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US Attorney's Office

Westchester Spa Selling Sex For Cash Exposed In Federal Investigation, US Attorney Says Westchester Spa Selling Sex For Cash Exposed In Federal Investigation, US Attorney Says
Westchester Spa Selling Sex For Cash Exposed In Federal Investigation, US Attorney Says Four people have been charged with offering sexual favors at nine different massage parlors and spas across North Jersey and New York, federal officials said. Zhejun Piao, 37, a Chinese national, Miyeon Choi, 37, a South Korean national, Shangxian Cui, 36, Chinese national, and Meixiang Jin, 34, of Palisades Park, New Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate travel or transportation in aid of a racketeering enterprise., U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Friday, Aug. 9. The following nine spas and massage parlors owned and operated by …
COVID-19: NY Duo Steals $8M From Company Seeking Surgical Masks, Feds Say COVID-19: NY Duo Steals $8M From Company Seeking Surgical Masks, Feds Say
Covid-19: NY Duo Steals $8M From Company Seeking Surgical Masks, Feds Say Two New York residents are accused of conning a medical supply company out of millions of dollars in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Long Island resident Jonathan Cannon, age 58, of Miller Place, and Erie County resident Julie Dotton, age 51, of Orchard Park, are both charged with wire fraud in a complaint unsealed in Central Islip federal court on Thursday, May 2. According to prosecutors, a Canadian company serving as an official provider of personal protective equipment paid Cannon and Dotton $8.2 million for surgical masks needed due to the pandemic. In exchange, Dotton agreed…
Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard In Capitol Breach Gets 3 Years In Prison Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard In Capitol Breach Gets 3 Years In Prison
Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard In Capitol Breach Gets 3 Years In Prison A New York man who was photographed smoking marijuana inside a Senate office during the US Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021 will spend years in prison. Brandon Fellows, age 29, of Schenectady, was sentenced to 3 ½ years in federal lockup on Thursday, Feb. 29 after a Washington, DC jury found him guilty of obstructing an official proceeding, a felony. “His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the US Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election,” the US Attorney’s Office said. Earlier Report: Capitol Rioter F…
Man Gets Prison Time For Operating Cocaine Delivery Service: Caused Death Of Westchester Man Man Gets Prison Time For Operating Cocaine Delivery Service: Caused Death Of Westchester Man
Man Gets Prison Time For Operating Cocaine Delivery Service: Caused Death Of Westchester Man A 41-year-old man will spend more than a decade in prison for operating a cocaine courier service that delivered fentanyl-tainted cocaine to a Westchester man, causing his death.  Florida resident Jose Luis Tejada Aybar of Miami was sentenced on Tuesday, Feb. 27 to 12 and a half years in prison for operating the Cab Louie Delivery Service, which brought cocaine to customers in the Bronx and Westchester, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, Tejada Aybar began the delivery service in March 2018. To order…
Westchester Man Nabbed For Sexually Exploiting Boy Gets More Charges: Feds Westchester Man Nabbed For Sexually Exploiting Boy Gets More Charges: Feds
Westchester Man Nabbed For Sexually Exploiting Boy Gets More Charges: Feds More details have emerged about a Northern Westchester man accused of sexually exploiting a teenage boy, federal officials announced.  Bedford Hills resident James Collins Jr., age 67, was arrested on sexual exploitation charges on Wednesday morning, Jan. 24, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, Collins tried persuading an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old boy to meet him at a library in New Castle to engage in sexual activities.  Earlier Report - Man Engages in Sexua…
Capitol Riot: NY Man Who Punched Cop, Stole Shield Sentenced To Federal Prison Capitol Riot: NY Man Who Punched Cop, Stole Shield Sentenced To Federal Prison
Capitol Riot: NY Man Who Punched Cop, Stole Shield Sentenced To Federal Prison A New York man will spend nearly three years in federal prison for assaulting a police officer while trying to breach the US Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. Jonathan Munafo, age 36, of Albany, was sentenced to 33 months behind bars in US District Court in Washington, DC on Friday, Sept. 22. “His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the US Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election,” reads a statement from the US Attorney’s Office. Related Report: 'No Regrets': Pot-Smoking Schenectady Man Donning Fak…
'No Regrets': Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard, Shield Guilty In Capitol Breach 'No Regrets': Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard, Shield Guilty In Capitol Breach
'No Regrets': Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard, Shield Guilty In Capitol Breach A New York man who was photographed smoking marijuana inside a Senate office during the breach of the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 has been convicted of multiple crimes for his actions that day. Jurors found Brandon Fellows, age 29, of Schenectady, guilty of felony obstructing an official proceeding and entering and remaining in a restricted building in federal court in Washington, DC on Thursday, Aug. 31. “His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the US Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election,” reads a state…
COVID-19 $14.7M Scheme: Westchester Duo Tried Stealing From Relief Program, Feds Say COVID-19 $14.7M Scheme: Westchester Duo Tried Stealing From Relief Program, Feds Say
Covid-19 $14.7M Scheme: Westchester Duo Tried Stealing From Relief Program, Feds Say Two men from Westchester and a Long Island woman face charges after participating in a more than $14 million scheme to steal from a program created to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal officials said.  New Rochelle resident Glenroy Walker, age 65, Mount Vernon resident Gary Wheeler, age 46, Freeport resident Sherril Baez, age 50, and three others are charged with scheming to steal more than $14 million from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Tuesday, June 6.  The …
Fairfield County 25-Year-Old Sentenced For Crushing Officer During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Fairfield County 25-Year-Old Sentenced For Crushing Officer During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot
Fairfield County 25-Year-Old Sentenced For Crushing Officer During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot A 20-something Connecticut man who used a riot shield as a weapon and pinned an officer between doors has been sentenced for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Fairfield County resident Patrick Edward McCaughey III, age 25, of Ridgefield, was sentenced on Friday, April 14, to seven-and-a-half years in prison on nine offenses, said Matthew M. Graves, US Attorney for the District of Columbia. The 25-year-old McCaughey was found guilty following a bench trial in September 2022 along with co-defendants Tristan Chandler Stevens, age 26, of Pensacola, Flori…
Westchester Man Threatened To 'Crucify' Police, City Mayor, Officials Say Westchester Man Threatened To 'Crucify' Police, City Mayor, Officials Say
Westchester Man Threatened To 'Crucify' Police, City Mayor, Officials Say A Westchester man who had expressed support for radical Islamic extremism faces prison time after allegedly making repeated threats to kill police officers and a mayor, officials said.  Yonkers resident Ridon Kola, age 32, was arrested on Friday, March 17, and charged with making threats to kill members of the city's police department and the city's mayor, Mike Spano, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.  Kola first allegedly started making the threats on Nov. 19, 2021, when he posted a message in Albanian on a Yonkers PD official social med…
$65M Ponzi Scheme: Former NY Hedge Fund Manager Admits To Lending Fraud $65M Ponzi Scheme: Former NY Hedge Fund Manager Admits To Lending Fraud
$65M Ponzi Scheme: Former NY Hedge Fund Manager Admits To Lending Fraud A former bond trader and hedge fund manager in New York could spend decades in federal prison for defrauding his friends and lending institutions out of over $65 million. Nassau County resident Jeffrey Parket, age 59, of Great Neck, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and bank fraud in federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday, Feb. 15. According to the US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District, Parket swindled his victims out of millions of dollars between 2016 and December 2021 by lying about his financial condition and pledging fake collateral in order to obtain short-term loans. He claime…
FBI Probing Veteran's Claim That George Santos Stole Dying Dog's Charity Money, Report Says FBI Probing Veteran's Claim That George Santos Stole Dying Dog's Charity Money, Report Says
FBI Probing Veteran's Claim That George Santos Stole Dying Dog's Charity Money, Report Says The bad news just keeps coming for embattled New York Rep. George Santos, who is now the subject of an FBI investigation into accusations he stole charity money intended to help a Navy veteran’s dying service dog, Politico reports.  Richard Osthoff, of Howell, New Jersey, told the outlet that two FBI agents reached out to him on Wednesday, Feb. 1, as part of an investigation by the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York. Earlier Report: Bye George: Embattled Nassau Rep Santos Stepping Down 'Temporarily' From Committee Assignments Osthoff told Politico he gave the agents …
Police In Hudson Valley Help Catch Suspects Of Nationwide 'Felony Lane Gang' Fraud Scheme Police In Hudson Valley Help Catch Suspects Of Nationwide 'Felony Lane Gang' Fraud Scheme
Police In Hudson Valley Help Catch Suspects Of Nationwide 'Felony Lane Gang' Fraud Scheme Two suspects who admitted to being part of a nationwide fraud scheme were caught with the help of police in the Hudson Valley.  The two men, Joshua Mallory, age 37, and Gary Grier, age 36, both of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Dec. 20 to being part of the multi-state "Felony Lane Gang," a fraud scheme involving suspects breaking into cars and stealing debit cards and checkbooks, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York.  Between 2015 and 2020, Mallory, Grier, and several co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking …
Hudson Valley Street Gang Member Sentenced For 2016 Murder, Racketeering Hudson Valley Street Gang Member Sentenced For 2016 Murder, Racketeering
Hudson Valley Street Gang Member Sentenced For 2016 Murder, Racketeering The last of three gang members charged in the death of a Hudson Valley teen has been sentenced to prison. Dutchess County resident Dimetri Moseley, age 28, of Poughkeepsie, a member of the "Uptown" gang, was sentenced on Wednesday, Dec. 14, said Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Moseley was sentenced to 25 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute heroin in connection with the 2016 murder of Caval Haylett and the distribution of heroin, said the US. Attorney's Office. He had previously pled guilty to participation in…
Greenwich Man Charged With Child Porn Offenses, Including Possessing Images With Infants Greenwich Man Charged With Child Porn Offenses, Including Possessing Images With Infants
Greenwich Man Charged With Child Porn Offenses, Including Possessing Images With Infants A Fairfield County man is facing charges after investigators found that his laptop contained about 1,000 images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants.  Christopher Bates Jr., age 36, of Greenwich, was arrested on a federal complaint charging him with child pornography offenses on Tuesday, Dec. 13, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut. Investigators found that an IP address at Bates' home was being used to access the dark web to view images that depicted the sexual abuse of children, Roberts Avery reported. …
NY Man Admits To Opening Capitol Door, Directing Rioters Inside On Jan. 6 NY Man Admits To Opening Capitol Door, Directing Rioters Inside On Jan. 6
NY Man Admits To Opening Capitol Door, Directing Rioters Inside On Jan. 6 A New York man pleaded guilty to pulling open a door to the US Capitol Building to let rioters inside during the attack on the building on Jan. 6, 2021. Long Island resident Eric Gerwatowski, age 32, of New Hyde Park in Nassau County, admitted to opening the door after US Capitol Police had closed it to prevent more rioters from entering the building, according to an announcement by US Attorney Matthew M. Graves from Tuesday, Nov. 22. After opening the door, Gerwatowski turned to his fellow rioters, shouted "let's go!", and directed the mob into the building, disrupting a joi…
'Animal Abuse In Service Of Greed': Hudson Valley Duo Sentenced In Racehorse Doping Case 'Animal Abuse In Service Of Greed': Hudson Valley Duo Sentenced In Racehorse Doping Case
'Animal Abuse In Service Of Greed': Hudson Valley Duo Sentenced In Racehorse Doping Case A veterinarian and racehorse trainer from the Hudson Valley have received their sentences for their role in a racehorse doping scheme.  Orange County Veterinarian Louis Grasso, age 65, of Pine Bush, and trainer Richard Banca, age 47, of Middletown, were sentenced to 50 months in prison, and 30 months in prison, respectively, for producing, distributing, and administering performance-enhancing drugs as part of the doping case, according to an announcement by the US Attorney's Office from Wednesday, Nov. 16. A third man, 35-year-old trainer Rene Allard of Canada, was also sente…
Counterfeit Batteries Sold By NY Company To Defense Dept. Caused Military Equip. Failures: Feds Counterfeit Batteries Sold By NY Company To Defense Dept. Caused Military Equip. Failures: Feds
Counterfeit Batteries Sold By NY Company To Defense Dept. Caused Military Equip. Failures: Feds A New York military contractor will pay $75,000 to resolve allegations that it sold counterfeit batteries to the Department of Defense that later caused “military equipment failures.” With the payment, Industrial Equipment and Supply Company (IESC), located in Latham in Albany County, along with its principals, Mark and Sandra Nystoriak, settled allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act. According to the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District, IESC contracted to sell batteries to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), which manages the worldwide supply chain for the Dep…
NY Man Accused Of Smuggling Snakes In His Pants Into US From Canada NY Man Accused Of Smuggling Snakes In His Pants Into US From Canada
NY Man Accused Of Smuggling Snakes In His Pants Into US From Canada A 36-year-old man from New York is accused of smuggling three snakes in his pants across the United States-Canadian border. Calvin Bautista, a resident of Richmond Hill in Queens, was arraigned on Tuesday, Oct. 4, on an indictment charging him with smuggling three Burmese pythons into the United States at the Champlain Port of Entry, according to United States Attorney Carla Freedman. The US Attorney's Office said Bautista smuggled the snakes in his pants during a bus ride across the border. The charge filed against Bautista carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fin…
Ex-Yale Med School Worker Who Stole $40 Million In Electronics Sentenced Ex-Yale Med School Worker Who Stole $40 Million In Electronics Sentenced
Ex-Yale Med School Worker Who Stole $40 Million In Electronics Sentenced A former Yale University School of Medicine employee who stole $40 million in computer and electronic hardware from the university has been sentenced. Jamie Petrone, age 43, a former resident of Naugatuck, was sentenced on Thursday, Oct. 13, to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud and filing a false tax return, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut. She pleaded guilty to the charges on March 28. Earlier report - Former Yale Med School Employee Admits Stealing, Selling $40 Million In Elec…
Georgia Men Accused Of Trafficking Dozens Of Handguns Into NY, Feds Say Georgia Men Accused Of Trafficking Dozens Of Handguns Into NY, Feds Say
Georgia Men Accused Of Trafficking Dozens Of Handguns Into NY, Feds Say Two Georgia men are facing federal charges for allegedly transporting dozens of handguns into New York, authorities said. Patrick Polidore, age 32, was arraigned in federal court on Long Island Wednesday, Sept. 28 in Central Islip on an 11-count indictment alleging that he and co-defendant Dennis Wolfolk, age 29, illegally brought 27 handguns into the state. Wolfolk is in federal custody in Georgia and will be brought to the Eastern District of New York for arraignment at a later date, according to the US Attorney's Office. Federal prosecutors said between October 2020 and January 2021,…
Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get $372M More In Distributions, Feds Announce Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get $372M More In Distributions, Feds Announce
Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get $372M More In Distributions, Feds Announce Thousands of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme victims will be receiving their portions of the latest distribution of more than $370 million. US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams announced that the Madoff Victim Fund will be distributing approximately $372 million to 40,000 victims worldwide who were involved in the fraud scheme. Earlier Report: Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get Nearly $500M More In Distributions To date, approximately $4 billion has been distributed to Madoff’s victims. Williams said that this eighth payment will bring the victims’ total re…
21-Year-Old ‘All Around Great Guy’ From NY Charged For Alleged Role In Jan. 6 Riots 21-Year-Old ‘All Around Great Guy’ From NY Charged For Alleged Role In Jan. 6 Riots
21-Year-Old ‘All Around Great Guy’ From NY Charged For Alleged Role In Jan. 6 Riots A 21-year-old New York man is among the latest group of suspects facing charges for their alleged roles in breaching the US Capitol building on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Long Island’s Jon Lizak, of Cold Spring Harbor in Suffolk County, was arrested by federal investigators on Thursday, Sept. 15. Lizak and four other defendants illegally entered the Capitol as a group before moving through multiple corridors and rooms, including the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the US Attorney’s Office said. The group reportedly exited the building a half hour later. That’s when a 23-year-old ma…
New England Teacher On Leave After 8 Middle School Boys Keep Log Of His Alleged Harassment New England Teacher On Leave After 8 Middle School Boys Keep Log Of His Alleged Harassment
New England Teacher On Leave After 8 Middle School Boys Keep Log Of His Alleged Harassment A log of alleged harassment by their teacher dubbed the “Pedo Database” that was created by eight middle school boys in New England is now part of an official investigation into the teacher, The Boston Globe reports.  The Rhode Island teacher, who works at Davisville Middle School in North Kingstown, has been placed on administrative leave amid a probe into numerous claims of inappropriate behavior, including that he made female students dance for him, the outlet reports. One of the former students, now a 15-year-old high school student, told The Boston Globe that he and several other male…
Ex-Cop From Hudson Valley Gets Record Jan. 6 Riot Sentence For Assaulting Officer With Weapon Ex-Cop From Hudson Valley Gets Record Jan. 6 Riot Sentence For Assaulting Officer With Weapon
Ex-Cop From Hudson Valley Gets Record Jan. 6 Riot Sentence For Assaulting Officer With Weapon A retired NYPD officer from the Hudson Valley received the longest prison sentence to date among those convicted of taking part in riots at the US Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Orange County resident Thomas Webster, age 56, of the village of Florida, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Thursday, Sept. 1, after a jury convicted him of assaulting a Washington, DC police officer with a deadly weapon. In May 2022, the jury found him guilty of five felonies and one misdemeanor for his actions during the Capitol breach. Earlier Report: Ex-Cop From Orange County Convicte…
Man Who Attacked NY GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Lee Zeldin Now Being Held On Federal Charge Man Who Attacked NY GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Lee Zeldin Now Being Held On Federal Charge
Man Who Attacked NY GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Lee Zeldin Now Being Held On Federal Charge A 43-year-old man was arrested on a federal charge for attacking the New York gubernatorial candidate during a campaign event in western New York. David Jakubonis, a resident of Fairpoint, was charged with assaulting a member of Congress using a dangerous weapon for the incident involving New York Congressman Lee Zeldin, a Republican candidate for governor, according to a report from United States Attorney for the Western District Trini Ross on Saturday, July 23. The incident happened at an event on Thursday, July 21, in the Monroe County town of Perinton, Assistant US Attorney Brett Harvey…
Ex-Town Employee, Business Owner In Northern Westchester Both Indicted For $1.5M Scheme Ex-Town Employee, Business Owner In Northern Westchester Both Indicted For $1.5M Scheme
Ex-Town Employee, Business Owner In Northern Westchester Both Indicted For $1.5M Scheme A former Northern Westchester town employee and an owner of a landscaping business were both indicted in an illegal dumping scheme that could cost the town up to $1.5 million. Glenn Griffin, the owner of Griffin's Landscaping Corporation, and Robert Dyckman, the former assistant general foreman with the Town of Cortlandt, were both arrested on Thursday, July 21, according to Damian Williams, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York. Griffin, age 53, of Cortlandt Manor, and Dyckman, age 51, of Verplanck, are both charged in a scheme to dump hundreds of …
Hudson Valley Duo Sentenced For Violent Beating, Carjacking Hudson Valley Duo Sentenced For Violent Beating, Carjacking
Hudson Valley Duo Sentenced For Violent Beating, Carjacking A Hudson Valley duo have been sentenced to prison for their part in a brutal carjacking and beating of an area man who was left for dead. Rockland County residents Dwayne Hicks, age 28, of Spring Valley, and Tnaiya Williams, age 27 of New City, were sentenced on Tuesday, July 5 for the February 2021 crime, according to the Office of the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Hicks was sentenced to 12 years in prison and Williams to 44 months, the US Attorney's Office said. According to court documents, on Feb. 28, 2021, Hicks lured a victim to a residence in New City. Once the…
COVID-19: Upstate Woman Pleads Guilty To Pandemic Relief Fraud COVID-19: Upstate Woman Pleads Guilty To Pandemic Relief Fraud
Covid-19: Upstate Woman Pleads Guilty To Pandemic Relief Fraud A woman from the Capital District is facing years in prison after admitting that she took advantage of loan programs meant to help businesses struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Debra Hackstadt, age 67, of Albany, pleaded guilty Thursday, May 19, to fraudulently obtaining 32 government-backed loans, according to the US Attorney’s Office. The loans were issued to Hackstadt herself, various friends and relatives, and several companies that she controlled, prosecutors said. In all, investigators said she received more than $1.6 million between April 2020 and June 2021 through two separat…
Company Agrees To Pay $2.8M To Resolve Fraud Allegations In Two States, Including NY Company Agrees To Pay $2.8M To Resolve Fraud Allegations In Two States, Including NY
Company Agrees To Pay $2.8M To Resolve Fraud Allegations In Two States, Including NY A construction company will pay nearly $3 million to resolve allegations that it illegally manipulated a federal subcontract meant for small businesses owned by disabled veterans. Colorado-based Hensel Phelps Construction performs large scale private construction and public works projects across the US, including in New York. In 2011, the company was awarded a federal contract to build the Armed Forces Retirement Home’s New Commons and Healthcare Center in Washington, D.C., the US Attorney’s Office said. The organization provides retirement communities and residential facilities for veter…
Man Accused Of Traveling To NY To Meet Minor For Sex, Feds Say Man Accused Of Traveling To NY To Meet Minor For Sex, Feds Say
Man Accused Of Traveling To NY To Meet Minor For Sex, Feds Say A New England man has been accused of traveling across state lines with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, federal authorities in New York announced. Martin Connearney, age 32, of Lenox, Massachusetts, in Berkshire County, was arrested Thursday, May 5 and charged with traveling across state lines with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, the Department of Justice's US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and the FBI's Albany Field Office announced. The criminal complaint alleges that between Wednesday, April 6, 2022 and Wednes…