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KINGS
COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES
DECISION REGARDING DEATH PENALTY IN FIRST DEGREE
MURDER CASE
Brooklyn, January 10, 2003 .
.. Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes announced today that he will
seek a sentence of life without parole in the prosecution of Trevis Ragsdale,
indicted for First Degree Murder and other charges involving the June 29, 2002,
killing of Bobby K. Gibson, two days before Gibson was to testify as a witness
in a trial involving a September 2001 Brooklyn murder.
Ragsdale, 18, formerly of 164 Vernon Avenue, Brooklyn, was charged in a
five-count indictment with the intentional murder to prevent Gibson, 21, from
testifying as a witness at another murder trial in Brooklyn.
"I have concluded, after review and deliberation, that a sentence of
life without parole is the appropriate punishment to seek in this case,"
District Attorney Hynes said.
This is the sixty-ninth First Degree Murder case in which District
Attorney Hynes has decided to seek a sentence of life without parole since the
capital punishment law took effect on September 1, 1995.
District Attorney Hynes has sought the imposition of the death penalty in
seven First Degree Murder cases. In three cases, the defendants pleaded guilty;
one was sentenced to life without parole, another sentenced to 50 years to life
and the third is awaiting sentence. In two other cases, the defendants were
convicted of Murder 1°
and sentenced to life without parole following a waiver of their appeal prior to
commencement of the penalty phase of trial, while another defendant was
convicted of Murder 2°
and other charges and was sentenced to sixty-five years to life. In the seventh
case, the defendant, Darrell Harris, was sentenced to death. Harris was later
resentenced to life without parole following his direct appeal to the Court of
Appeals.
The capital punishment law gives prosecutors 120 days from the
arraignment of a defendant on an indictment charging Murder in the First Degree
to determine whether to seek a sentence of death, life without parole or a
lesser penalty of 20 to 25 years to life in prison.
Ragsdale was arraigned on September 19, 2002, and the 120 day period was
to have elapsed on Friday, January 17, 2003.
District Attorney Hynes said his decision included the following
components: a comprehensive and objective analysis of the available facts and
evidence; a thorough review of the aggravating and mitigating factors provided
by the District Attorney's Office and defense counsel; and an exhaustive review
of the defendant's background.
District Attorney Hynes said his decision followed a review of the case
by a Committee he has established of executives, supervisors and experienced
trial attorneys.
"I believe I am required by this statute to assess the
appropriateness of the death penalty on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, this
procedure will be followed in all cases involving a First Degree Murder charge
in order to carry out my obligation to the citizens of Kings County to uphold
the law in a fair-minded and responsible way," District Attorney Hynes
said.
Ragsdale is accused of the following charges: Murder in the First Degree,
Murder in the Second Degree (two counts), Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the
Second Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree.
The indictment charges that Ragsdale, on June 29, 2002, intentionally
caused the death of Gibson by shooting him with a handgun to prevent Gibson’s
testimony at an ongoing murder trial in Brooklyn. Gibson died as a result of his
wounds and injuries. The incident took place in the early morning hours of June
29, 2002, near 276 Throop Avenue in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.
Ragsdale is being held without bail, awaiting trial in Supreme Court,
Kings County. The case is assigned to the Honorable Priscilla Hall of the
Supreme Court, Kings County, and the next court date is January 16, 2003.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Bureau Chief Kyle Reeves and
Senior Trial Assistant Douglas Appel of the Homicide Bureau. A copy of the indictment is available. Contact:
Jerry Schmetterer
KINGS COUNTY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES ARRESTS FOR SUPER BOWL BETTING AS
PART OF “OPERATION KINGS FLUSH” DISTRICT
ATTORNEY HYNES CALLS FOR SUPPORT FROM SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP THE CRACKDOWN
ON ILLEGAL GAMBLING $4 BILLION BET ILLEGALLY ON SUPER BOWL
NATIONWIDE
Brooklyn, January 26, 2003 -- Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the arrests of nine
individuals for participating in illegal gambling on this year’s Super Bowl.
Law enforcement officials estimate
that illegal gambling generates as much as $15 billion a year in New York City
alone and $100 billion nationally. Approximately
$4 billion is bet just on the Super Bowl nation-wide. Approximately $75 billion is bet illegally on
football every year. Estimates of
between 75-80 million dollars is wagered in the legal sports books in Nevada on
the Super Bowl. Every year, Super Bowl Sunday
is the biggest betting day of the year. It
is the biggest day of the year for organized crime and their biggest source of
cash to fund their other illicit activities. Organized crime’s presence,
through bookmakers at high schools and on college campuses throughout the U.S.,
contributes to the number one adolescent gambling problem which is sports
betting. This year, among other
arrests, the District Attorney’s Office raided an operation in Flushing,
Queens, which was run by an Asian group. It
was found that on just one night last week, more than $300,000 was bet there.
They were caught in the act by the NYPD and Detective Investigators from
the District Attorney’s Office. Arrests
were also made at six other locations.
District Attorney Hynes has called upon professional sports organizations
including the NBA, NHL, NFL and Major League Baseball to more aggressively
support law enforcement’s efforts in eliminating the sports betting business,
especially those businesses run by organized crime.
In the past few years, these sports organizations appear reluctant to
act. “It is time that these
sports organizations get more involved because illegal betting is a very serious
matter which can result in detrimental repercussions. This money that mob families make on Super Bowl Sunday will
go toward funding their other illegal activities including drug trafficking,
loan-sharking and prostitution. It
is the cash cow of organized crime,” said Hynes.
The investigation that led to these arrests is part of “Operation Kings Flush,” a joint effort by the Kings
County District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD’s Vice Enforcement Unit that
has been successful for more than 10 years.
This operation is a continuing crackdown to disrupt illegal sports
betting operations in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens and
Connecticut.
The proliferation of office pools, pre-game publicity and other hype
create open invitations to place bets on the single most promoted sporting event
of the year. Super Bowl pools, many
of them illegal, are available at many blue and white-collar workplaces across
Corporate America. Many bettors see
Super Bowl Sunday as a time to recoup money lost on the football season.
Men and women are tempted to join the exciting lure of Super Bowl Fever.
It has become somewhat of a national epidemic.
Investigators have found this phenomenon of Super Bowl betting is getting
out of hand. Americans can bet on
anything during Super Bowl week from which player is going to score the first
touchdown to which team will win the coin flip.
Bookies have lines on every imaginable element of the game.
Bettors get a rush from making these bets, and bookmakers are
capitalizing on this addiction.
The District Attorney thanked the NYC Vice Enforcement Unit under the
supervision of Inspector Michael Brooks and Captain Louis Lombardi of Brooklyn
South Vice.
Among those people arrested as part of “Operation Kings Flush” were: a.
Vincent Cona -
1308 Avenue T b.
Donald Borst -
401 76th Street
c. Richard Aiosa - 8746 15th Avenue
d. Anthony Micela-
1248 79th Street
e. Craig Kasen - 1964 E. 12th
Street
f. Adam Kasen -
1964 E. 12th Street
g. Frank Adamo -
1950 Bay Ridge Parkway
h. Wing Yeun Pang -
72-58 51st Drive i.
Jian T. Li -
134-57th Avenue
All of these defendants are charged with Promoting Gambling in the First
Degree and Possession of Gambling Records in the First Degree. Other charges range from Promoting Gambling in the Second
Degree and Possession of Gambling Records in the Second Degree to Conspiracy in
the Fifth Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Criminal Possession of
Marijuana. Executive Assistant District
Attorney Christopher Blank and Assistant District Attorney James Kilduff of the
Rackets Bureau will prosecute the case. First
Deputy District Attorney Michael Vecchione heads up the Rackets Division.
Joseph Ponzi is Chief of the Detective Investigations Bureau.
Henry Lemmons is the Assistant Chief Investigator of the Special
Investigations Unit. Contact:
Sandy Silverstein
COMMUNITY LEADERS GATHER TO THANK
DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND POLICE
COMMISSIONER INDICTMENT INCLUDES TOP CONEY ISLAND
DEALER, SECURITY GUARD AND TEACHER’S AIDE
Brooklyn, February 6, 2003 – Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes and NYC Police Commissioner Raymond W.
Kelly today announced the indictment of 27 members of a major drug ring
operating in the Ocean Towers Housing Complex in Coney Island.
Community leaders and residents showed their appreciation for Hynes’
and Kelly’s efforts in ridding the apartment building of its drug problem, and
thanked them for making this neighborhood a safer place in which to live.
“Operation Twister” was a major undercover investigation into an
illegal drug trafficking ring in Coney Island.
The members of this organization sold drugs in front of Ocean Towers in
shifts, bringing in approximately $2.5 million per year.
Product packaging was the group’s calling card.
Members of the organization usually sold cocaine in plastic twists, an
unusual form of packaging for the Coney Island area.
The organization completely controlled the inside and outside of this
private housing development. Even
one of the building’s security guards was involved in the sales.
Community residents lived in fear and were afraid to speak out publicly
about the growing drug problem in their neighborhood.
Finally, police began receiving discrete phone calls from building
managers and tenants about the festering situation in and around Ocean Towers.
The New York City Police Department and the Kings County District
Attorney’s Office responded by launching this investigation.
Over the course of the 18-month investigation, undercover officers made
81 purchases of cocaine and bought five guns from the organization.
Most of the buys were captured on videotape.
The case was taken down in late January.
Among those arrests were Warren Faison, 35, the main supplier of crack to
all of Coney Island; James Opharrow, 24, a teachers aide and one of the major
suppliers of cocaine to the housing complex; and James Murray, 39, a security
guard who supervised the night shift at Ocean Towers and also sold cocaine.
District Attorney Hynes recognized the efforts of the NYPD’s Brooklyn
South Narcotics Division for their role in this successful bust. In addition,
the Detective Investigators from the Kings County District Attorney’s Office
were praised for their role in making this bust a success.
DA Hynes specifically thanked Detective Investigators including the
Supervisor in Charge, Joe Cimino as well as Detective Investigators Clyde
Augustine, Stephanie Green-Jones, Helson Santiago, Robert Desmond, Thomas
Ramirez, Sal Shevlin and Christopher Perkins.
Joseph Ponzi is the Chief Investigator.
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes said, “Our goal is to
make sure that the neighborhoods are safe.
Not only is it a problem that drugs were being circulated in the
neighborhood, but this narcotics trafficking could lead to other problems. Crime, violence, and drugs go hand in hand.
The community’s involvement in these arrests played an instrumental
role in getting these drug gangs off the streets.
The residents’ cooperation in alerting law enforcement officials of the
drug problem in their housing complex made our investigation much easier,
allowing us to help them.”
Police
Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said: “This case demonstrates how the community
and the police department can work together to get dealers of illegal narcotics
off the street. By telling us about the growing drug trade near their homes, the
residents of Ocean Towers took the first, critical step in taking back their own
community. We encourage every New Yorker to follow their example: If you witness
illegal drug deals, report them to police and help make the city an even safer
place to live.”
This takedown resembles the Cypress Hills takedown that took place last
September in which five gangs were nabbed after an undercover investigation
found that they were trafficking a large amount of narcotics in this public
housing complex, while intimidating residents, who were scared to leave their
homes. In both cases, the DA pursued a strategy of charging a
conspiracy which brought higher bails and potentially longer jail sentences.
DA Hynes and Police Commissioner Kelly initiated that probe, in which
undercover investigators made purchases of large amounts of crack, cocaine,
marijuana and heroin at 28 different locations. All but one of those suspects
remain behind bars on high bails.
Assemblywoman Adele Cohen of the 46th Assembly District said,
“I congratulate those Ocean Tower residents who had the courage not to be
intimidated and came forward to assist in ridding their building of drug
dealers. These good people deserve
to live quietly and safely. I
pledge to work with District Attorney Hynes, the police and the tenant
association to continue to keep this building safe.”
All but two of those indicted face conspiracy charges and face 25 years
to life in prison. Some of the
defendants face additional charges as well.
Assistant District Attorneys Lawrence Oh, Joe Swart and Alexei Grosshtern
of the Major Narcotics Investigation Bureau are prosecuting this case. Suzanne Corhan and Harvey Casper are Chiefs of the Major
Narcotics Bureau. Contact:
Sandy Silverstein
OFF-DUTY
COPS DISARMED GUN-WEILDING PATRON INSIDE OF LILY’S PUBLIC HOUSE IN BAY RIDGE
Brooklyn, February 5, 2003 – Kings County District Attorney
Charles J. Hynes today announced the indictment of Wayne P. Braga, 32, who lives
at 135 Ontario Avenue in Staten Island, for attempting to shoot two bar
employees on January 19th --
one inside of Lily’s Public House, a bar on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge, and one
outside the bar. Braga faces two
counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree.
The incident began at 3:00 AM as bar employees received complaints from
several women that Braga was urinating in the sink of the women’s restroom.
Bouncer Jason Pawlak, 27, approached Braga and asked him to leave.
Braga refused, and then, Pawlak and another employee had to escort the
defendant outside as he struggled with them.
Outside the bar, Braga aimed his gun at employee Joseph Fiore’s head,
but the gun misfired. The defendant forced his way back into the bar, pointed his
gun in the direction of Pawlak, and pulled the trigger, but the pistol did not
go off. Braga was then tackled by
off-duty police officer, John Brennan of the 60th Precinct, who was
in the bar with a couple of other off-duty officers. – Eric Castagliola, and
Philip Roy, all of them unarmed and from the 60th Precinct.
Brennan was hit in the head with the gun during the struggle.
Then, Officer Brennan, along with Officers Eric Castagliola and Philip
Roy, chased Braga who ran out of the bar and proceeded to another bar a few
blocks away, where the officers caught up with him.
Several uniformed police officers from the 68th Precinct
arrived on the scene and arrested Braga. A
loaded .45 caliber gun was recovered.
In addition to the two counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree,
Braga was also indicted on charges of Attempted Assault in the First and Second
Degrees, Assault in the Second and Third Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon
in the Second, Third and Fourth Degrees, Reckless Endangerment in the First and
Second Degrees, and Menacing in the Second Degree.
Braga is free on $50,000 bail, and scheduled to be arraigned on the
indictment on February 11th. If
convicted of the top charge, Braga can face a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Executive Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Levitt is prosecuting this
case.
Brooklyn, February 11, 2003 -- Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the conviction of
Michael Ostrow, 26, a junior high school social studies teacher, for exposing
his penis to a 15-year old female student in his class.
A jury found Ostrow guilty on charges of Public Lewdness and Endangering
the Welfare of a Child, both misdemeanor charges. He faces up to one year in prison.
The original incident took place one afternoon in February 2002, when the
student was working on a class project during one of her periods in Ostrow’s
classroom at IS 390 in Crown Heights. The
student was with another classmate working on computers in the classroom.
After a while, the classmate left, and Ostrow approached the young girl
while they were alone, and exposed himself to her. He also told her about how he masturbates while thinking of
her. Ostrow apologized afterward.
The student did not alert anyone of this incident.
Then, on June 26, 2002, the last day of classes, Ostrow once again
approached the student, gave her a hug, and licked her face.
In response, the student alerted the school principal.
The principal immediately filed a police report, which initiated an
investigation. Ostrow was arrested
on July 23rd, 2002 by Detective Charles Hawkins of the Special
Victims Unit.
The trial lasted approximately one week.
The young girl testified against her teacher.
A jury reached a verdict yesterday, convicting Ostrow on charges of
Public Lewdness and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
The sentencing will take place on April 2 before Judge Chun in Trial Part
2, Criminal Court.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Timothy Church of
the Sex Crimes/Special Victims Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Terrance
Downs. Rhonnie Jaus is the Deputy
District Attorney in charge of the Sex Crimes/Special Victims Bureau.
Contact:
Sandy
Silverstein
GANGEMI BILKED CLIENTS OUT OF $2 MILLION
Brooklyn, February 14, 2003 – Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the conviction of
Frank Gangemi, 39, a disbarred Bay Ridge lawyer, for scamming 20 elderly victims
out of their life savings. Gangemi
pled guilty to nine counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and eight
counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree before Judge Neil Firetog in Part 10
of the Kings County Supreme Court. Gangemi is ordered to repay his
victims. They may also receive
reimbursement from the Lawyer's Fund for Client Protection.
Gangemi swindled his clients out of $2 million by using various schemes
including forgery, check fraud, and mortgage and investment scams.
He promised his clients that he would invest or appropriate their money.
Gangemi even stole $600,000 from a 90-year old man when he cashed his
life-insurance policy, sold his Miami Beach apartment, and stole from his bank
account. In another case, Gangemi
wrote a bad check to a client following a $150,000 settlement.
An investigation was initiated in 2001 when two unrelated victims brought
separate complaints to the District Attorney’s Office.
It was found that Gangemi, who worked for his father’s law firm, had
started this scheme in 1998. Gangemi
was arrested on March 20, 2002, and forced to resign from the Bar.
District Attorney Hynes said, “It is unconscionable that this attorney
would take advantage of these innocent, trusting people who put their savings in
his hands. Today, justice has been
served. Mr. Gangemi found out that
you can not dupe people out of their money and get away with it.” Gangemi’s
sentencing is scheduled for March 7th.
The judge promised the sentence of 5 to 15 on the C felonies and 2-6 on
the D felonies to run concurrent. In
addition, the judge promised to sentence the defendant to a concurrent
sentence for any witness tampering charges that may arise out of this
investigation. Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Rackets Division prosecuted this case under the supervision of Deputy District Attorney Melissa Jackson. Michael Vecchione is Chief of the Rackets Bureau. Contact:
Sandy Silverstein
Brooklyn, February 19, 2003 --
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the
conviction of Kevin Smith, 38, for raping a teenaged girl in 1996 in the Crown
Heights section of Brooklyn. Smith
was convicted on February 18th by a jury of Rape in the First Degree,
Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and Attempted Robbery in the First Degree in
part 27 of the Kings County Criminal Court before Judge Gustin L. Reichbach.
Smith could face a minimum of 20 years to life in prison and a maximum of
25 years to life on each count. The
sentencing is scheduled for March 3rd.
The incident took place on October 11, 1996 when the defendant, who is a
mandatory violent felony offender approached the girl, who was 16 years old at
the time, and asked her for her money and jewelry.
The victim did not have any money or jewelry so Smith raped her in the
lobby of her apartment building located at 951 Carroll Street.
Smith has a prior record for robbery convictions.
Police say that the defendant is known for wearing a bandana on his face
during his robberies. Smith was
wearing a bandana on his face at the time of this rape, which made it even more
difficult for the victim to identify her assailant. Since the victim was unable to identify Smith, the police
turned to the DNA databank, and tested all the rape kits. Smith became a DNA match, and police arrested him on March
18, 2002 at his parole office. Smith
was on parole for robbery at the time of the arrest.
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes said, “When a victim is
unable to identify his or her assailant, it makes it more difficult for law
enforcement officials to catch the suspect.
But with all of these developments such as the DNA databank and emerging
technology, it makes our jobs a lot easier in bringing down these criminals.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Deborah Cohen of
the Sex Crimes/Special Victims Bureau. Deputy
District Attorney Rhonnie Jaus is Executive Chief of the Sex Crimes/Special
Victims Unit. Contact:
Sandy Silverstein
JOHN ZAPPULLA ARRAIGNED AT BELLEVUE HOSPITAL
Brooklyn, February 26, 2003 – Kings County District Attorney
Charles J. Hynes today announced the indictment of John Zappulla, 25, of
Wantagh, NY, on three counts of Murder in the Second Degree, Manslaughter,
Vehicular Manslaughter and other charges, in the hit and run deaths of two
mothers and one of their infants for crashing into them as the mothers were
pushing their young sons in strollers across the street.
Zappulla was ordered remanded at a bedside arraignment at Bellevue
Hospital. His next court appearance
is April 8 before Judge Vincent Del Giudice. The
murders occurred Wednesday, February 5th at approximately 2:30 p.m.
when Yaritza Santos, 19, and her 11-month old son Manuel Noriega Villot were run
down as they were standing on the pedestrian median at Atlantic Avenue with Nery
Mejia, 17, who was also killed. But,
her 11-month old son, Ricky, survived and was taken to New York-Presbyterian
Hospital.
The indictment charges that Zappulla was allegedly speeding in a black
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee when he jumped the curb at Ashford Street and Atlantic
Avenue in East New York and smashed into a light pole.
He then sped east on Atlantic Avenue, and went up on the center median at
Logan Street where he hit the two women and their children.
He never slowed down, but his SUV finally came to a halt about nine
blocks later at Nichols Avenue, after it flipped over several times and smashed
into the back of a flatbed truck. Several
onlookers helped Zappulla get out of his wrecked SUV.
Witnesses detained the injured Zappulla until police arrived. But,
Zappulla resisted the officers who tried to arrest him.
Zappulla had multiple speeding convictions in the past and his license
was temporarily suspended in 1998.
Zappulla has been indicted on charges of three counts of Murder in the
Second Degree; three counts of Manslaughter in the Second Degree; three counts
of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree; three counts of Criminally
Negligent Homicide; and one count each of Reckless Endangerment in the First and
Second Degrees; Assault in the First Degree; Assault in the Second Degree;
Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree; Reckless Driving; Operating a Motor
Vehicle While Impaired by the Use of Drugs; Disobeying Traffic Signals; Driving
over a Divided and Controlled Access Highway; Leaving the Scene of an Accident
Without Reporting; and Violation of Section 1180, Maximum Speed Limits of the
Vehicle and Traffic Law. If
convicted on the top counts, he faces 25 years to life
in prison.
Deputy District Attorney Joseph Petrosino and Executive Assistant
District Attorney Maureen McCormick are prosecuting this case.
Contact: Sandy
Silverstein
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JOSEPH
CALIFANO, JR. DELIVERS KEYNOTE ADDRESS TO 49 MEMBERS OF THE GRADUATING CLASS Brooklyn, March 12, 2003 – Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes
today honored 49 graduates of his Drug Treatment Alternative-to-Prison (DTAP)
program in the ceremonial courtroom of Borough Hall in Downtown Brooklyn.
Joseph A. Califano, Jr., President and Chairman of the National Center on
Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University and former U.S.
Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, delivered the keynote address.
CASA is in the process of a
federally-funded evaluation of DTAP, and announced its analysis based on five
years of research on March 11, 2003, in Washington, D.C.
District
Attorney Hynes created DTAP in 1990. This
diversion program, which is recognized as one of the nation’s most successful,
provides residential drug treatment to non-violent repeat drug-addicted
offenders under a deferred-sentencing model.
Participants are required to plead guilty to a felony prior to their
admission into the program. The
plea agreement contains a prison term, which will be imposed on the defendant in
the event of treatment failure. Length
of treatment is usually about 24 months.
DTAP, which is now in its 13th year of operation,
has substantially lowered the recividism rates of its graduates, while at the
same time, generating enormous cost savings to New York State.
Over 650 participants have completed treatment, and this diversion has
resulted in over $25.2 million in economic benefits.
Counsel to the
District Attorney, Anne J. Swern is the Director of DTAP.
District Attorney Hynes said, “I
agree with the critics of the Rockefeller drug laws that it makes no sense to
simply warehouse non-violent substance abusers in state prisons.
But rather than relaxing the prohibitions against drugs, the penalties
against their use can serve the constructive role of encouraging addicts to opt
for treatment. DTAP gives
non-violent offenders an opportunity to change their lives of addiction and
crime into lives of hope and promise.”
Of the 49 graduates this year, 92% are men and 8% are women.
Their average age is 38; the oldest graduate is 62, and the youngest is
21. Although some graduates are
unemployed for various reasons, including physical disabilities, 37 graduates
are employed. Their jobs are varied
and include truck driving, building maintenance work, warehouse work, electrical
work, carpentry, cooking, furniture sales, machine and auto mechanic work,
messenger service work, providing direct care for the disabled, counseling,
housekeeping, and customer service. The
majority of the class lives in Brooklyn, but there are graduates living in the
other four New York City boroughs as well. Joseph A. Califano Jr. said, “This DTAP program demonstrates that we don't have to throw away the key
for repeat drug addicted offenders, even those who sell drugs to support their
habit. Prosecutors can help repeat
felony offenders become responsible citizens if they combine treatment and
vocational training with the certainty of punishment for noncompliance.
In this time of burgeoning prison populations and shrinking federal and
state budgets, every prosecutor in the nation can follow the lead of Brooklyn
District Attorney Charles J. Hynes and use this program to reduce crime, the
cost of incarceration and budget deficits.” On
March 11th, Joseph Califano Jr. praised District Attorney Hynes as he
announced the results of CASA’s five-year evaluation of the Brooklyn DTAP
program at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.
As a result of CASA’s research, it was found that participants in the
DTAP program were 87 percent less likely to return to prison than comparable
offenders who were sent to prison. Also,
upon successful completion of the program, 92 percent of the graduates had found
employment.
These DTAP graduates received treatment at a number of residential
therapeutic communities, including Daytop Village, Phoenix House, Samaritan
Village, Odyssey House, Veritas, Aurora Concept, Narco Freedom, El Regresso,
Damon House, J-Cap, and Serendipity.
Following Califano’s keynote address, the graduation ceremony will take
place, followed by a reception. Some
graduates will be available for comment, to tell their stories of recovery.
Among them are Doris Simmons and Carlos Alvarez.
Doris Simmons left Florida at the age of 16, where she was raised by her
protective great-grandmother, and came to Brooklyn seeking a more exciting life.
She started drinking and smoking marijuana.
Soon, she was using cocaine and crack, and supporting her habit by
selling drugs. Following her second felony drug arrest, Doris was offered
DTAP and entered drug treatment at Damon House in May, 2001.
During her many months of treatment, she struggled to understand and
address her addiction. She also received vocational training in nursing and
healthcare. For the first time in
her life, Doris, a 44-year-old grandmother, now holds a regular job, working 40
hours per week as a direct care provider for disabled children.
Now almost 28 years old, Carlos Alvarez, a native of Brooklyn, was just a
teenager when he started smoking “wulahs” (marijuana combined with crack),
skipping school, and dealing drugs. Eventually,
he switched from smoking crack to sniffing cocaine. He spent several years in prison for two felony drug convictions. In 1999, he was arrested for selling heroin in Bushwick. Facing felony drug charges yet again and recognizing that he needed to tackle his drug addiction if he was ever going to reclaim his life, Carlos, through DTAP, began a long period of residential drug treatment at Veritas.
While there, he got his GED and a certificate in telecommunications.
Clean and sober for over two and a half years, Carlos now works as a
technician for a cable and voice telephone installation company in lower
Manhattan, and lives in Queens with his fiancee. Contact:
Sandy Silverstein
Brooklyn, March
14, 2003
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes announced today the closing
of an investigation involving the fatal shooting of Anthony Reid, by three New
York City police officers from the 73rd Precinct.
“An
extensive investigation into the shooting death of Anthony Reid by New York City
police officers, Ernest Kenner, Michael Losco and Carlos Santana reveals that it
was a justified use of deadly force. There
is no credible basis upon which the involved officers could be found to be
criminally liable for their actions in this shooting”, said District Attorney
Hynes.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight on January 1, 2003, when
Police Officers Ernest Kenner, Michael Losco and Carlos Santana responded to a
report of shots being fired outside of a Brownsville social club.
When they arrived at 92 Livonia Avenue, they observed Anthony Reid firing
a 9mm handgun. Witnesses indicate that Reid had been involved in an earlier
disturbance at the social club and left threatening to return with a firearm.
He was observed by a number of patrons returning a short time later armed
with a handgun when he began shooting.
After interviewing numerous witnesses, the investigation concluded that
Reid ignored the officers command to drop the weapon and he began to run away
from the officers firing back in their direction.
The three officers were between Reid and some civilian bystanders. Two civilians standing behind the officers were struck and
wounded by gunfire coming from Reid, which missed the officers and struck them.
All three officers discharged their weapons and shot Reid, causing his
death.
WHO:
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes; Assemblywoman Joan L.
Millman of the 52nd Assembly District WHAT:
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes will be presented with
cell phone donations from Assemblywoman Joan L. Millman to assist victims of
Domestic Violence. Assemblywoman
Millman collected these phones from constituents in her district.
These phones will be programmed to dial 911 automatically, and will be
distributed to victims of domestic violence to provide them with immediate
access to the police. WHERE: Kings County District Attorney’s
Office WHEN: Thursday, March
27, 2003 at 3:00 PM CONTACT: Sandy
Silverstein
March 26, 2003 . . . Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes announced today that he will seek a
sentence of life without parole in the prosecution of Antoine Belton, who was
indicted for First Degree Murder and other charges relating to the death of Jian
Chun Lin on October 15, 2002, in the East New York section of Brooklyn.
Belton, 22, formerly of 210 Newport Street, Brooklyn, is charged in a
twelve-count indictment with the attempted robbery and intentional murder of
Jian Chun Lin, 37, on October 15, 2002. Belton is also charged with second
degree murder, attempted robbery and weapon possession charges for the same
incident.
"I have concluded, after review and deliberation, that the sentence
of life without parole for the defendant is the appropriate punishment to seek
in this case," District Attorney Hynes said.
This is the seventieth First Degree Murder case in which District
Attorney Hynes has decided to seek sentences of life without parole since the
capital punishment law took effect on September 1, 1995. In total, the Office
has filed eighty-five First Degree Murder indictments since September of 1995.
District Attorney Hynes has sought the imposition of the death penalty in seven First Degree Mur |
