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12
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES CONVICTION OF BAR
MITZVAH TUTOR AND LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER
SEXUALLY ABUSED TWO BOYS,
INCLUDING A STUDENT AND CLIENT
Brooklyn, June 24, 2009
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the conviction of Yona Weinberg, 31, of Seven
Counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree and Two Counts
of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, for sexually abusing
two boys.
Weinberg, a Flatbush Bar Mitzvah tutor and
licensed social worker, will be sentenced September 9. He
faces up to a two years in jail.
The victims were ages 12 and 13 at the time. One
was one of Weinberg’s students, from the Khal Beth Abraham
synagogue, where Weinberg gave Bar Mitzvah lessons. The
other was a client from Weinberg’s work as a licensed social
worker for the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s
Services.
The case was prosecuted by Sex Crimes Bureau
Unit Chief Kevin O’Donnell and Assistant District Attorney
Allegra Santamauro. Rhonnie Jaus is Chief of the Sex Crimes
Bureau.
Contact: Jonah
Bruno
718-250-2300
09
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES
CONVICTION IN MIDWOOD KIDNAP ATTEMPT
11-YEAR-OLD VICTIM BROKE
FREE AND ALERTED NEIGHBORS
Brooklyn, June 19, 2009 –
Kings County District
Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the conviction of
Bernard Mutterperl, for trying to kidnap an 11-year-old girl
in her Midwood apartment building.
Mutterperl, 21, was
convicted of Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree,
Burglary in the Second Degree, Unlawful Imprisonment in the
Second Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a child. He
faces up to 15 years in prison, when he is sentenced June
29.
On May 13, 2007, Mutterperl grabbed the victim
as she walked up the stairs to her apartment, but she
managed to break free. She ran outside, shouted for help and
described the defendant to people who came to her aid,
including her older brother. They stopped Mutterperl as he
ran from the building and held him until police arrived. The
victim, now 13, testified in the trial.
Crimes Against Children First Deputy Bureau
Chief Jacqueline Kagan and Assistant District Attorney
Kathleen Collins prosecuted the case. Ama Dwimoh is Chief of
the Crimes Against Children Bureau.
Contact: Jonah
Bruno
718-250-2300
08
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT IN REAL-ESTATE THEFT, SOCIAL
SECURITY FRAUD AND IMPERSONATION
CON ARTIST POSED AS HIS
OWN DECEASED MOTHER
Brooklyn, June 17, 2009 –
Kings County District
Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced a 47-count
indictment against two Brooklyn men charged in an elaborate
fraud, which included the theft of a Park Slope townhouse,
social security benefits, and social service payments, and
involved one of the men, Thomas Parkin, dressing up as his
deceased, 77-year-old mother to further the scam.
Charges against Parkin, 49,
and Mhilton Rimolo, 47, include Grand Larceny in the First
Degree, Two Counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree,
Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, multiple counts of Forgery
in the Second Degree, Perjury in the First Degree, and
Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree.
“These defendants ran a multi-year campaign of
fraud that was unparalleled in its scope and brazenness,”
said District Attorney Hynes. “I’d like to thank the Social
Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and
the Human Resource Administration for their assistance in
this case. I’d also like to acknowledge the work of the
prosecutors and Detective Investigators in my Rackets
Division.”
“The type of fraud alleged in
this complaint can only be properly addressed through the
cooperative efforts of a joint criminal investigation, as
demonstrated by this effort,” said John F. Grasso, Assistant
Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security
Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. “Our
Office looks forward to continuing the successful
partnership that has been developed over the past several
years with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. Our
Office is not only committed to the pursuit of those who
defraud SSA programs, but also those who misuse Social
Security Numbers to commit financial crimes against other
agencies.”
In the 1990s, Irene Prusik deeded her home, 492
6th Avenue, Park Slope, to her son, Thomas Parkin.
At the time, Prusik, Parkin and Prusik’s other son lived in
the building. Parkin was unable to maintain ownership, and
in January 2003, the building was sold at foreclosure
auction.
However, according to the indictment, after
Prusik died, in September 2003, the two defendants began
filing lawsuits against the new owner, Samir Chopra, in the
now deceased Prusik’s name, alleging real estate fraud. They
claimed that the deed Chopra had bought at auction was
invalid and had actually been forged by Parkin, in the
1990s. The real owner, they claimed, was Irene Prusik.
The defendants received
Prusik’s Social Security benefits every month for six years,
totaling approximately $52,000, according to the indictment.
They are also charged with receiving $65,000 in rental
assistance from the city Human Resource Agency, claiming the
deceased Irene Prusik was Parkin’s landlord and that he and
his brother were unable to pay the rent because of a
disability. Rimolo was listed as the property manager.
To initiate the crime, Parkin and Rimolo
doctored Prusik’s death certificate, providing a false
Social Security Number and date of birth, which made it
appear as though she were still alive, according to the
indictment. In order to perpetuate the ruse, the defendants
went as far as to dress Parkin up as his deceased mother,
and visit the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew her
driver’s license, where, incidentally, they were captured on
surveillance video.
In June 2008, believing
Prusik was alive, Chopra came to the Brooklyn District
Attorney’s Office to report that he believed Parkin and
Prusik had filed false affidavits, in the course of more
than five years of lawsuits against him and various
bankruptcy filings, to prevent him from evicting them for
failure to pay rent for six years.
Coincidentally, unaware prosecutors had already
begun an investigation into his actions, Parkin walked into
the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office in March of this
year, to report to the new Real Estate Fraud Unit that he
and his mother were victims. He claimed his mother was the
rightful owner of the property and that the new owner had
been using illegal forms of coercion and filing false
documents in court filings against them, according to the
indictment. Prosecutors also met with Rimolo, who identified
himself as Prusik’s nephew.
To the investigators’ surprise, Rimolo and
Parkin agreed to arrange a meeting with Prusik at the home
on 6th Avenue. When prosecutors and detective
investigators arrived, they found Parkin dressed as his
77-year-old mother, wearing a red cardigan, lipstick,
manicured nails and breathing through an Oxygen tank.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and
not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
The case was investigated by Detective
Investigator Third Grade Thomas Farley, Supervising
Detective Investigator Shaun Winter, and Detective
Investigator Second Grade Michael Seminara. George Terra is
Assistant Chief Investigator. Joseph Ponzi is Chief
Investigator.
The case is being prosecuted by Rackets Division
Deputy Bureau Chief Dennis Ring and Assistant District
Attorney Wojciech Jackowski. Financial Investigator Vincent
Verlezza also worked on the case. Michael Vecchione is Chief
of the Rackets Division.
Contact: Jonah
Bruno
718-250-2300
07
DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES
J. HYNES ADDRESSES EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN CONGRESS ABOUT PUBLIC
SAFETY AWARENESS IN BROOKLYN
Brooklyn, June 11 2009 -
Kings County District
Attorney Charles J. Hynes today told an Extraordinary Women
Congress convened at St. Francis College that they have
indispensable creativity to assist in his primary goal of
raising public safety to a new level in Brooklyn.
The Congress was convened by a group of women whom
DA Hynes honored over the past three years to commemorate
Women’s History Month. He bestowed upon each of them the
titles of Extraordinary Women and Neighborhood Ambassador.
“In addition to the collective resources you have
to offer, from your position as Community Ambassador you can
provide an information flow to the people of Brooklyn about
the many programs available to them,” said District Attorney
Hynes.
The Extraordinary Women Congress featured a
PowerPoint presentation, and panel discussions on a wide
range of public safety issues, including programs and
services available at the District Attorney’s Office.
District Attorney Hynes said he was looking forward
to working in the future with each member of the
Extraordinary Women Congress to make Brooklyn a safe place
to live and do business.
“By now I hope it is clear to each of you that by
convening this Congress we are committed to
institutionalizing the partnership we have with each of
you,” said District Attorney
Hynes.
-
Contact: J. Zamgba Browne
(718) 250-3850
06
FAMILY JUSTICE HONORS
FIRST ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANNE J. SWERN WITH 2009
LEADERSHIP AWARD
RECOGNIZED FOR LEADERSHIP,
SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING CRIME VICTIMS
Brooklyn, June 11, 2009
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced that the Kings County District Attorney’s First
Assistant District Attorney Anne J. Swern was honored by
Family Justice with the Justice Leadership Award. She was
recognized at Family Justice’s annual celebration at their
National Headquarters for her leadership, service and
commitment to improving the lives of crime victims and their
families.
Family Justice also honored Kenneth H. Zimmerman from the
law firm of Lowenstein Sandler PC with the Corporate
Leadership Award.
Ms. Swern has been a
prosecutor for 28 years, currently serving as the First
Assistant District Attorney for the Kings County District
Attorney’s Office. She supervises more than 1,000 employees
in the DA’s Office and oversees three substance-abuse
treatment courts, the Red Hook Community Justice Center and
the Mental Health Court. In addition, she is in charge of
the nationally acclaimed Drug Treatment Alternative to
Prison (DTAP) Program, the first prosecution-run program in
the country to divert prison-bound felony offenders into
residential drug treatment. Swern also supervises the TADD
(Treatment Alternatives for Dually Diagnosed) Program, an
alternative to incarceration program which diverts mentally
ill defendants into treatment. She is a strong supporter of
Family Bodega, the family case management program operated
by Family Justice in Brownsville/East New York, and has
helped the organization build partnerships with the Kings
County District Attorney’s Office.
Swern serves on the Judiciary
Committee of the Brooklyn Bar Association and the
Prosecution Function Committee of the American Bar
Association. She is a member of the Board of Directors of
the National District Attorney’s Association. Ms. Swern was
selected as the 1999 Humanitarian of the Year by the
Education and Assistance Corporation and the 2000 Prosecutor
of the Year by the Kings County Criminal Bar Association.
She also received the 2006 Thomas E. Dewey Medal from the
Association of the Bar of the City of New York. The award
recognizes the contributions that prosecutors have made to
public service.
She is also an adjunct
associate professor at Brooklyn Law School and a recipient
of its 2007 Alumni of the Year award. Swern has guest
lectured at several other universities as well. In addition,
she has served as the keynote speaker at several national
conferences dedicated to problem-solving justice.
Past honorees include John
Jay College of Criminal Justice President Jeremy Travis and
Columbia University sociologist and author Sudhir Venkatesh.
Founded in 1996, Family Justice is a non-profit
organization dedicated to making families healthier and
safer. Through advocacy, education and research, Family
Justice offers a range of interventions that address complex
issues of people living in poverty such as substance abuse,
mental illness and HIV/AIDS. They provide training and
support to government agencies and community-based
organizations to help families lead more productive lives.
05
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES KICKS OFF BROOKLYN GRAFFITI
CLEANUP
COURT ORDERED COMMUNITY
SERVICE PARTICIPANTS REMOVE GRAFFITI IN GLENWOOD HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF SUMMER-LONG CLEANUP PROJECT
Brooklyn, June 10, 2009
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the kickoff of his Brooklyn graffiti/cleanup
project at the Glenwood Housing Development. The
summer-long initiative employs participants in his
Alternative Programs Unit who were sentenced to community
service to clean up the streets of Brooklyn, whether it’s
graffiti removal, removing trash from the streets and flyers
from poles or pruning trees.
The cleanup at the Glenwood Housing Development
involved the removal of an enormous amount of graffiti in a
commercial area. The participants from Alternative Programs
were joined by members of Millenium Development, an
organization with its own neighborhood beautification
project, who provided the cleaning equipment. The cleanup
project allows its participants to give back to the
community by improving the quality of life for residents in
those neighborhoods.
District Attorney Hynes was joined by the
Glenwood Housing Development Tenant Association and many
neighborhood residents and store merchants.
Currently, eight graffiti/cleanups have been
scheduled at various Brooklyn locations throughout June and
July. Additional cleanups will be scheduled for August.
Contact: Sandy
Silverstein
718-250-2300
Brooklyn Graffiti/Cleanup Projects:
|
Name of Project |
Tentative Dates |
Location |
Neighborhood |
|
Glenwood Graffiti
Removal |
June 10, @ 10am
|
Ralph Avenue &
Glenwood Road |
Glenwood area- 63rd
Pct. |
|
Jesucristo El
Libertador- with Pastor Luis E. Paniagua |
June 13, 2009 @ 10am
|
29 Locust St.
Bet. Broadway & Beaver St.
Bushwick |
Bushwick area- 83rd
Pct. |
|
Flyer Removal |
June 23 @ 10:30am |
86th
Street from
18th Ave-
Bay Pkwy |
Bensonhurst area
62 Pct.
|
|
Hope Gardens |
June 26 @ 10am OR
June 27 @ 10am |
422 Central Ave.
Bushwick Ave.
|
Bushwick area
83rd Pct. |
|
Washington
Ave/Prospect Heights Merchants Assoc. |
July 8 @ 10am
|
Washinton Ave. from
Eastern Pkwy-
Atlantic Ave |
Fort Green
88th Pct. |
|
Fresh Creek
Association |
July 18 @ 11am |
Seaview Ave. & E. 108th
St. |
Canarsie 69th
Pct. |
|
Broadway & Bushwick
Community Coalition |
DATE TBA |
|
Bushwick and Bedstuy
area
81&83 Pcts. |
|
Sunset Park |
Completed May 30 |
44th
Street and 7th Ave. |
Sunset Park
72 Pct. |
04
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES GUILTY PLEA IN CHILD SEX
ABUSE CASE
FIRST
EXTRADITION FROM ISRAEL UNDER NEW, EXPANDED TREATY
Brooklyn, June 9, 2009 –
Kings County District
Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the guilty plea of
Stefan Colmer, 32, to Eight Counts of Criminal Sexual Act in
the Second Degree, a Class-D Felony.
Colmer, the first person extradited from Israel
to the United States under a new extradition treaty, will be
sentenced to two-and-one-third to seven years in prison,
June 30.
After
learning he was under investigation, in February 2007,
Colmer fled to Israel. A new extradition treaty between the
United States and Israel, which went into effect Jan. 10,
2007, allowed Colmer to be returned to Brooklyn. Prior to
the amendments to the treaty, the crimes Colmer committed
were not subject to extradition.
Between January and May 2006,
Colmer sodomized two teenage boys on numerous occasions.
Colmer was indicted in May 2007, on Eight Counts
of Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, 19 Counts of
Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, Eight Counts of Sexual
Misconduct and Two Counts of Endangering the Welfare of a
Child.
The case was prosecuted by Counsel to the Sex
Crimes Bureau Elizabeth Doerfler. Rhonnie Jaus is Chief of
the Sex Crimes Bureau.
Contact: Jonah
Bruno
718-250-2300
03
DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES
J. HYNES HONORS 600 STUDENTS AT PROGRESS THROUGH JUSTICE
AWARDS PROGRAM
Brooklyn, June 4, 2009
- Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
presented citations of honor to some 600 elementary, middle
and high school students at his annual Progress Through
Justice Awards program held at Brooklyn College.
“What each of them achieved is remarkable,”
said DA Hynes. “I know their parents are very proud of their
accomplishments.
“To me, Progress Through Justice stands for
seeing and doing what is right and using those ideals to
move forward into the future. It also stands for learning
from our past and applying it to our future,” said DA Hynes.
District Attorney Hynes said this year’s recipients
have been mentors and tutors and have managed sports teams,
sung in school choirs, served on safety patrols, and have
acted as role models to younger students.
“They do this with smiles on their faces and while
maintaining good grades and completing all their school
work. These students epitomize the ideals and goals of the
‘Progress through Justice Award,” he said.
DA Hynes later led the students in the “Progress
Through Justice Pledge,” to uphold the ideals and objectives
of the Progress through Justice Citation of Honor which was
bestowed upon each of them.
They further pledged to incorporate these ideals
into their everyday activities and use them to make the
world a better place to live.
The ceremony featured performance by the Midwood
High School Band and a musical selection by Jessica Jones of
the Kings County District Attorney’s Office of Neighborhood
Affairs
Contact: J. Zamgba Browne
(718) 250-3850
02
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES ANNOUNCES CONVICTION OF DARRYL LITTLEJOHN IN MURDER OF
IMETTE ST. GUILLEN
FACES LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
Brooklyn, June 3, 2009 –
Kings County District
Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the conviction of
Darryl Littlejohn, 44, for the murder of John Jay College
graduate student
Imette St. Guillen,
on the charge of Murder in the First Degree.
He will be sentenced July 8,
before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Abraham Gerges. He
faces a maximum of life in prison without parole.
Littlejohn, a bouncer at the
Falls Bar in Manhattan, murdered St. Guillen, 24, as she
left the bar in the early morning hours of Feb. 25, 2006.
Her body was discovered wrapped in a dirty bedspread and
dumped on a deserted section of Fountain Avenue, just north
of the Belt Parkway, in East New York. Her hands and feet
were bound, she had been sexually assaulted, her mouth was
gagged and her head was completely wrapped in tape. She died
of asphyxiation.
Littlejohn is currently serving 25 years to life
in the kidnapping of a Queens woman.
Deputy District Attorney Kenneth Taub, Chief of
the Homicide Bureau, and Senior Trial Attorney Thomas C.
Ridges, prosecuted the case.
Contact: Jonah
Bruno
718-250-2300
01
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES AND NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF
TAXATION AND FINANCE COMMISSIONER ROBERT L. MEGNA ANNOUNCE
INDICTMENTS IN “OPERATION BRACELET”
SEVERAL JEWELRY STORES
CHARGED FOR SALES TAX VIOLATIONS IN WHICH THEY DRASTICALLY
UNDERREPORTED THEIR TAXABLE SALES
Brooklyn, June 2, 2009
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the indictment of three jewelry stores and their
presidents for sales tax violations as well as the
conviction of three other jewelry stores as part of
“Operation Bracelet”, a joint investigation between the
Kings County District Attorney’s Office and the New York
State Department of Taxation and Finance. Golden Art Fine
Jewelers and its President, Ghassan Maalouf, Crystal Sparkse
and its President Alexander Shamayan aka Alexander Shamayev,
and Pavillion Jewelers and its President Saeed Azarfar were
indicted for significantly underreporting their taxable
sales.
Detective Investigators from
the Kings County District Attorney’s Office and the New York
State Department of Taxation and Finance went undercover and
negotiated several purchases which led to the discovery of
the violations. These six cases are the first to arise from
an undercover investigation in which Kings County District
Attorney Investigators and Tax Department Investigators
acting as prospective customers negotiated for the purchase
of items of jewelry at 27 stores in Brooklyn. At
17 of the stores visited, investigators were told that the
store would not charge them the required sales tax if they
paid for the items by using cash instead of credit cards.
The investigation continues and additional arrests are
likely.
District Attorney Hynes said, “Taxes contribute
essential revenue to the budgets of the City and State of
New York. When companies underreport their taxable sales,
they are stealing money from the taxpayers. I would like to
commend Commissioner Megna and his office for their
participation in this investigation.”
New York State Department of Taxation and
Finance Commissioner Robert L. Megna said, “These cases
illustrate the Department’s increased commitment to
aggressively investigate criminal violations of our tax laws
and to work with local prosecutors to bring tax cheats to
justice. Honest taxpayers are forced to pick up the slack
for those who cheat and everyone suffers when important
public programs lack the funds to operate. Legitimate
businesses that comply with their sales tax obligations are
put at a competitive disadvantage by those that do not.
Sales tax evasion by cash-based businesses is especially
problematic and unscrupulous business operators should know
that we are committed to using aggressive investigative
techniques and all of our resources to end this unlawful
conduct."
Crystal Sparkse and its President,
Alexander Shamayan, were indicted for Falsifying Business
Records, Offering a False Instrument for Filing, and other
violations of the New York State and New York City Tax
Codes. The jewelry store, located at 2054 86th
Street, reported taxable sales that were significantly less
than what they had in their own records that were seized
during the execution of a search warrant in May 2007. From
2004 through 2007, Crystal Sparkse is estimated to have
underreported its taxable sales by approximately $6.5
million, resulting in sales tax liability of approximately
$550,000.
Golden Art Fine Jewelers and its
President, Ghassan Maalouf, were indicted for Falsifying
Business Records in the First Degree, Offering a False
Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, and various
related charges. A search warrant was executed at the store
located at 8422 Fifth Avenue and tax investigators seized
business records including a handwritten journal containing
daily records of sales and repairs. There was a significant
difference between the figures in the journal and the
figures that were reported on quarterly sales tax returns.
State Tax auditors found a sales tax deficiency of
$129,131.96 (not including interest and penalties) for a
13-quarter period spanning from May 2004 to May 2007.
Pavillion Jewelers and its President
Saeed Azarfar, were indicted for Falsifying Business
Records, Offering a False Instrument for Filing, and other
violations of the New York State and New York City Tax
Codes. The jewelry store, located at 1701 Kings Highway,
underreported its taxable sales by approximately $4.2
million, resulting in sales tax liability of approximately
$350,000.
There were three other “Operation Bracelet”
cases in which jewelry stores and their presidents pled
guilty and received conditional discharges after an
investigation determined that their reported taxable sales
were significantly less than what they had in their own
books.
Seville Jewelers, located at 1931 86th
Street, pled guilty to Offering a False Instrument for
Filing in the Second Degree and its President, Albert Haim,
remitted $100,248.96 in unpaid sales tax to the City and
State of New York.
C&S Jewelers, located at 9402 Third
Avenue, pled guilty to Offering a False Instrument for
Filing in the Second Degree
and its President,
Richard Capichano, remitted $92,393.48 in unpaid sales tax
to the City and State of New York.
Valentino Jewelers, located at 463 Kings Highway, pled guilty to Offering a False
Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree
and its President,
Valentin Netes, remitted $52,497.97 in unpaid sales tax to
the City and State of New York.
NYS Department of Taxation and Finance Revenue
Crimes Specialist Natan Malyutin investigated “Operation
Bracelet” and the auditor who worked on “Operation Bracelet”
was Annella Johnson. They worked under the supervision of
auditor Nicholas Capkovic, Supervising Investigator Paul
Gouck, Chief Auditor Tommy Chan and Criminal Division
Director Tom Stanton.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant District
Attorneys Jordan Rossman, John Steffy and John Genovese from
the Money Laundering and Revenue Crimes Bureau. The
detectives from the Kings County District Attorney’s Office
are supervised by Chief Joseph Ponzi. Gregory Mitchel is
Bureau Chief of the Money Laundering and Revenue Crimes
Bureau. Joseph McCarthy is Chief of the Money Laundering
and Revenue Crimes Bureau. Michael Vecchione is Chief of
the Rackets Division.
Contact: Sandy
Silverstein
(718) 250-2300
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