


Thu, July 19    Stories in the Garden
Each week, Wave Hill educators share some of their favorite nature stories. These stories—classics and more—will come to life through interactive book readings, sing-alongs and movement. Programs are held outdoors. Rain cancels. Ideal for children ages three to six with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds.
ON THE GROUNDS, 11AM

Thu, July 19    Countering Risk through Resiliency: An Open Conversation
This conversation is co-hosted with THE POINT, whose South Bronx Resiliency Arts Fellowship has engaged four artists represented in Ecological Consciousness. Free with admission to the grounds. 
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 6–7:30PM

Thu, July 19    Evening Garden Walk
Enjoy a short evening stroll in the gardens with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Free with admission to the grounds. Serene Thursday event.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6:30PM

Sat, July 21    Family Art Project: Spray a Garden
Add the colors of summer to a garden painting made without brushes, inspired by all the flowering plants in the garden. Work with mists of watercolor, combining them with color-soaked, paper flowers to create your own blooming vision. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, July 21    Excursion: Clearwater Sail on the Hudson    SOLD OUT
Join us aboard the historic Clearwater Hudson River Sloop! Setting sail from the Yonkers Pier, get closer to the majestic Palisades and experience the serenity of the river. While each sail is an ecological adventure and a voyage of discovery, we will also have a discussion around environmental education and advocacy for our beloved and beautiful Hudson River. Ages eight and older welcome with an adult. $70 Adult/$40 child. Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Offsite meet-up location in Yonkers—easily accessible by car and public transportation—will be provided upon registration.
MEETS OFF SITE, 10AM–1PM

Sat, July 21    Garden Highlights Walk
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Sat, July 21    Wave Hill History Walk
Discover the fascinating history of Wave Hill’s architecture and landscape on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Hear about the people who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini. Free with admission to the grounds.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sat, July 21    Gallery Tour
Learn about Glyndor Gallery exhibitions on a tour led by Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow. Ecological Consciousness: Artist as Instigator continues Wave Hill’s efforts to examine the ways that artists engage in ecological projects that present a call to action. The exhibition documents environmental art that explores persistent problems throughout New York City. In the Sunroom Project Space, Priyanka Dasgupta and Chad Marshall’s installation uses traditional landscape architecture, such as a conventional English garden maze, to expose the instability of identity in the United States. Working collaboratively since 2015, Dasgupta and Marshall’s work explores the dichotomy of the sanctuary—its ability to protect as well as restrict. In the Sun Porch, Katie Westmoreland’s presentation of kinetic tapestries responds to the space’s architecture, evoking the patterns cast by sunlight through trees and plants. Her immersive installation utilizes the passing light and shadow patterns of the day as active mediums in her work, calling attention to the sun’s enduring, inspirational qualities. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Sun, July 22    Family Art Project: Spray a Garden
Add the colors of summer to a garden painting made without brushes, inspired by all the flowering plants in the garden. Work with mists of watercolor, combining them with color-soaked, paper flowers to create your own blooming vision. Free with admission to the grounds. 
WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sun, July 22    Yoga in the Garden
Enjoy a morning yoga class in the gardens, offered in partnership with Yoga Haven. All levels welcome; please bring a mat and be on time. Meets indoors in case of rain. Online registration suggested, at wavehill.org, or register day-of at the Front Gate. Yoga sessions continue through July 29. $25 per session. Wave Hill Members save 10%.
ON THE GROUNDS, 10–11AM

Sun, July 22    Garden Highlights Walk
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Sun, July 22    Meet the Artist: Katie Westmoreland
Join us at this artist talk in the Sun Porch. Artist Katie Westmoreland will discuss her installation with Curator of Visual ArtsEileen Jeng Lynch. Westmoreland’s presentation of kinetic tapestries responds to the space’s architecture, evoking the patterns cast by sunlight through trees and plants. Her immersive installation utilizes the passing light and shadow patterns of the day as active mediums in her work, calling attention to the sun’s enduring, inspirational qualities. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Mon, July 23
Closed to the public.

Tue, July 24    Garden Highlights Walk
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Tue, July 24    Gallery Tour
Learn about Glyndor Gallery exhibitions on a tour led by Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow. Ecological Consciousness: Artist as Instigator continues Wave Hill’s efforts to examine the ways that artists engage in ecological projects that present a call to action. The exhibition documents environmental art that explores persistent problems throughout New York City. In the Sunroom Project Space, Priyanka Dasgupta and Chad Marshall’s installation uses traditional landscape architecture, such as a conventional English garden maze, to expose the instability of identity in the United States. Working collaboratively since 2015, Dasgupta and Marshall’s work explores the dichotomy of the sanctuary—its ability to protect as well as restrict. In the Sun Porch, Katie Westmoreland’s presentation of kinetic tapestries responds to the space’s architecture, evoking the patterns cast by sunlight through trees and plants. Her immersive installation utilizes the passing light and shadow patterns of the day as active mediums in her work, calling attention to the sun’s enduring, inspirational qualities. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Wed, July 25    Sunset Wednesdays: Live Music on the Great Lawn‒Smokey’s Secret Family
Smokey Hormel and his stellar New York band—Smokey on guitars; David Hofstra on bass and tuba; Davi VieraTony Mola and Meia Noite on percussion; Doug Weiselman on clarinet and baritone sax; and Clark Gayton on trombone—resurrect songs from the dance halls of Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean of the ‘50s and ‘60s with electric guitar, tuba, trombone, clarinet, percussion and more. Says Smokey himself, "it's that magical moment just before the heavy influence of American Soul, Funk and Rock and Roll, the pre-James Brown era of urban African dance music. There are no big drum kits, no loud amplifiers, just wild guitars bursting through small amps afloat on a sea of hand drums and shakers, often with a very distorted bass or maybe even a tuba pulsating underneath it all. It's more Latin than western. It's not Funk. It's Cha Cha, Mambo and Rhumbas, and it all has that very contagious and danceable groove." Rain or shine, all Sunset WednesdayConcerts are held on the Great Lawn. In case of inclement weather, concerts will be moved indoors to Armor Hall with overflow space in the Mark Twain Room and the covered terrace behind Wave Hill House. Check wavehill.org for shuttle service and for The Café menu on Sunset Wednesdays. The onsite parking lot closes at 4PM, except to accommodate vehicles with a disability license plate or placard. Free with admission to the grounds, which is $12 starting at 4PM. Free to Wave Hill Members. The grounds close at 8:30PM. 
ON THE GROUNDS, 7PM

Thu, July 26    Stories in the Garden
Each week, Wave Hill educators share some of their favorite nature stories. These stories—classics and more—will come to life through interactive book readings, sing-alongs and movement. Programs are held outdoors. Rain cancels. Ideal for children ages three to six with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds.
ON THE GROUNDS, 11AM

Thu, July 26    Evening Garden Walk
Enjoy a short evening stroll in the gardens with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Free with admission to the grounds. Serene Thursday event.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6:30PM

Thu, July 26    Marvelous Moths Walk and Talk
Often overshadowed by their more flamboyant butterfly relatives, moths have their own subtle beauty. In recognition of National Moth Week, join environmental educator and moth enthusiast Pam Golben for a special, twilight, mothing adventure. After a short presentation indoors, head outside to search for these demure creatures in the garden and at an illuminated moth observation station. No mothing experience required! Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. $25. Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Space is limited.Serene Thursday event.
MEET AT WAVE HILL HOUSE, 8–9:30PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–5:30PM,  March 15–October 31. Closes 4:30PM, starting November 1.

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm
  
DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

Engel on the Resignation of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt


   
“News of Scott Pruitt’s resignation is welcome, though long overdue. I said when Pruitt was chosen to serve as Administrator that he was a ‘dangerous and unacceptable choice to lead the EPA’ and his entire tenure proved my words true. His legacy consists of gutting our nation’s environmental regulations and encouraging the burning of fossil fuels, along with repeated and serious ethical failings. I called for Pruitt’s resignation long ago, so I am pleased to see this finally come to pass. I encourage the President to now nominate a replacement who understands the threat of climate change and is dedicated to the EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment—not another shill for our nation’s worst polluters.” Said Congressman Eliot Engel.

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Vigil For Victim Shot and Killed by Van Nest Park



  The Van Nest Community, neighboring community organizations, and community activists came out at a steamy rain threatened time on the eve of the Fourth of July against the senseless homicide that occurred on Tuesday June 19th at 4 PM in the Van Nest community. They were protesting the shooting that killed a man less than one block where the incident occurred, which is also next to a playground/park.

  According to reports Mr. Jose Velez was shot and pronounced dead at the hospital he was taken to. A witness engaged to marry the victim said that there was an argument with an unknown man, when a third man police say was Mr. Michael Rodriguez shot Mr. Velez who died of his wounds. Police are looking for Mr. Rodriguez and the unknown other person involved in this shooting.


Above - Pastor Jay Gooding who led a similar neighborhood protest in Soundview last week where three people were shot and killed, began the vigil.
Below - Ms. Bernadette Ferrara President of the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance speaks about the uptick in violence in the Van Nest area. 




Above - Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez pledged her cooperation and support in helping to stop the violence which is occurring in the area.
Below - Father Robert Badillo reads a statement calling for an end to this violence in his church area.


  Also on hand to show support for the Van Nest area were neighboring community groups such as representatives of the Morris Park Community Association, Bronx Park East Community Association, Allerton Homeowners Association, The Clergy Council of the 49th Precinct, officers of the 49th Precinct, and various community activist.

First Nationwide Undercover Operation Targeting Darknet Vendors Results in Arrests of More Than 35 Individuals Selling Illicit Goods and the Seizure of Weapons, Drugs, and More Than $23.6 Million


  United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that John Edward Monette, 49, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been indicted as part of a national undercover operation targeting Darknet vendors.  Monette was indicted on May 8, 2018, for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. 

The Department of Justice, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced the results of a year-long, coordinated national operation that used the first nationwide undercover action to target vendors of illicit goods on the Darknet. Special Agents of the HSI New York Field Division, in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, posed as a money launderer on Darknet market sites, exchanging U.S. currency for virtual currency.  Through this operation, HSI New York was able to identify numerous vendors of illicit goods, leading to the opening of more than 90 active cases around the country.  The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, working with more than 40 U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country, coordinated the nationwide investigation of over 65 targets, that lead to the arrest and impending prosecution of more than 35 Darknet vendors.
John Edward Monette was identified by HSI New York during an undercover operation as having exchanged Bitcoin for cash on numerous occasions. Between May 31, 2017, and October 24, 2017, HSI New York conducted 11 undercover Bitcoin for U.S. currency transactions with Monette that totaled $19,000.  Monette was also identified as the intended recipient of numerous international mail seizures containing MDMA.
MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetimine, also known as ecstasy) is an illegal synthetic drug that causes both hallucinogenic and stimulant effects.  Most MDMA users are teenagers or young adults.  MDMA is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act.  Schedule I substances, which include heroin and LSD, have a high potential for abuse and serve no legitimate medical purpose.
“Criminals believing that their illicit activities on the so-called Darknet will elude the attention of law enforcement had better think again,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “This operation is just the beginning.”
This extensive Darknet operation, which culminated in four weeks of more than 100 enforcement actions around the country, resulted in the following:
  • Federal arrests of more than 35 Darknet vendors who engaged in tens of thousands of sales of illicit goods;
  • Execution of 70 search warrants, resulting in the seizure of massive amounts of illegal narcotics, including 333 bottles of liquid synthetic opioids, over 100,000 tramadol pills, 100 grams of fentanyl, more than 24 kilograms of Xanax, and additional seizures of Oxycodone, MDMA, cocaine, LSD, marijuana, and a psychedelic mushroom grow found in a residence;
  • Seizure of more than 100 firearms, including handguns, assault rifles, and a grenade launcher;
  • Seizure of five vehicles that were purchased with illicit proceeds and/or used to facilitate criminal activity;
  • Seizure of more than $3.6 million in U.S. currency and gold bars;
  • Seizure of nearly 2,000 Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies, with an approximate value of more than $20 million;
  • Confiscation of 15 pill presses, which are used to create illegal synthetic opioids; and
  • Seizure of Bitcoin mining devices, computer equipment, and vacuum sealers.
     
    In addition to Monette, others who have been charged federally, include:
  • Antonio Tirado, 26, and Jeffrey Morales, 32, of the Bronx, New York, were arrested on June 18, and separately charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York with distribution and possession with intent to distribute narcotics, including cocaine, LSD (also known as “acid”), marijuana, and hashish oil.  Additionally, Tirado was charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking offenses.  Following an investigation into a Darknet marketplace vendor using the moniker “Trapgod,” investigators executed search warrants at homes in two residential neighborhoods in the Bronx leading to Tirado and Morales.  As alleged in the complaints, during the execution of the search warrants at the Tirado and Morales residences, agents seized controlled substances including powder cocaine, marijuana, and LSD, as well as various precursor powders, liquids, and reagents, and other narcotics-related paraphernalia including marijuana growing equipment, a home chemistry lab, scales, and heat sealing packaging materials.  In Tirado’s home, agents recovered a fully loaded shotgun alongside a narcotics stash.  Investigators in Tirado’s apartment recovered additional evidence of Darknet narcotics distribution, such as numerous U.S. Postal Service shipping boxes, already addressed to customers around the United States, which boxes contained hairbrushes some of which had already been packed with powder cocaine for distribution.
  • Jian Qu, 30; Raymond Weng, 24; and Kai Wu, 22, all of Queens, New York, along with Dimitri Tseperkas, 22, and Cihad Akkaya, 22, of Middle Island and Port Jefferson, New York, respectively, were each arrested on June 18, and charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York with participation in a conspiracy to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana.  Tseperkas and Akkaya were also charged with firearms offenses relating to the drug conspiracy.  Investigators monitoring Darknet marketplaces found accounts used by some of the conspirators, leading agents to execute search warrants at three addresses in residential communities in Flushing and Mt. Sinai, New York.  From the residences, agents recovered approximately $400,000 in U.S. currency, 140 kilograms of suspected marijuana and an additional 10 kilograms of suspected marijuana vape cartridges, 12 kilograms of suspected Xanax pills, over half a kilogram of suspected ecstasy, four pill presses, mixers, and pill press parts, over a dozen kilograms of various powders, packaging materials, and paraphernalia.   While searching the residence where Akkaya and Tseperkas were found, investigators recovered three loaded shotguns, including a tactical double-barreled shotgun loaded with 14 shells, and over 50 shotgun shells, as well as significant quantities of narcotics, packaging materials, and paraphernalia including a money-counting machine.  Review of electronic evidence recovered from the residences proved the conspirators’ connections to Darknet marketplaces, use of cryptocurrency, and narcotics distribution schemes.
  • Ryan Farace, 34, of Reisterstown, Maryland, and Robert Swain, 34, of Freeland, Maryland, were charged by the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland related to a scheme to manufacture and distribute alprazolam tablets, which are typically sold under the brand name “Xanax.”  The indictment alleges that Farace distributed the drugs through sales on the dark web in exchange for Bitcoin, and that Farace and Swain laundered the drug proceeds through financial transactions designed to conceal the source and ownership of the illegal funds.   To date, law enforcement has seized various crypto currency, to include bitcoin, valued at over $22 million at the time of the seizures, and over $1.5 million in cash, which was seized from Farace’s residence upon the execution of a search warrant on Jan. 18.  As part of the indictment, the government seeks the forfeiture of no less than $5.665 million, plus the value of 4,000 Bitcoin believed to be the proceeds of the illegal drug sales, two residences, and a vehicle used to facilitate the drug distribution.
  • Nicholas J. Powell, 32, and Michael Gonzalez, 27, former and current residents of Parma, Ohio, respectively, were charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and laundering money using the dark web.  The complaint alleges that Powell used various monikers on Darknet marketplaces as part of his criminal scheme, including “TheSource,” “BonnienClyde,” BnC,” “BCPHARMA,” and “Money TS.”  The conspiracy operated on multiple Darknet marketplaces, including Silk Road 2, AlphaBay, and HANSA.  The conspiracy involved distributing Xanax, steroids, marijuana and other drugs across the country using these and other Darknet monikers.  Powell and Gonzalez would then launder the funds as cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Etherium, and Komodo through individuals specializing in money laundering on Darknet marketplaces.  At the time of arrest, law enforcement had already seized approximately $437,000 in cryptocurrencies from Powell.
  • Jose Robert Porras III, 21, and Pasia Vue, 23, both of Sacramento, were charged with drug distribution, money laundering, and illegally possessing firearms, in a 16-count indictment returned by a grand jury in the Eastern District of California. According to the indictment, Porras and Vue were using the online monikers “Cannabars” and “TheFastPlug,” to distribute marijuana, Xanax, and methamphetamine on various dark web marketplaces, including Trade Route, Wall Street Market, and Dream Marketplace.  Porras and Vue then laundered the Bitcoin proceeds of their drug distribution through the HSI undercover agent located in New York.  After receiving the Bitcoin from Porras and Vue, the undercover agent mailed parcels of cash to them in Sacramento. HSI and USPIS agents seized nine weapons including an AK-47 magazine and ammunition, 30 pounds of marijuana, $10,000 in U.S. currency, a vehicle, and over 100 bars of Xanax.
  • Sam Bent, 32, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont (and formerly of East Burke, Vermont), and his cousin, Djeneba Bent, 26, also of St. Johnsbury (and formerly East Burke) were charged with conspiracy to distribute LSD, MDMA (also known as “ecstasy”), cocaine, and marijuana in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the District of Vermont.  The indictment alleges that the conspiracy involved setting up accounts on dark web marketplaces, establishing online identities, accepting Bitcoin in exchange for sales over the dark web, and mailing controlled substances from several different post offices in Northeastern Vermont and Northwestern New Hampshire in an effort to avoid detection.   The indictment also charges Sam Bent with four counts of money laundering involving three different exchanges of bitcoin drug distribution proceeds for U.S. currency. 
  • In Fresno, California, a federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment on May 17, against Daniel Boyd McMonegal, 35, of San Luis Obispo and Mariposa, California, charging him with drug distribution and money laundering in the Eastern District of California.  According to the indictment, McMonegal, using the online monikers “Sawgrass,” “Ross4Less,” and “ChristmasTree,” distributed marijuana on various dark web marketplaces, including Dream Market.  McMonegal was also the owner of a marijuana delivery service in San Luis Obispo called West Coast Organix, which claimed to be a non-profit medical marijuana cooperative.  McMonegal then laundered the Bitcoin proceeds of his drug distribution through an undercover agent located in New York.  After receiving the Bitcoin from McMonegal, the undercover agent mailed parcels of cash to McMonegal in San Luis Obispo and Mariposa.
More than 50 Darknet vendor accounts were identified and attributed to the real individuals selling illicit goods on Darknet market sites such as Silk Road, AlphaBay, Hansa, Dream, and others. HSI-New York Field Division and MLARS coordinated with law enforcement and federal prosecutors to investigate 65 targets identified by the undercover operation in more than 50 Federal districts, including: the District of Arizona, the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Western District of Arkansas, the Central District of California, the Eastern District of California, the Northern District of California, the Southern District of California, the District of Colorado, the District of Connecticut, the Middle District of Florida, the Northern District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Northern District of Iowa, the District of Kansas, the District of Maryland, the Eastern District of Michigan, the District of Minnesota, the Eastern District of North Carolina, the Western District of North Carolina, the District of New Hampshire, the Northern District of New York, the Southern District of New York, the Western District of New York, the District of North Dakota, the Northern District of Ohio, the Southern District of Ohio, the District of Oregon, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the District of South Carolina, the District of South Dakota, the Eastern District of Texas, the Northern District of Texas, the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the Eastern District of Virginia, the District of Vermont, the Eastern District of Washington, and the Western District of Washington.  FBI was part of the investigative team in the Northern District of California.   
The investigation is ongoing.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations and defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

A.G. Underwood Announces Indictment Of Financial Advisor Thomas Lagan For Stealing From Family Trusts He Oversaw In $9 Million Scheme


While Serving as Trustee, Lagan Looted Family Trusts Funded by Capital Region Philanthropists Warren and Pauline Bruggeman

  New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced the grand jury indictment of financial advisor and lawyer Thomas Lagan for a scheme in which he and former Town of Guilderland Judge Richard Sherwood plundered over $9 million from family trusts they were responsible for overseeing.

“The defendants orchestrated a complex scheme to steal millions from trusts they were supposed to protect,” said Attorney General Underwood. “We will continue to ensure that those who game the system and violate the public trust are brought to justice.”
As detailed in the complaint, Lagan and Sherwood have provided estate planning and related legal and financial services to Capital Region philanthropists Warren and Pauline Bruggeman and Pauline Bruggeman’s sister, Anne Urban, since at least 2006. The Bruggemans each created a revocable trust, which contained sub-trusts designed to provide for Anne Urban and Pauline’s other sister, Julia Rentz. Other funds were to be awarded to Anne Urban and Julia Rentz outright upon the deaths of the Bruggemans.
In 2011, the Anne S. Urban Irrevocable Trust (AUIT) was created using some of the funds from the Bruggeman trusts; Sherwood was named Trustee and Lagan was named Successor Trustee.
In one instance, a sub-trust with approximately $2,000,000 was to be returned to the Pauline Bruggemen Revocable Trust for distribution to six named charities upon Anne Urban’s death; the complaint alleges that, rather than returning those funds after Urban died in 2013, the funds were disposed of through the AUIT primarily for the benefit of Sherwood and Lagan. In another part of the scheme, Sherwood and Lagan allegedly conspired to deceive an Ohio attorney into sending over $2,000,000 of Julia Rentz’s money to the AUIT, under the premise that it would be sent to charity; in fact, Sherwood and Lagan shared those proceeds. Sherwood and Lagan allegedly formed the Empire Capital Trust to benefit themselves and funded it with over $1,000,000 of stolen money. In January 2015, they allegedly transferred $3,598,908 from AUIT to a Trustco Bank account in Sherwood’s name and $2,693,865.92 from the AUIT to a Trustco Bank account in Lagan’s name.
Lagan was arraigned before the Honorable Roger D. McDonough, Acting Supreme Court Justice in Albany County Court. The indictment charges Lagan with two counts of Grand Larceny in the First Degree (a Class B felony), two counts of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property (a Class B felony), and one count of Scheme to Defraud (a Class E felony).
The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
On June 11, 2018, Richard Sherwood pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a Class C felony). Sherwood faces up to three to ten years in prison.
Attorney General Underwood thanks the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the New York State Office of Taxation and Finance for their valuable assistance in this investigation.

BRONX WOMAN INDICTED IN MURDER OF INFANT SON


Defendant Slammed 5-Month-Old’s Head Against Wall, Did Not Seek Help

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx woman has been indicted on Murder and Manslaughter charges in the death of her 5-month-old son, who suffered a fractured skull after she slammed his head against a wall. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “This infant suffered grievous head injuries, allegedly inflicted by his mother. The crime was all the more callous because she allegedly did not obtain medical attention for the baby for more than an hour. We will get justice for this innocent life that was taken so soon.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Joann McLeod, 30, of 1420 Bronx River Avenue, has been indicted on second-degree Murder, first and second-degree Manslaughter and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. She was arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas and remand was continued. She is due back in court on October 2, 2018. 

 According to the investigation, between midnight on June 3, 2018 and 9 a.m. on June 4, 2018, inside McLeod’s apartment in 1420 Bronx River Avenue, the defendant picked up her 5- month-old son, Raymond Porfil Jr., shook him and slammed his head against a wall several times. She purposefully did not obtain medical attention for the infant for more than an hour, including leaving the apartment for a period of time.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Christian Gutierrez of the 43rd Precinct Squad and John Ferretti of the Bronx Homicide Squad. 

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