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Sunday, dec 29
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Criminal Justice
News
Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say
A New York brother currently serving time in federal prison and sister are facing federal charges for an elaborate cyberstalking and extortion scheme involving explicit images and a fraudulent life insurance plot, federal authorities announced. Fred Mastroianni, of White Plains, and Doreen Mastroianni, of Yorktown Heights, have been charged with cyberstalking, extortion, and conspiracy to commit extortion, according to an indictment unsealed by federal officials. The pair allegedly targeted "Victim-1" by threatening to release sexually explicit photos and videos unless the victim complied w…
Politics
Trump Taps NY Native Kash Patel, Extreme Loyalist As FBI Director
President-elect Donald Trump announced that 44-year-old loyalist and New York native Kashyap “Kash” Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Trump described Patel as a "brilliant lawyer, investigator, and 'America First' fighter, in an announcement shared to social media on Sunday, Dec. 1. He praised Patel’s career of “exposing corruption, defending justice, and protecting the American people.” "He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution," Trump sai…
News
Leaders Of Gang Involved In Violent Shootings, Robberies In Westchester Get Decades In Jail
Two high-ranking leaders of a violent gang involved in multiple violent incidents throughout Westchester will spend decades in prison, officials announced. Bronx resident Dwight Reid, age 52, and Brooklyn resident Christopher Erskine, age 41, were both sentenced to 35 years in prison for their leadership of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang, a violent street and prison organization that has operated in Westchester County, other parts of New York State, and across the country, the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Tuesday, …
News
Officer Violently Attacked By Inmate At Northern Westchester Prison
An officer suffered serious injuries after an inmate attacked him in a stairwell at a maximum-security prison in Northern Westchester, officials said. The assault occurred on Monday, Nov. 18, just after 10:30 a.m., as inmates were returning to their cells from morning recreation, according to the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA). The incident began when an inmate was seen yelling in the stairwell between two cell blocks. The officer ordered the inmate to return to his cell, but he refused. When the officer approached and repeated the order,…
News
New Judge To Succeed Disgraced Predecessor Forced To Resign In Northern Westchester
A municipality in Northern Westchester has announced its next city judge following the resignation of her predecessor, who was forced to resign after being charged with making sexual innuendos and inappropriate remarks to staff and attorneys on multiple occasions. In an announcement on Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Peekskill Common Council revealed the selection of Sophia Trott as the next City Court Judge. Trott will replace Reginald J. Johnson, who resigned from his position on Monday, Sept. 30 following formal charges filed against him by the New York State Comm…
News
Judges Vacate 12 Convictions Connected To Former Westchester Detective Nabbed On Perjury Charge
Following an extensive review process, narcotics-related charges for a dozen people that were connected to a former Westchester County detective convicted of perjury have been vacated, officials announced. The 12 vacaturs were announced on Wednesday, Nov. 13 by the Westchester County District Attorney's Office, which reviewed the cases based on the perjury conviction of former Yonkers Police Detective Christian Koch in 2015. According to the DA's Office, an examination by the DA's Conviction Review Unit resulted in Westchester County Court Justice Larry Schwartz and Yonkers City…
News
Capitol Riot: Westchester Man Convicted Of Participating In Jan. 6 Breach, Posting Selfie
A 35-year-old member of the Proud Boys from Westchester has been convicted of felony charges in connection to his participation in the deadly riot at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, federal officials announced. White Plains resident William Pepe, formerly of the Dutchess County city of Beacon, was found guilty of charges related to his conduct during the Jan. 6 breach following a bench trial before US District Judge Timothy Kelly, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia announced on Wednesday, Oct. 23. According to federal officials, on the morning of Jan. 6, 2…
News
Shooting Outside Home Of Former NY Gubernatorial Candidate Zeldin Nets Gunman 12 Years
The gunman in a broad daylight shooting that injured two teenagers outside the New York home of former Rep. Lee Zeldin will spend more than a decade behind bars. Long Island resident Noah Green, age 20, of Shirley, was sentenced to 12 years in prison plus five years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty to attempted murder and related charges. Prosecutors said Green was riding in a stolen SUV with another individual when they spotted three rival gang members walking along Saint George Drive West in Shirley at around 2:20 p.m. on Oct. 9, 2022. Earlier Report: Gunman Admit…
News
New Details: State Failed 'Committed Mother' Stabbed To Death At NY Home, Family Says
A New York man accused of murdering the mother of his child should’ve been locked up years ago, his own relatives insist. Long Island resident Brenda Guadalupe Alfaro-Alcantara, age 29, was found with multiple stab wounds in the basement of her Hempstead home on Botsford Street at around 8:40 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Nassau County Police. Detectives arrested a suspect, 43-year-old Jose Funes-Zabala, of Roosevelt, on Monday afternoon, Oct. 7. He is charged with second-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child. Earlier Report:&n…
News
Accused Murderer Ranted About Pronouns, Trump Before Ex-Wife, Her BF Were Slain In NY Home
New details are offering insight into the mind of an accused murderer just hours before he allegedly gunned down his ex-wife and her boyfriend inside their New York home. The Long Island killings happened in St. James, at a residence on Brasswood Road, at around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28. Suffolk County Police said Daniel Coppola, age 50, put his 15-year-old daughter into his car before going inside and shooting his ex-wife, 50-year-old Kelly Coppola, and her boyfriend, 53-year-old Kenneth Pohlman. Earlier Report: Man Kills Ex-Wife, Her BF At St. James Home, Police Say Both vic…
News
Hundreds Sign Petition To Reinstate Suspended Library Director In Westchester
Hundreds of community members have come together to urge a library in Westchester to reinstate its director who was suddenly suspended from her position. The effort came in the form of a Change.org petition started on Sunday, Aug. 11 following the 30-day suspension of Mamaroneck Public Library Executive Director Jennifer O'Neill. According to the petition, O'Neill will soon be given a hearing to determine her future employment, despite her record with the library being "impeccable." The reason for the suspension has not been revealed by the library. "Jennifer has ser…
News
Adult Film Actor From NY Accused Of Distributing Child Pornography
An adult film actor who resides in New York has been accused of sending and receiving hundreds of videos of child pornography, federal authorities announced. Justin Heath Smith, who uses the stage name “Austin Wolf.” sent images depicting children as young as infants, "including a ghastly video showing a young child bound, beaten, and raped," said Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In addition to sharing child pornography via the Telegram app, the 43-year-old Smith was also charged with possessing hundreds of additional videos conta…
News
'More Playtime': Rex Heuermann Used 'Planning Document' To Guide Gilgo Beach Murders, DA Says
New details are shedding light on the lengths that accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann went to in hopes of getting away with his alleged murder spree. The 60-year-old Long Island resident, of Massapequa Park, was arraigned on two more charges of second-degree murder in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, June 6, in the killings of Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla. Heuermann was previously charged with the murders of four Gilgo Beach victims: Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Earlier Report: Gilgo Beach Murders: Suspect …
Police & Fire
Man Gets Years In Prison For Sexually Assaulting 2 Teenagers In Westchester
A 22-year-old man will spend more than a decade in prison for sexually assaulting two teenagers during separate incidents in Westchester, officials announced. Port Chester resident Richard Olmino was sentenced to 15 years in state prison for the two incidents, which both happened in Rye in June 2023, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday, June 3. According to the DA's Office, the first incident Olmino was linked to occurred on June 23, 2023, around 12 a.m., when he asked for help from a 16-year-old jogger in Rye Town Park. Olmino then too…
News
FedEx Sued After Former Hudson Valley Driver Raped, Assaulted Teens
One of the victims of a former delivery driver in the region who was convicted of sexually assaulting three teens while on the job is now suing FedEx and the local parcel service for negligence. The lawsuit, which was filed on Monday, May 6, alleges that FedEx and the Dutchess County Parcel Service were negligent in the rape of a teen girl by Poughkeepsie resident Joshua J. Ginyard. This new suit comes less than four months after Ginyard, age 33, was released from prison on parole concerning the 2021 incident. Original Story: FedEx Driver Accused Of Raping, Sexually Abusing Teens…
Police & Fire
Duo Caught With Gun, Cocaine, Pills In Car's Hidden Compartment In Westchester: Police
Two people face a long list of charges after they were caught with a stolen gun, cocaine, ecstasy, and other drugs inside a hidden compartment in their vehicle in Westchester, police said. The arrests stemmed from an incident on Wednesday, May 1 just before 10 p.m., when a vehicle was stopped by police in New Rochelle after failing to use a signal while turning from Lincoln Avenue to Memorial Highway, according to New Rochelle Police Captain J. Collins Coyne. During the traffic stop, detectives saw what appeared to be heroin inside a Ziploc bag in the car's center console cupholder. A narco…
Police & Fire
25-Year-Old Nanny Admits Stealing $25K In Items From Stamford Family
A nanny has been charged with larceny after she allegedly stole expensive items from her employer in Fairfield County. Maria Fermin, age 25, of Stamford, was charged on Monday, Dec. 4 after the family began noticing missing items from their home, said Capt. Tom Scanlon of the Stamford Pollice. The family first noticed an expensive camera lens missing, then a tennis bracelet, a purse, and $15,000 cash, Scanlon said. The family suspected Fermin because they observed Meta photos where Fermin was wearing items identical to the ones they were missing. Financial Crimes Investigator Vaness…
Politics
Hochul Signs Controversial ‘Clean Slate’ Law Sealing Most Criminal Convictions
Millions of New Yorkers will soon have their criminal convictions sealed under new legislation meant to better help them find jobs and housing. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the “Clean Slate Act” into law during a ceremony in Brooklyn on Thursday, Nov. 16. Under the new law, those with misdemeanor convictions will have their records sealed three years after their release from incarceration, while felony convictions will be sealed after eight years. Earlier Report: Suffolk County DA Accuses Lawmakers Of 'Protecting Criminals' With Proposed 'Clean Slate' Bill Class A felonies, which include m…
News
'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…
News
Estranged Wife Sues Former Podiatrist, Sister From Bedford For Alleged Murder-For-Hire Scheme
The wife of a once sought-after Hudson Valley podiatrist has sued her estranged husband and his sister for allegedly scheming to have her killed. Rockland County resident Ira Bernstein, age 49, of Montebello, and Northern Westchester resident Jaclyn Goldberg, age 40, of Bedford, are being sued by Susan Bernstein, as they face criminal charges in the alleged plot. This is the alleged second such plot the podiatrist has undertaken to kill his wife Susan Bernstein, of Sloatsburg, who filed the lawsuit on Thursday, July 27 in the New York State Supreme Court. Ira Bernstein spent almost fi…
Schools
HS Senior In Westchester Offered $500,000 In Scholarships, 5 Full Rides
A high school senior from Westchester diagnosed with a learning disability proved anything is possible by being offered a total of $500,000 in scholarships and five full rides from 15 colleges. Mount Vernon High School senior Mia Vaquero, who will be graduating in June, was accepted into 15 schools and offered a cumulative $500,000 in scholarships, Mount Vernon City School District officials announced on Wednesday, May 24. The first person in her family to pursue a college education, Vaquero was inspired to work hard in school after seeing how much her parents, who cam…
Obituaries
'Consummate Professional': Former Dispatcher For Westchester County Police Dies At Age 45
A former dispatcher for the Westchester County Police Department known for his professionalism and big heart has died unexpectedly. Port Chester resident Bryan Santucci died on Thursday, Nov. 3 at the age of 45, according to his obituary. Santucci was born in 1976 and graduated from Port Chester High School in 1995, later earning his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Pace University in Pleasantville, his obituary said. An employee of Westchester County for more than 20 years, Santucci started his career as a park ranger and then became Emergency Co…
Police & Fire
Detective, Drug Task Force Supervisor In Hudson Valley Dies At Age 31
A detective in the Hudson Valley has died at the age of 31. The Rockland County District Attorney's Office announced with "profound sadness" that detective and Drug Task Force Supervisor Xavier Fernandez died on Friday, Oct. 28. A cause of death has not been released. Fernandez worked as an NYPD officer and PBA representative for the 44th precinct until November 2021, the DA's Office said. "He started his dream job as a detective in his home of Rockland County in November 2021 and was assigned to the RCDAO Drug Task Force and was quickly promoted to group supervisor," the department…
News
Westchester Woman Who Fatally Stabbed Boyfriend Freed From Prison Under New State Law
A woman who admitted to stabbing her boyfriend to death will be released from prison under a new NY state law that gives judges more discretion in sentencing defendants who have suffered domestic abuse. Westchester County resident Jonitha Alston, age 35, of New Rochelle, will be freed after acting State Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary vacated her original 12-year sentence and resentenced her to five years in prison. The move followed a recommendation from Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah for a reduced sentence under New York’s 2019 Domestic Violence Survivors Justic…
News
Man, 47, Admits To Sexually Abusing 7-Year-Old At Locations In Hudson Valley
With time ticking before a trial began, a 46-year-old man admitted to sexually abusing a child throughout the Hudson Valley on multiple occasions over the course of several years. In Rockland County, Haverstraw resident Sherman Brody pleaded guilty to a felony count of course of sexual conduct against a child as prosecutors began jury selection in anticipation of an upcoming trial. Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh announced the guilty plea on Monday, May 23. Prosecutors said that between 2017 and 2021, Brody sexually abused a minor at various locations throughout Havers…
News
Former Employee At Westchester Car Dealership Sentenced For $300K Tax Fraud
A Long Island man will spend time behind bars after being sentenced for his role in a $300,000 embezzlement scheme to defraud the Westchester auto dealership he worked at, state authorities announced. Moriches resident James Castellano, age 55, was sentenced to a term of between two and six years in prison for embezzling more than $300,000 from Hyundai of New Rochelle, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Officials said that in 2017, while an employee at the Palmer Avenue dealership, Castellano diverted more than $307,000 in checks made out to Hyundai into his…
News
Westchester Man Sentenced For Stabbing, Sexually Assaulting Woman
A 40-year-old man will spend nearly a decade in prison after being sentenced for assaulting, stabbing, and sexually abusing a woman in Westchester, the District Attorney announced. Mount Vernon resident Hasarn Myke, age 40, was sentenced to nine years in state prison, following 15 years of post-release supervision after pleading to multiple violent felonies. Specifically, Myke pleaded guilty in October 2021 to: Attempted assault as a sexually motivated felony; Attempted assault; Sexual abuse; Second-degree assault as a sexually motivated felony; Two counts of second-degree assault. He al…
News
Ex-Officer Sentenced For Bludgeoning Death Of Woman Inside Hudson Valley Residence
A former officer from the region has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the bludgeoning death of a woman inside her home. Luis Rondon, age 50, of New Windsor, was sentenced on Wednesday, Dec. 14 for the death of the woman he was reportedly having an affair with, said Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. According to the District Attorney's Office, on Thursday, Oct. 7, Rondon was convicted by a jury in Orange County Court of murder and criminal possession of a weapon At the time of the killing, Rondon was a peace officer and sergeant with the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel…
News
Officer Found Guilty In Bludgeoning Death Of Girlfriend In Hudson Valley
An officer in New York City who lives in the Hudson Valley was found guilty of the violent death of his girlfriend following a jury trial. Luis Rondon, age 50, of New Windsor, was convicted in Orange County Court of second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon on Thursday, Oct. 7. The convictions were in connection with the bludgeoning death of a woman on Oct. 7, 2019, inside her South Gate Village apartment, in New Windsor. The trial began on Monday, Sept. 20. Rondon, who was a peace officer and sergeant with the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel A…
News
Judge's 'Racist' Words Cut 10 Years Off Area's Man Prison Sentence
An area man had 10 years shaved off his prison sentence after a panel of appeals judges ruled against the presiding judge for making racists comments during sentencing. Retired Judge Frank Labuda’s remarks at Angelo Johnson’s 2018 sentencing for burglary in Sullivan County were slammed by the appellate panel as being an outrageous 19th-century racist ideology that claimed that Blacks were inferior because they had smaller brains. During Johnson's trial Labuda told him he pitied him because his brain was “probably retarded in growth” and repeatedly ordered his mouth bound with mask…
News
Four Charged With Crack Cocaine Distribution In Northern Westchester
Four men have been arrested in connection with running a crack cocaine distribution ring in Northern Westchester County. According to Audrey Strauss, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the men, Jordan Campbell, Derrick Dickey, Terrance Patterson, and Johnnie Thomas, were arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 2. As alleged in the indictment unsealed in White Plains federal court, the four conspired to distribute at least 280 grams or more of crack cocaine between March 2020 and August 2020. Each faces a maximum term of life in prison and a mandatory minimum term of 10 ye…
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