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Tag: US Attorney's Office
MS-13 Gang Members Indicted For 'Senseless, Brutal' Nassau County Murders: DA
A pair of alleged MS-13 gang members have been indicted for two murders on Long Island, including one near a high school, according to US authorities.
On Wednesday, Oct. 11, the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York announced the counts against Carlos Humberto Aquino-Hernandez and Gerson Hernandez, both 22.
The first murder occurred on July 19, 2022.
Walter Ochoa, who was thought to be a member of a rival street gang, was targeted by MS-13 in retaliation for the murder of an MS-13 member 11 days earlier, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
Earlier Report: A…
Covid-19 $14.7M Scheme: Freeport Woman 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 …
New Hyde Park 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': NY 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…
Georgia Men Accused Of Trafficking Dozens Of Handguns Into NY, Including Long Island, 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,…
LI Man Sentenced For Heroin, Fentanyl Trafficking Related To Death Of Massapequa Woman
A Long Island man was sentenced for distributing the fentanyl-laced heroin that caused the death of a 21-year-old woman in 2020.
Donta Riddick, age 35, of West Babylon, was sentenced to 16-and-a-half years in prison on Tuesday, Sept. 13, for possessing and distributing heroin and fentanyl, according to Breon Peace, United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
In his guilty plea on Jan. 28, Riddick admitted to distributing the drugs on Sept. 13, 2020, that killed a Massapequa woman.
“Today’s sentencing is justice served for the trauma that the defendant directly caused …
MS-13 Members Face New Charges, Including For 2016 Murder Of Long Island Man
Members and associates of MS-13 are facing a series of new racketeering charges, including charges in the 2016 murder of a Long Island man.
The 29-count superseding indictment includes acts involving murder, attempted murder, narcotics, and firearms offenses, according to an announcement on Wednesday, Sept. 7, from Breon Peace, United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Two of the defendants, 26-year-old Kevin Torres, of Freeport, and 30-year-old Oseas Gonzalez, of Charlotte, North Carolina, were charged with the Sept. 5, 2016, murder of Marcus Bohannon, of Central Is…
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…
