Attorney General James And Comptroller DiNapoli Announce Guilty Plea Of Former New York City Council Candidate Albert Alvarez In Straw Donation Scheme

  Attorney General Letitia James and New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced that former New York City Council candidate Albert Alvarez pleaded guilty to Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, in the Supreme Court of New York County. Alvarez previously served as Chief of Staff to New York City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera. In 2013, Alvarez ran for Rivera’s seat in the 15th New York City Council District, but he was unsuccessful in the Democratic primary. While running for office, Alvarez knowingly accepted straw donations orchestrated by George Gonzalez and Anna Mendez, two employees of a Bronx non-profit organization called Tremont Crotona Day Care Center.   

“In New York, corruption is never acceptable, and offenders will always be brought to justice for their misdeeds,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “Albert Alvarez knowingly deceived hardworking New Yorkers, stole public funds, and took advantage of our democratic process. We are committed to protecting public integrity and will use every tool at our disposal to root out corruption and hold bad actors accountable.” 

“Mr. Alvarez thought he could game New York City's public campaign finance system through straw donations," said State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. "Thanks to my partnership with Attorney General Letitia James and the New York City Department of Investigations, his scheme was exposed and he is being held accountable. I thank Attorney General James and Commissioner Margaret Garnett for their continued commitment to working with my office to combat corruption." 

“There is no room in government for politicians who undermine the integrity and independence of elections, particularly by submitting fraudulent records to the Campaign Finance Board and ultimately stealing taxpayer funds, as was the case in this straw donor scheme,” said New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett. “With today’s guilty plea, a onetime candidate for elected office now stands convicted of a crime. DOI will continue to work with the Office of the State Attorney General, the Office of the State Comptroller, and all our partners to protect the election process and government funds.” 

Gonzalez and Mendez were arraigned for their roles in the false filings on a separate felony complaint on January 10, 2018. Mendez and Gonzalez are alleged to have provided funds to other employees of Tremont Crotona Day Care Center to contribute to Alvarez. Gonzalez also distributed contribution cards to these employees, which he had them falsely make out in their own names to conceal the true source of the funds. The money was, in reality, stolen from Tremont Crotona Day Care Center. Alvarez then collected the money and false contribution cards. Even though he knew the contribution cards were false, Alvarez submitted them to the New York City Campaign Finance Board (the “CFB”) to steal at least $4,500 in public matching funds. In total, Alvarez received $92,400 in public matching funds. Alvarez agreed to pay back $10,450 in restitution and fines as part of his plea deal.  

The charges filed in this case are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.   

Since 2011, the Attorney General and State Comptroller have worked together to fight corruption through their Joint Task Force on Public Integrity. They have brought charges against dozens of individuals implicated in public corruption schemes around the state – resulting in the return of over $11 million in restitution to taxpayers through these convictions.    

The Attorney General would also like to thank the New York City Department of Investigation for their partnership on this investigation. 

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES OVER 230,000 NEW YORKERS LIFTED OUT OF POVERTY, NEAR-POVERTY DURING FIRST TERM

City on track to reach 10-year goal of 800,000 out of poverty or near-poverty by 2025

  The Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity today released its annual New York City Government Poverty Measure report, which shows that both the poverty rate and the near-poverty rate (the percentage living below 150 percent of New York City’s poverty threshold) have significantly decreased since Mayor de Blasio took office in 2014. The report shows a drop in the near-poverty rate to 43.1 percent in 2017 from 2013’s rate of 45.9 percent, a 2.8 percentage point decline.  The report also demonstrated that the percent of New Yorkers in actual poverty has declined from 20.7 percent in 2013 to 19 percent in 2017, a 1.7 percentage point decline.

The 2017 poverty rate of 19 percent matches the pre-recession 2008 rate – the lowest since tracking began in 2005. In 2017, there were about 236,500 fewer New Yorkers in poverty or near-poverty than there would have been if the poverty rate had remained at the 2013 level, putting the City on course to reach its 10-year goal of moving 800,000 people out of poverty or near-poverty by 2025.

“At the beginning of this administration, we set out to ensure the doors of economic opportunity were open to all New Yorkers,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This report reveals that bold progressive policies from Pre-K for All to Paid Sick Leave, combined with increases in the minimum wage, are uplifting working people across this city.”

“The local poverty rate – one of New York City’s most important metrics – has declined steadily since 2013,” said Matthew Klein, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity.  “This important achievement reflects efforts across the de Blasio administration and we remain committed to making even more progress.”

“The NYCgov poverty measure continues to be an important tool in New York City’s efforts to lower the poverty rate,” said Christine D’Onofrio, Director of Poverty Research for the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity. “The data shows the continuing importance of the City’s commitments to affordable housing, a $15 an hour minimum wage and improved access to benefits.”

The decrease in the poverty rate has been accompanied by rising wages, especially for workers at the bottom of the income distribution.  From 2013 to 2017, median wage income in the city grew 14.7 percent.  For those in the bottom quartile of the income distribution, wages grew 9.4 percent in 2017 alone.

The report also highlights the City’s many initiatives aimed at increasing equity and fairness. These programs include Pre-K for All; paid family leave and paid sick leave; efforts to help New Yorkers learn about and apply for benefits for which they are eligible; and Housing New York, the largest and most ambitious plan to build and preserve affordable housing in the nation. 

      

The City’s NYCgov poverty measure is updated annually. This year’s report uses the most recent available information from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and is augmented by the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity.  The NYCgov poverty measure was developed to provide a more precise portrait of poverty in New York City than the official U.S. poverty measure. It takes into account the cost of living in New York City, including the higher cost of housing, and counts as income those programs that supplement New Yorkers’ income, such as tax credits and SNAP benefits—elements that are not taken into account in the federal measure. Additionally, the calculation of the U.S. Official poverty measure has remained largely unchanged for 50 years. New York City is the only U.S. city that calculates its own poverty rate using this more precise measure.

About the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity

The Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity) uses evidence and innovation to reduce poverty and increase equity. It advances research, data and design in the City’s program and policy development, service delivery, and budget decisions. NYC Opportunity’s work includes analyzing existing anti-poverty approaches, developing new interventions, facilitating the sharing of data across City agencies, and rigorously assessing the impact of key initiatives. NYC Opportunity manages a discrete fund and works collaboratively with City agencies to design, test and oversee new programs and digital products. It also produces research and analysis of poverty and social conditions, including its influential annual Poverty Measure report, which provides a more accurate and comprehensive picture of poverty in New York City than the federal rate.

 EDITOR'S NOTE:

The current Mayor Bill de Blasio will be term-limited out of office in 2021. 

REMINDER - TONIGHT VAN NEST NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE–MONTHLY MEETING–MONDAY JUNE 3, 2019–7:00PM–MONSIGNIOR FIORENTINO APTS–1830 AMETHYST STREET, COMMUNITY ROOM

Monday June 3, 2019 is our last meeting before summer recess!
We resume in September. That doesn't mean we stop being
the eyes and ears of Van Nest! We are on-call 24/7!

Monday, June 3, 2019

7:00 PM

Monsignor Fiorentino Apts Community Room

1830 Amethyst Street

Bronx, NY 10462

Relay For Life Against Cancer at Bay Plaza

  The parking lot across from Applebee's in Bay Plaza was closed off for the Relay For Life for survivors of Cancer or those who lost a loved one to Cancer to March For Life. Hundreds of people joined in on one of the many walks around the parking lot to raise awareness for Cancer in its all types of forms. There was various types of entertainment and different tables set up for information, or to get a service. The hottest table was the table were a Braidathon was going on by braiding different colors into a persons hair.

Above - The Braidathon Table.

Below - One of the event organizers Ms. Tanya Carrion has her hair being braided.

Above - The finished product of Ms. Carrions hair.

Below - It was event organizer Jose Rivera's turn.

Above and Below - Marchers during the six hour event. 

Above and Below - Various entertainment was provided during the Relay For Life.

Above - There were the Shirley Vargas marchers in her memory.

Below - The set up committee, Jose Luis Rivera Nitisha Moore, and DJ Erick Enlamezcla top row. Jamie Sanders, Angel Guadalupe, Tanya Carrion, Daniel Silva, Yesenia Vazquez, Rose Rullan, and Rich Vargas.

Queens Store owner Indicted for Setting Fire to Rival Supermarket in Brooklyn

Defendant Complained That a Competitor’s Low Prices Were Hurting His Business

  A federal grand jury in Brooklyn returned an indictment charging Mamunar Khan with the February 3, 2019 arson of the Premium Supermarket in East New York.  Khan was previously arrested on a complaint on May 6, 2019, and will be arraigned at a later date.  If convicted, Khan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Daniel A. Nigro, Commissioner, New York City Fire Department (FDNY), announced the charge.

“As alleged in the indictment, Khan set fire to a supermarket while it was open for business, demonstrating total disregard for the safety of employees, customers and the firefighters who responded to the blaze,” stated U.S. Attorney Donoghue.  “Attempting to burn down your competition is an extremely serious and violent crime and we and our law enforcement partners will ensure that such crimes are punished.”

“The alleged violent acts of the defendant against a fellow business owner could have resulted in substantial loss of property and cost the lives of innocent people to include first responders,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito.  “The ATF/NYPD/FDNY Strategic Explosive and Arson Response Task Force will continually work to prevent violent acts like this from occurring and to swiftly bring the perpetrators of such acts when they do occur, to justice. I would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting the case.”

“Mamunar Khan put personal profit before public safety and put people’s lives at risk,” said NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “The NYPD and its law enforcement partners will never tolerate the kind of recklessness and brazen criminality that was committed in this case.”

 “The use of fire as a weapon to injure and intimidate is a callous crime, one that senselessly puts the lives of New Yorkers and FDNY members in danger,” stated FDNY Commissioner Nigro.  “Thanks to our Fire Marshals, NYPD Detectives, ATF agents, and the US Custom and Border Patrol agents who brought to justice an alleged arsonist who sought to avoid responsibility for this crime.”

Khan is the co-owner of Deshi Bazaar, located in Ozone Park, Queens.  On February 3, 2019, video footage recovered from the Premium Supermarket, located at 1196 Liberty Avenue in Brooklyn, showed Khan pushing a cart filled with unknown flammable material down an aisle in the store.  Khan, wearing blue latex gloves, used a lighter to ignite the material, and then exited the store.  As the fire spread through the store, a second video camera recorded Khan driving away in a Mercedes-Benz SUV.  The fire caused substantial damage to Premium Supermarket and the structure of the building. 

A witness told law enforcement agents that Khan had previously complained that the low prices at Premium Supermarket hurt business at his own nearby market.   Khan was then interviewed by law enforcement agents.  The following day, he left the country and traveled to Bangladesh.  Khan was arrested three months later upon returning to the United States.

The charge in the indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Enticing Minors via Social Media Platforms

Used SnapChat, Instagram and Tumblr to Convince Teens to Send Him Sexually Explicit Images

    A registered sex offender with two prior child pornography related convictions was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to fourteen years in prison and twenty years of supervised release for enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  PETER JAMES HUFFERD, 47, was on federal supervision living in sex-offender housing in Seattle when law enforcement discovered he was secretly using a cell phone to communicate with minor females via social media.  HUFFERD convinced two of the minor females to send him sexually explicit images.  At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton said HUFFERD showed a pattern of criminal conduct that poses “a danger to society.”

  According to records filed in the case, HUFFERD had just completed a ten-year prison term in April 2017 when he began federal supervision.  HUFFERD was allowed one monitored cellular phone.  Beginning no later than October 2017, HUFFERD used an unmonitored cell phone to communicate with minors on SnapChat, Instagram and Tumblr.  HUFFERD began relationships with multiple minor females, convincing at least two of them to send him sexually explicit images.

 HUFFERD was convicted in 2003 in Clallam County Superior Court of three counts of possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 85 days in custody.  At the time law enforcement determined HUFFERD was posing online as a 15-year-old girl to try to get minors to send him sexually explicit images.  In 2008, HUFFERD was sentenced to ten years in prison after a father discovered his 12-year-old daughter was chatting online with HUFFERD. HUFFERD was using the same identity of a 15-year-old girl and engaging in sexually explicit talk with the 12-year-old.  HUFFERD was encouraging the child to cut herself.  A search of HUFFERD’s computer revealed more than 300 sexually explicit images of children.

  In the current case, in March 2018, U.S. Probation discovered the unmonitored cell phone in a search of HUFFERD’s sex offender residence.  A court-authorized search warrant revealed HUFFERD’s illegal communications via social media.

Housing Justice Town Hall Meeting

(Reprinted from the Bronx Chronicle)

  On a rainy Thursday night which cancelled a New York Yankee game The Housing Town Hall meeting by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes, State Senators Alessandra Biaggi and Jamaal Bailey, and Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez went on to standing room only. This was organized under the Neighborhood organization Bronx Park East Community Association, but included organizations such as the Northwest Bronx Church and Clergy Coalition and CASA (a South Bronx community organization specializing in housing problems).

New York Rent Laws protecting millions of New York renters are set to expire on June 15th, and Housing Justice For All has come up with a nine point plan to renew and reform the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 to protect renters across the state. This will also close certain loopholes that can cause rents to go up at any time, harassment and displacement of renters.

The nine points are 

* Reforming the Preferential Rent leases for the duration of the tenancy.

* Eliminating the Vacancy Bonus when a renter moves out.

* Eliminate Rent Hikes caused by Major Capital Improvements.

* Stop Harassment and Deregulation caused by improvements to individual apartments.

* Reform the Four Year Rule on challenges to rent increases.

* Rent Control Relief to bring Rent Control increases in line with Rent Stabilization increases.

*Expanding the Emergency Tenant Protection Act to all New York State.

* Good Cause Eviction giving every tenant in New York State the right to renew a lease with fair terms from the landlord, and not be evicted for ‘good cause’.

Each of the four elected officials were asked if they support all nine points, and all said yes. The problem it was said is with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie who has only said that he is in favor of only the first eight points right now, and not with the Good Cause Eviction point.

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortes spoke about finding a luxury apartment in Washington, and when she went to a new non-profit senior housing development in queens it looked very similar to what she had moved into. She wondered why this could not be the norm, and then went into public housing and the disparities. lack of heat, hot water elevator service to name a few. She said that good housing is not a privilege but a right.

Assemblywoman Fernandez said that the Town Hall is right in the middle of her district. She added that she supports all nine points, and hopes that when enough assembly members get together that they will convince Speaker Heastie to back all nine points. She would like to know who has not signed on to all nine points so she can speak to them to sign on.

Senator Biaggi opened by saying there are only sixteen days left until the rent laws expire. She is in favor of all nine points, but the state senate has to come out with its position on all nine points. She said that the in talking to people around the state New York City issues are not the same as in Buffalo or Rochester or other areas of the state, because ‘they have more cows in their neighborhoods’. Biaggi said that she has not heard that there is not enough support in the senate and reiterated that there were only sixteen days left,

Senator Bailey said that he is in favor of all noine points. He added that he has lived in affordable housing and thanked his landlord for being one of the good guys. He said that the current system allows for bad landlords to bump up rents, and it must be changed. Senator Bailey was asked about Governor Cuomo holding out or vetoing the nine points. Bailey said that he does not like what the governor is doing. He added that he is not in the Executive Branch, but believes this will be done on time.

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortes spoke about closing the financial loopholes in the campaign finance laws which allow real estate money to be funneled through LLCs. AOC added that she was outspent 10 to 1 in the2018 primary contest, but through her hard work she won.

A few questions were taken from the audience with the first question not coming from a person living in the district or even the Bronx, but Washington Heights in Manhattan. While it was a good question, it appeared to many to be a staged question (as a few others seemed to be as well).

There will be another Housing Justice For All Town Hall meeting on Thursday, June 6 at the Eastchester Gardens Community Center located at 3016 Yates Avenue starting at 5:30 PM in Assembly Speaker Heastie’s district. Sen. Biaggi is hosting a housing resource fair on Friday, June 7 at PS 83 (950 Rhinelander Avenue) from 4:00 – 7:30 PM.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - Bronx Pride Flag Raising

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