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KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES ANNOUNCES
22-COUNT INDICTMENT OF FORMER PTA
TREASURER WHO EMBEZZLED APPROXIMATELY $100,000 OF
THESCHOOL’S PTA MONEY
Brooklyn,
March 29, 2011 –Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced a 22-count indictment against Providence Hogan,
43, a former PTA Treasurer at P.S. 29 in Cobble Hill, for
embezzling approximately $100,000 of the school’s PTA funds.
Hogan is indicted on charges including Grand Larceny in the
Second Degree, three counts of Grand Larceny in the Third
Degree, three counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree,
three counts of Petit Larceny, six counts of Falsifying
Business Records in the First Degree and six counts of
Falsifying Business Records in the Second Degree.
If convicted of the top charge, Grand Larceny in the
Second Degree, the defendant faces up to 15 years in prison.
The indictment charges that the larcenies occurred during
the time that Providence Hogan served as the PTA Treasurer
of P.S. 29 from 2006 - 2010.
An investigation revealed that approximately $100,000
was missing from the PTA’s bank account in 2007-2008.
The indictment further charges that Hogan wrote out
several large checks to herself.
Additionally, checks were made out to cash to pay
business expenses including rent for her place of business,
Providence Day Spa.
She also used PTA funds to pay for personal expenses
including the rent on her apartment, fertility treatments,
and, according to Ms. Hogan, to “keep her family living in
the lifestyle they were accustomed to.”
She managed to conceal her crime by falsifying
documents.
When the PTA Board found irregularities in their financial
records, the Board confronted Hogan, who admitted her
scheme, prosecutors charge.
Investigators were able to track approximately
$82,000 of the money.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a
defendant’s guilt.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Kevin
James with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney
Jose Interiano in the School Advocacy Bureau.
Colleen Babb is Chief of the School Advocacy Bureau.
Contact:
Sandy
Silverstein
(718)
250-2300
08
06
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES ANNOUNCES
41-COUNT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INDICTMENT OF
ACCUSED COP KILLER
Brooklyn,
March 25, 2011 –Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced a
41-count indictment against George Villanueva, 42, for
numerous past domestic violence incidents involving his
ex-girlfriend.
Villanueva is indicted on charges including two counts of
Aggravated Criminal Contempt, 13 counts of Criminal Contempt
in the First Degree, 15 counts of Criminal Contempt in the
Second Degree, two counts of Assault in the Third Degree,
one count of Attempted Assault in the Third Degree, two
counts of Tampering with a Witness in the Fourth Degree, two
counts of Coercion in the Second Degree, one count of
Stalking in the Third Degree, one count of Stalking in the
Fourth Degree, and two counts of Aggravated Harassment in
the Second Degree.
The charges arise out of seven separate incidents.
On the most serious incidents, the defendant faces up
to seven years in prison.
If convicted, the defendant could be sentenced
consecutively on each incident.
The indictment charges that Villanueva violated four
different orders of protection against his ex-girlfriend,
Kim Dykstra. He
is charged for various crimes from seven separate incidents.
On several occasions, Villanueva stalked the victim.
He also assaulted Dykstra, once slapping her in the
mouth, causing her to suffer a lacerated lip, requiring 10
stitches to close.
In another incident, Villanueva grabbed and punched
Dykstra, resulting in scratches to the victim’s face.
In a separate incident, Villanueva repeatedly punched
Dykstra and then threw her to the ground resulting in
injuries to her head and jaw.
Additionally, Villanueva called Dykstra and left her
several voicemails threatening to hurt and kill her.
The indictment also charges Villanueva with making
phone calls to Dykstra while he was incarcerated, demanding
that she not testify against him before a Grand Jury.
Villanueva is also charged in the death of Police Officer
Alain Schaberger for an incident that occurred on March 13
in which police responded to a domestic violence incident at
Dykstra’s home.
Police then went to arrest Villanueva at his home, when he
resisted arrest, and intentionally pushed Officer Schaberger
over a railing, leading to his death.
Villanueva was indicted for Aggravated Murder in that
case.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a
defendant’s guilt.
The domestic violence case is being prosecuted by Senior
Trial Attorney Sandra Roberts from the Domestic Violence
Bureau. Wanda
Lucibello is Chief of the Special Victims Division in the
Domestic Violence Bureau.
Deirdre Bialo-Padin is Chief of the Domestic Violence
Bureau.
Mark Hale, Chief Counsel to the Homicide Bureau, is
prosecuting the murder case.
Contact:
Sandy
Silverstein
(718) 250-2300
04
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES ANNOUNCES INDICTMENTS IN THE DEATH OF FOUR-YEAR-OLD
MARCHELLA BRETT-PIERCE
TWO ACS WORKERS AND THE BABY’S
GRANDMOTHER FACE HOMICIDE CHARGES
GRAND JURY TO PROBE ALLEGED FAILURES AT
ACS
Brooklyn, March 23,
2011 – Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced
the indictment of two former Administration for Children’s
Services employees charged with monitoring the health and
safety of four-year-old Marchella Brett-Pierce and the
indictment of the baby’s grandmother, for their roles in
Marchella’s death in September 2010.
District Attorney Hynes also announced the empanelling of a
special Investigative Grand Jury to hear evidence of alleged
systemic failures at ACS, which may have played a role in
the deaths of Marchella and other children in ACS’s care,
and to report its findings later this year. That panel will
begin hearing evidence in May, on the question of whether
ACS followed its own recommendations for improvement,
following the tragic death of Nixzmary Brown, in 2006.
“Baby Marchella might be alive today, had these ACS workers
attended to her case with the basic levels of care it
deserved, or had her grandmother stepped in and put a stop
to the shocking abuse she is charged with facilitating,”
said District Attorney Hynes. “Children are our most
precious gifts and we, as a society, must come together to
fight and prevent child abuse wherever we see it.”
Damon Adams, the former ACS caseworker assigned to the
Brett-Pierce family and his former supervisor, Chereece
Bell, are both charged with Criminally Negligent Homicide,
Official Misconduct and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Additional charges against Adams
include Tampering with Public Records in the First Degree
and Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree.
Loretta
Brett, Marcella’s grandmother, has been indicted on charges
including Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Criminally
Negligent Homicide, Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second
Degree, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Marchella’s
mother, Carlotta Brett-Pierce, was indicted in November, on
a top count of Murder in the Second Degree.
The
indictments announced today charge
Adams with falsifying ACS computer records, by
postdating an entry to make it appear as though he had
visited the Brett-Pierce family when he had not. The entry
was made after the baby died, according to the indictment.
As Adams’ supervisor, Bell is charged with neglecting to properly oversee and
monitor Adams’ work with
the Brett-Pierce family. The indictment charges that both
Adams’ and Bell’s failures were factors which contributed
to Marchella’s death.
The
indictment against Loretta Brett charges that she witnessed
Marchella bound to her bed most days between March and
Marchella’s death, in September, including the period from
May to September, when Marchella was tied to a toddler bed
in Loretta Brett’s bedroom.
The
indictments charge that between July 12, and Sept. 2, 2010,
Brett-Pierce tied Marchella to her bed, battered her with
household items, deprived her of food and water, and
force-fed her over-the-counter medication, including
Claritin and Diphenaydramine, a generic form of Benadryl.
Marchella died Sept. 2, of child abuse syndrome, with acute
drug poisoning, blunt impact injuries, malnutrition and
dehydration.
If
convicted, Bell could face up
to four years in prison; Adams,
up to seven years; Brett, up to 15 years; and Brett-Pierce
could face up to 25 years to life in prison.
An
indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a
defendant’s guilt.
The
case was investigated by KCDA Detective Investigators
Stephanie Green-Jones and Jeanette Sbordone, of the Special
Investigations Unit, and Deputy Chief Investigator Gregory
Deboar. Joseph Ponzi is Chief Investigator.
The
case is being prosecuted by Crimes Against Children First
Deputy Bureau Chief Jacqueline Kagan and Senior Assistant
District Attorney Perry A. Cerrato. Miss Gregory is Bureau
Chief of the Crimes Against Children Bureau. Rhonnie Jaus is
Chief of the Sex Crimes/Crimes Against Children Division.
The
Grand Jury investigation is being conducted by Chief Counsel
to the Rackets Division Monique Ferrell and Executive
District Attorney Eileen Ayvazian. Michael Vecchione is
Chief of the Rackets Division.
Contact:
Jonah Bruno
718-250-2300
03
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT IN MURDER OF POLICE OFFICER ALAIN
SCHABERGER
Brooklyn,
March 18, 2011 –Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced
the indictment of George Villanueva.
Villanueuva, 42, is charged with Aggravated Murder,
Aggravated Manslaughter in the First Degree, Aggravated
Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Aggravated Criminally
Negligent Homicide, Assault on a Police Officer, Criminal
Contempt in the First Degree, Aggravated Criminal Contempt,
and Assault in the Third Degree.
If convicted of the top charge, Aggravated Murder, he
faces a maximum sentence of life without parole.
The
indictment charges that, on March 13, 2011, police responded
to a domestic incident at the home of Villanueva’s
girlfriend, who had an order of protection against him.
When police arrived
at the victim’s building, Villanueva had already left, so
they went to his home. The
officers brought Villanueva outside and, at the top of the
stoop, when Police Officer Alain Schaberger attempted to
handcuff Villanueva, the defendant intentionally pushed
Officer Schaberger over a railing.
Officer Schaberger fell head first onto the basement
stairwell landing, and sustained massive head injuries.
Villanueva was subdued and arrested.
Officer Schaberger was dead on arrival at Lutheran Hospital.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a
defendant’s guilt.
The case is being prosecuted by Mark Hale, Chief Counsel to
the Homicide Bureau.
Ken Taub is Chief of the Homicide Bureau.
Contact:
Sandy
Silverstein
(718) 250-2300
002
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES ANNOUNCES
A 36-TO-50-YEAR SENTENCE FOR QUANEL
MILLER, CONVICTED OF
TWO HOME INVASION RAPES
Brooklyn,
March 9, 2011 –Kings
County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced
the sentencing of Quanel Miller, 23, to 36-and-two-thirds to
50 years in prison for two home-invasion rapes in 2003 and
2006. DNA the defendant left at the crime scenes helped
police identify him, when he was arrested in 2008 on an
unrelated
Bronx sexual assault.
Miller was convicted Feb. 10, of Two Counts of Rape in the
First Degree, Two Counts of Burglary in the First Degree,
and one count each of Robbery in the Second Degree and
Robbery in the Third Degree. Miller was sentenced to
six-and-two-thirds for the 2003 case and 30 years for the
2006 case, to run consecutively.
On
Jan. 13, 2003, Miller, then 14, broke into the Coney Island home of a 65-year-old woman. He dragged her
around the apartment before raping her and robbing her of
five dollars. DNA Miller left at the scene was used to
create a profile that was later matched to a DNA sample he
gave police after the 2008 arrest.
On
July 14, 2006, in Coney Island,
Miller pushed his way into another woman’s apartment, when
she opened the door to go do laundry. He demanded money and
then raped her. Afterward he stole the victim’s laundry
money, a portable DVD player and a carton of cigarettes. The
New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was able
to extract DNA from a cigarette found outside the victim’s
apartment, and the resulting DNA profile matched Miller’s
2008 DNA profile.
Both victims were strangers to Miller. The Bronx case remains open.
The
case was prosecuted by Sex Crimes Deputy Bureau Chief Rachel
Schmidt. Rhonnie Jaus is Chief of the Sex Crimes/Crimes
Against Children Division.
Contact:
Jonah Bruno
(718) 250-2300
01
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES NAMES 31 EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN AS PART OF WOMEN’S
HISTORY MONTH
31 BROOKLYN
WOMEN HONORED FOR SERVICE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES
Brooklyn, March 2, 2011
– Some of
Brooklyn’s Extraordinary Women include a single
parent who lost a child to cancer and has another stricken
with autism, and now devotes her time to helping families
with children suffering from the same afflictions.
Another woman is a retired Probation Officer who
started a non-profit which creates community partnerships
and changes lives by helping people with access to housing,
employment and social services.
Another woman, whose police officer husband was
killed while on patrol, commutes every day from Queens to
help other police officers in South
Brooklyn, speaking to them about safety and
family life.
Another exceptional woman spends her spare time feeding the
homeless. These
are some of the 31 Extraordinary Women honored today by
Kings County District Attorney
Charles J. Hynes, as he announced the recipients of his
Fifth Annual Extraordinary Women’s event.
Camille
Orricho Loccisano, who lives in
Dyker
Heights, lost her oldest
son, Frankie, to Osteosarcoma after a three-year battle with
this rare form of pediatric cancer three years ago, at the
age of 17. She
took care of her son and hoped that he would one day get
better and be able to give back to the community, helping
other sick children.
After her son’s death, Ms. Loccisano took it upon
herself to help the sick, and established the Francesco
Loccisano Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization
dedicated to assisting families of children with cancer.
They have helped countless families since its
inception in 2008.
Her middle son, Nicholas, was diagnosed with severe
autism at the age of 18 months.
And again, Ms. Loccisano sought out other needy
families to help them by developing a workshop to share what
she learned, through years of research into resources and
programs that can help people with autism.
She educated other parents of autistic children in
Brooklyn’s Special Education District 75.
Ms. Locciasno, who has a third child currently
attending Xaverian High School, is also currently employed
at the Child School, where she is now developing a culinary
arts program for learning disabled students.
District
Attorney Hynes said, “Ms. Loccisano typifies 31 women that
we are honoring who are all exceptional women.
They serve as role
models because of their selflessness, dedication and
compassion. They
give back to the community, trying to make life better for
others. It is an
honor for me to recognize these women for their outstanding
work, which benefits the people of
Brooklyn.”
In
recognition of Women’s History Month, the 31 honorees were
lauded for their accomplishments in their careers and their
service to the communities in which they live.
District Attorney
Hynes unveiled a huge calendar, in the lobby of 350 Jay Street, for
the month of March, with each day dedicated to one of the
extraordinary women nominated by
Brooklyn residents.
The
women will be further acknowledged at a ceremony on March
29, at 6:00 PM in the
Ceremonial
Court Room
at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
One
of the honorees is Dedra Grant-Wade who retired after 24
years at the Department of Probation, where she served as a
supervisor in Family Court, Alternative to Detention, Foster
Care and Adoption.
She eventually got promoted to Chief of Community
Service and Community Affairs.
In this role, she built partnerships and created a
graffiti task force and community service work crews to
cover NYC. After
retiring, she created a non-profit organization, Community
Partners Commission Association, Inc. where they create
partnerships
that increase self sufficiency access to housing, employment
and social services.
Another of this exceptional group of women is Amy
Ellenbogen, who lives in
Crown
Heights.
She has been the Director of the Crown
Heights
Community
Mediation
Center for the past eight
years. In this
role, Ms. Ellenbogen has become an advocate for safety and
peace in that community.
She has taken on the roles of social worker,
community organizer, project planner, troubleshooter,
manager, grant writer, fundraiser and researcher for the
neighborhood.
Under her leadership, the Center has become a credible
community institution, contending with constant racial,
religious and violent conflict.
She is extremely active in the community and
committed to change.
The Center provides community mediation, an anti-gun
violence program, adult and youth leadership development,
adolescent pregnancy prevention services, job search
assistance, immigration services, community crisis response
and conflict resolution training.
Ms. Ellenbogen also founded ROOTED (Respecting
Ourselves and Others through Education), a program at
Columbia University, designed to facilitate
student dialogue and action around issues of power and
privilege. In
addition, Ms. Ellenbogen has established the precinct-based
Greenpoint Youth Court and the first middle school youth
court in New York State as well as a truancy intervention and prevention
program at a local Brooklyn
middle school.
There is also Elaine Lindsey, from Bedford Stuyvesant, who
is an educator, mentor and motivational speaker in her
community. She
dedicates her life to helping others achieve and overcome
the obstacles in their paths.
Her biggest goal is helping her students earn a high
school diploma.
Having previously worked as a teacher, dean and assistant
administrator, Ms. Lindsey is currently the principal at
Brooklyn
Academy High
School.
One of her most difficult challenges there is working
with at-risk students who are over-aged and under-credited.
She is a catalyst for change and getting the most out
of her students.
As a result of her hard work, Ms. Lindsey has received
numerous awards in the past for her work as an
administrator.
Another honoree, Leslyn Stewart, lives in Long Island,
however she has done a lot of community work in Brooklyn,
and her husband, Police Officer Dillon Stewart, gave his
life protecting the people of Brooklyn before he was murdered in 2005 while on patrol.
He was posthumously
awarded the NYPD’s Medal of Honor.
His killer, Allan Cameron, is currently serving Life
Without Parole. After
that unfortunate incident, Ms. Stewart dedicated her life to
the safety of the Brooklyn South NYPD
officers. She
speaks to newly graduated police officers about her
experience and helps them understand the importance of
coming home after their shift and sharing their work
experiences with their families.
Ms. Stewart inspires and motivates the members of the
NYPD. She is
active in various non-profit organizations including the New
York Police and Fire Widows and Children’s Fund and C.O.P.S.
(Concerns of Police Survivors), which helps family members
rebuild their shattered lives.
Also, in November 2010, Ms. Stewart participated in a
Blood Drive
in the 70th Precinct in memory of her husband.
It was a symbolic gesture, giving the gift of blood.
District Attorney
Hynes bestowed the title of Special Ambassador to each of
the 31 women in their communities.
“The women come from neighborhoods all throughout
Brooklyn.
The honorees all have one thing in common,” said
District Attorney Hynes.
“They make
Brooklyn a better place to live.”
This year’s group includes educators, mediators,
fundraisers, community activists, founders of non-profit
organizations, motivational speakers, doctors, nurses and
social workers.
The
31 Extraordinary Women are: Camille Orricho Loccisano (Dyker
Heights), Elaine Lindsey (Bedford Stuyvesant), Renee
Giordano (Sunset Park), Tessa Garnes (Boerum Hill), Phillipa
Morrish (Bay Ridge), Kate D’Emic (Bay Ridge), Arline
Richardson (Brownsville), Marianne Nicolosi (Windsor
Terrace), Susan Wolfe (Boerum Hill), Amy Ellenbogen (Crown
Heights), Frances T. Vella-Marrone (Dyker Heights), Gail
Singer (Carroll Gardens), Rozena Raja (Coney
Island/Sheepshead Bay), Dedra Grant-Wade (Brownsville),
Florette Vassall (Flatbush), Mathylde Frontus (Coney
Island), Veronica L. Price (Bedford Stuyvesant), Ola
Akinmowo (Bedford Stuvesant), Darma Diaz-Munoz (Cypress
Hills), Kathy Peterson (Marine Park), Rose-Marie Whitelaw
(Park Slope), Rosia Wyche (Coney Island), Dr. Laila Farhat
(Bay Ridge), Dianne Amato (Bensonhurst), Diane Ng
(Sheepshead Bay), Rivka Brikman (Seagate), Dorothy Shields
(Red Hook), Medge Lee Noel-Ajani (Crown Heights), Otelia
Peele (Brownsville), Judith Daly (Red Hook), and Leslyn
Stewart (Brooklyn South).
Contact:
Sandy Silverstein
718-250-2300
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