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04
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES COMMEMORATES RUSSIAN-HERITAGE DAY,
HONORS FIVE, ONE POSTHUMOUSLY
Brooklyn, January 27, 2010
- Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes
on
yesterday, celebrated the residents of Brooklyn’s Russian
community for their “unselfish commitment” in helping others
in the borough. The special day was created three years ago
by DA Hynes..
“Their contributions are unique but the common
thread is their sensitivity, decency and often courage,”
said DA Hynes. “They are collectively shining examples of
the goodness of the Russian community,” he added.
DA Hynes said he was proud to recognize and
celebrate the achievements of Russian-Americans– one of the
more recent cultures to enter the melting pot of New York
City.
“I am also proud that I have a number of
excellent Russian-American Assistant District Attorneys in
my office, as well as other Russian-American staff including
a counselor in our Family Justice Center,” said DA Hynes.
DA Hynes said that when he went to the former
Soviet Union in 1988 on a humanitarian mission for the
Coalition for Soviet Jewry, he could not have predicted that
today he would have the privilege of representing a vibrant
Russian community as their District Attorney.
While in the Soviet Union, DA Hynes said he
visited the homes of several refuseniks and was impressed
with their spirit and strength coping with the loss of
well-paying jobs and comfortable housing.
“They were forced to accept menial employment and
transferred to cramped apartments for their crime of wanting
to leave the country and relocate to Israel or the United
States,” said DA
Hynes
“It was this spirit and strength you brought
with you to Brooklyn and savoring American freedom has
brought you great success in business and the professions.
“Your experience with freedoms denied to you
in the former Soviet Union has made you active participants
in the political system,” said DA Hynes.
The honor roster includes, Raisa Chernina,
President and Founder of the Be Proud Foundation, Malka
Budilovskaya, Founder of the Jewish Community of Starrett
City, honored posthumously; Dr. Inna V. Litrovnik, Senior of
Madeleine Borg Community Services Clinics, M&I International
and National, Inc. Sofia Vinokurova, Fira Rotkov, and Mark
and Bella Rakhman, and Sue Fox, Executive Director,
Shorefront YM-YWHA of Brighton –Manhattan Beach.
Contact:
J. Zamgba Browne
(718) 250-3850
03
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES CONVICTION OF MEDICAL
TECHNICIAN WHO SEXUALLY ABUSED
65-YEAR-OLD PATIENT
Brooklyn, January 21, 2010
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the conviction of Dmitriy Shenker, 46, for
sexually abusing a 65-year-old patient who came into his
medical facility to get an MRI. He was convicted on charges
of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree and Harassment in the
Second Degree, after a bench trial before Brooklyn Criminal
Court Justice Geraldine Pickett. He will be sentenced on
April 19, when he faces up to 90 days in jail.
Shenker worked as a Medical Technician at Omega
Imaging. The victim went in for an MRI on November 13,
2007, following a car accident. As the victim laid down on
a table, Shenker began touching her breasts and moved his
hands down her body towards her pelvis. The victim told him
to stop. She reported the incident and the defendant was
arrested.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District
Attorney Olatokunbo Olaniyan from the Sex Crimes Bureau.
Rhonnie Jaus is Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau.
Contact: Sandy
Silverstein
(718) 250-2300
02
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES
20-YEAR SENTENCE FOR STABBING POLICE OFFICER
Brooklyn, January 19, 2010
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the 20-year sentence of Hugo Hernandez, 25, for
stabbing a police officer, who attempted to issue him a
summons for smoking a cigarette on a subway platform, in
2007.
Hernandez pleaded guilty, Jan. 5, to Aggravated
Assault on a Police Officer. He was sentenced today, as part
of that plea agreement, to 20 years in prison.
On March 13, 2007, Detective Angel Cruz,
assigned to the NYPD’s Transit District 33, was on solo
patrol at the Broadway Junction subway stop in Brownsville,
when he saw two men smoking cigarettes. After Cruz
approached the men and asked for their identification,
Hernandez drew a large hunting knife, punched Cruz in the
face and stabbed him in the head, puncturing the officer’s
skull. Hernandez then turned and ran. Cruz ran after
Hernandez, drew his service weapon and fired, striking
Hernandez in the ankle. Additional officers arrived on the
scene and were able detain Hernandez.
Cruz was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where he
received emergency brain surgery. After eight months of
therapy, he made a full recovery.
In May 2008, District Attorney Hynes honored
Detective Cruz with a Law Enforcement Appreciation award.
Lewis Lieberman, Deputy Bureau Chief of the
Investigations Bureau, prosecuted the case.
Contact: Jonah
Bruno
(718) 250-2300
01
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES,
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
COMMISSIONER PETE GRANNIS, AND NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSIONER CAS HOLLOWAY
ANNOUNCE 81-COUNT POLLUTION INDICTMENT AGAINST GREENPOINT
PROPERTY OWNER
Brooklyn, January 13, 2010
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes, New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner
Pete Grannis and New York City Department of Environmental
Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway today announced the
indictment of a Greenpoint commercial property owner charged
with dumping into Newtown Creek.
Property owner Norman Holding, LLC, and its
principle Jose Torres, 53 are charged in an 81-count
indictment with dumping raw sewage directly into the creek,
from three commercial buildings, 251, 257, and 259 North
Henry St., which Torres rented out to eight businesses.
According to the indictment, all three buildings
had toilets and sinks connected directly to the underground
storm-water drainage system, instead of the municipal sewer
system. Storm water, which collects in gutters, drains
directly into the creek, but sewage must be treated and is
never permitted to be dumped into waterways.
The investigation began after DEP inspectors,
referred by DEC officers who noticed dry-weather discharge
from the storm drains into the creek, inspected the
buildings’ drainage systems and detected sewage in the storm
drains. The inspectors then performed tests using dyes to
confirm that the sewage had originated in the plumbing of
Norman Holding’s buildings, according to the indictment.
Charges against Norman Holding and Torres relate
to Oct. 1, through Oct. 9, 2009, prior to which DEC
inspectors ordered the buildings’ plumbing systems repaired.
The defendants are charged with 27 Counts of Discharging
Sewage Without a State Pollution Discharge Elimination
System (SPDES) Permit, a Class-E Felony; 27 Counts of
Prohibited Discharges, also a Class-E Felony; and General
Prohibition Against Pollution, a Misdemeanor. They face a
fine of $75,000 per property, per day in violation, more
than $2 million.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and
not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
The case was investigated by DEC Lieutenant John
Fitzpatrick and Officer Matthew Nichols.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant
District Attorney John Rudikoff Rackets Division Bureau
Chief John Holmes. Michael Vecchione is Chief of the Rackets
Division.
Contact: Jonah
Bruno
(718) 250-2300
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