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Politics
Mount Vernon Mayor Rejects Plea Deal In Criminal Case, Will Head to Trial Mount Vernon Mayor Rejects Plea Deal In Criminal Case, Will Head to Trial
Mount Vernon Mayor Rejects Plea Deal In Criminal Case, Will Head to Trial Embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas will have his day in court. Thomas rejected the final plea deal in his criminal case on Friday and is scheduled to go to trial in July, according to lohud. At his latest court date, Thomas reportedly told Supreme Court Justice Barry Warhit that “I have faith in the system, your honor. I’m proceeding to trial.” The decision came following two hours of conferences between the judge, prosecutors and lawyers representing the mayor. Thomas has vehemently denied any wrongdoing since allegations arose claiming he misappropriated campaign funds. Jury sel…

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by Zak Failla
News
Report: Ex-Employee Sought Cash Before Bludgeoning Westchester Socialite Report: Ex-Employee Sought Cash Before Bludgeoning Westchester Socialite
Report: Ex-Employee Sought Cash Before Bludgeoning Westchester Socialite The former day laborer who bludgeoned northern Westchester socialite Lois Colley to death with a fire extinguisher in 2015 reportedly sought money before killing his former employer. Esdras Marroquin Gomez, an ex-day laborer also known as “Victor,” admitted to second-degree murder in Westchester County Court on Monday, May 6, and will face 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on June 13. According to a lohud report, Gomez was pursuing a worker’s compensation claim against the Colleys after he was injured while working on their farm. At approximately 5 p.m. on Nov. 9, 2015, Gomez …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
TV Reporter's Husband Faces Domestic Violence Charges TV Reporter's Husband Faces Domestic Violence Charges
TV Reporter's Husband Faces Domestic Violence Charges The husband of Blaise Gomez, a Hudson Valley reporter at News 12, has been indicted on numerous domestic violence charges following, what she says, is more than a year of domestic abuse in which, she says, she thought she was going to die. Sean Doyle, 36, of Cornwall in Orange County, was hit with 15 counts, including strangulation, attempted assault, coercion and criminal mischief, all felonies.  In a Facebook post on March 25, Gomez described one of the attacks: "My legal husband and daughter’s father (a combat Marine) assaulted me in my home last Monday, in a drunken, drugged attack…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Man Found Not Guilty In Hash Brown/Cell Phone Case In Area That Drew National Attention Man Found Not Guilty In Hash Brown/Cell Phone Case In Area That Drew National Attention
Man Found Not Guilty In Hash Brown/Cell Phone Case In Area That Drew National Attention A Fairfield County man “is loving it” after taking police to court over a distracted driving ticket when an officer apparently mistook a hash brown in his hand for a cell phone. Westport resident Jason Stiber fought the law, and won, after being issued a $300 ticket for distracted driving last year. Stiber, 45, who had just purchased a hash brown at McDonald’s near the Norwalk border, was pulled over and ticketed. Rather than pay the fine, he instead took the case to trial after a magistrate initially found him guilty of the infraction. Phone records showed that Stiber hadn’t used his pho…

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by Zak Failla
News
Westchester Man Sentenced For Assault, Attempted Rape After Holding Woman Against Her Will Westchester Man Sentenced For Assault, Attempted Rape After Holding Woman Against Her Will
Westchester Man Sentenced For Assault, Attempted Rape After Holding Woman Against Her Will A 59-year-old Westchester man has been sentenced after being found guilty of holding a woman against her will, assaulting her and attempting to rape her. Thomas Jessamy of Mount Vernon has been sentenced to 15 years in state prison after he was found guilty by a jury of attempted rape, unlawful imprisonment and two counts of assault for a four-hour incident in 2017 when he terrorized a woman in his Mount Vernon home. Between 5:30 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. on June 21, 2017, Jessamy committed a series of crimes against his victim in his South Tenth Avenue home. Jessamy invited his victim to his apar…

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by Zak Failla
News
Westchester Mayor Declines Plea Deal In Criminal Case Westchester Mayor Declines Plea Deal In Criminal Case
Westchester Mayor Declines Plea Deal In Criminal Case Embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas has vowed to have his day in court, rejecting a plea deal that could have helped him avoid potential jail time. Earlier this year, Thomas was charged following an investigation which exposed that he allegedly stole $12,900 from his campaign committee and diverted more than $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose that information to officials. Thomas was charged with third-degree grand larceny and two counts of third-degree ordering a false instrument for filing, all felonies. He was also charged with two count…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man Charged With Murdering Woman At Historic Armory In Westchester Man Charged With Murdering Woman At Historic Armory In Westchester
Man Charged With Murdering Woman At Historic Armory In Westchester A 28-year-old man is facing life in prison for allegedly killing a homeless woman whose body was found outside the former historic Armory building on Main Street in New Rochelle. Jose Olmos, who is homeless, was arraigned this week on murder charges for allegedly beating Nurten Jeljuk on Friday, July 27. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr., said that early on July 27, Olmos followed the 60-year-old Seljuk "for some time" on Main Street in New Rochelle. When they reached the…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Mount Vernon Mayor Used City Money To Pay Legal Bills, Says Prosecutor Mount Vernon Mayor Used City Money To Pay Legal Bills, Says Prosecutor
Mount Vernon Mayor Used City Money To Pay Legal Bills, Says Prosecutor Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas, who is facing corruption charges, has reportedly used city funds to pay legal bills. Earlier this year, Thomas was charged following an investigation which exposed that he allegedly stole $12,900 from his campaign committee and diverted more than $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose that information to officials. Thomas was charged with third-degree grand larceny and two counts of third-degree ordering a false instrument for filing, all felonies. He was also charged with two counts of second-degree offering a false i…

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by Zak Failla
News
Mayor In Westchester Picks Familiar Defense Team In Corruption Case Mayor In Westchester Picks Familiar Defense Team In Corruption Case
Mayor In Westchester Picks Familiar Defense Team In Corruption Case Embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas is turning to a familiar defense team as his criminal trial for alleged corruption approaches. Earlier this year, the Mount Vernon mayor was charged following an investigation which exposed that he allegedly stole $12,900 from his campaign committee and diverted more than $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose that information to officials. Thomas was charged with third-degree grand larceny and two counts of third-degree ordering a false instrument for filing, all felonies. He was also charged with two counts …

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by Zak Failla
News
Yale Suspends Student After New Sexual Assault Allegations Surface Yale Suspends Student After New Sexual Assault Allegations Surface
Yale Suspends Student After New Sexual Assault Allegations Surface A Yale student who was acquitted on sexual assault charges last year has been suspended again as new allegations of assault were leveled against him, according to the Yale Daily News. Saifullah Khan was suspended on Sunday by Dean of Yale College Marvin Chun, three days after the new charges surfaced, the school newspaper reported. According to the Yale Daily News, under the suspension, Khan has been barred from campus and all of his classes. He was also suspended in 2015 after Khan was arrested for allegedly assaulting a Yale student. He was acquitted of the charges and the suspension was…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Violent Westchester Gang Member Admits To Attempted Assault, Conspiracy Violent Westchester Gang Member Admits To Attempted Assault, Conspiracy
Violent Westchester Gang Member Admits To Attempted Assault, Conspiracy A member of a prominent Westchester street gang has become the latest to admit to his role in using violence and weapons to control their neighborhood in Yonkers. Travis Pearson, 28, a member of the Blood Stones Army, pleaded guilty one count of attempted assault, a violent felony, and one count of second-degree conspiracy. His plea was accepted in Westchester County Court on Tuesday. Pearson was arrested and charged as part of a larger gang sweep in the Nodine Hill section of Yonkers in the beginning of May, which led to the arrests of several members of the Blood Stones Army, who were cha…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Mayor In Westchester Fails To Have Felony Charges Dropped In Court Mayor In Westchester Fails To Have Felony Charges Dropped In Court
Mayor In Westchester Fails To Have Felony Charges Dropped In Court Richard Thomas will be heading to court for allegedly stealing campaign funds and lying about money he diverted from his inaugural committee for personal benefit. Earlier this year, the Mount Vernon mayor was charged following an investigation which exposed that he allegedly stole $12,900 from his campaign committee and diverted more than $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose that information to officials. Thomas was charged with third-degree grand larceny and two counts of third-degree ordering a false instrument for filing, all felonies. He was also …

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by Zak Failla