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Homeland Security Investigations

Drug Trafficker In Region Busted With 3 Kilos Of Cocaine, $136K In Cash, Police Say Drug Trafficker In Region Busted With 3 Kilos Of Cocaine, $136K In Cash, Police Say
Drug Trafficker In Region Busted With 3 Kilos Of Cocaine, $136K In Cash, Police Say A drug dealer/trafficker from the region was allegedly busted with three kilos of cocaine and other drugs along with cash following a two-month investigation. Sullivan County resident Raheen Meredith, age 50, of Thompson, was charged on Friday, Oct. 25. According to Sullivan County Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Eric Chaboty, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office Gang and Narcotics Intelligence Unit executed a search warrant in conjunction with “Operation Hard Rock,” a two-month-long investigation into wholesale cocaine distribution in Sullivan County.  Meredith was captured during a tr…
Man Nabbed In Undercover Online Predator Sting In Hudson Valley, DA Says Man Nabbed In Undercover Online Predator Sting In Hudson Valley, DA Says
Man Nabbed In Undercover Online Predator Sting In Hudson Valley, DA Says A man is facing multiple charges after an online predator sting in the region. From Tuesday, April 30, through Sunday, Sept. 1 of this year, Robert Fidler age 66, of Nyack engaged in internet chats and attempted to arrange meetings with what he thought were two teenage girls, the Rockland County District Attorney's Office said. An undercover officer of the DA Office's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force had assumed the personas of 13- and 14-year-old girls. During the conversations, Fidler described how he and the undercover officer would engage in sexual contact whe…
Bank Manager From Region Sentenced For Hiring A Hitman To Murder Brother-In-Law Bank Manager From Region Sentenced For Hiring A Hitman To Murder Brother-In-Law
Bank Manager From Region Sentenced For Hiring A Hitman To Murder Brother-In-Law A Hudson Valley bank manager is headed for federal prison after pleading guilty to plotting to hire a hitman to murder her own brother-in-law. Orange County resident Reshma Massarone, age 40, of Pine Bush, a hamlet of Crawford, was sentenced to 9.5 years in prison and three years of post-release supervision on Wednesday, Aug. 28, said Damian Williams, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.  “The defendant devised a chilling plan to have a member of her own family murdered for the low price of ten thousand dollars," said Williams. "Her plan was unthinkably heartless. For th…
$400K, 415 Pounds Of Pot Seized In Hudson Valley Zava Smoke Shops Investigation $400K, 415 Pounds Of Pot Seized In Hudson Valley Zava Smoke Shops Investigation
$400K, 415 Pounds Of Pot Seized In Hudson Valley Zava Smoke Shops Investigation Five corporations and three people have pleaded guilty following an investigation into multiple smoke shops in the Hudson Valley that netted more than $400,000 and 405 pounds of pot. Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh II announced Wednesday, July 10, that three individuals and five corporations that were involved in a year-long investigation into Rockland County smoke shops, said  have pleaded guilty, The investigation began on Monday, March 4, when the DA's Office, the New York Office of Homeland Security Investigations, New York State agencies, and local police …
Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Subject Of New Federal Criminal Investigation: Report Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Subject Of New Federal Criminal Investigation: Report
Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Subject Of New Federal Criminal Investigation: Report A federal criminal investigation is focusing on well-known hip-hop artist and longtime New Yorker Sean "Diddy" Combs, according to a report by NBC.  Combs, a 54-year-old New York City native who grew up in Westchester County in Mount Vernon, was told that he is a focus of an ongoing criminal investigation being conducted by federal authorities in the Southern District of New York, NBC reported.  The outlet added that as part of the probe, a federal grand jury is hearing evidence. There is nothing to suggest that charges are coming, though.  Combs has not received a lett…
Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Faces New Sexual Abuse Allegation: Report Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Faces New Sexual Abuse Allegation: Report
Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Faces New Sexual Abuse Allegation: Report Following several previous accusations, well-known hip-hop artist and longtime New Yorker Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing a new lawsuit filed by a former model who claims the producer sexually assaulted her, according to reports.  CNN reports that former model Crystal McKinney, the winner of MTV's 1998 Model Mission competition show, filed the latest lawsuit against Combs, a 54-year-old New York City native who grew up in Westchester County in Mount Vernon, on Tuesday, May 21. McKinney alleges that Combs drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2003 following a Men's Fashion Week event in New Yor…
Man Admits To Child Porn Charges In Hudson Valley, DA Says Man Admits To Child Porn Charges In Hudson Valley, DA Says
Man Admits To Child Porn Charges In Hudson Valley, DA Says A Long Island man has pleaded guilty in the Hudson Valley to attempted dissemination of indecent materials to minors. Nassau County resident Daniel Waxman, age 56, of Cedarhurst, pleaded guilty on Thursday, April 4, in Ramapo, according to Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh II,  From May 2023 to May 2023, the DA's Office said an undercover investigator from the Rockland County District Attorney's Office posing as a minor engaged in a series of internet chat conversations with Waxman. The undercover investigator told Waxman on multiple occasions that she was …
7 Nabbed In Raid On Drug Den In Region, Police Say 7 Nabbed In Raid On Drug Den In Region, Police Say
7 Nabbed In Raid On Drug Den In Region, Police Say Seven people were nabbed during a raid at an alleged well-known drug den in the region. The incident took place in Sullivan. County around 4:30 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 11 in the village of Monticello. According to Undersheriff Eric Chaboty of the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office, at the scene deputies recovered a quantity of cocaine, heroin/fentanyl, and several thousand dollars in cash.  “The total weight of the drugs seized was almost half a pound," according to Sulivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff.  The following defendants were charged with felony criminal possession of a control…
Fake ICE Agent On Long Island Sparks Investigation, Police Say Fake ICE Agent On Long Island Sparks Investigation, Police Say
Fake ICE Agent On Long Island Sparks Investigation, Police Say A man was allegedly caught posing as a Customs and Border Protection Officer on Long Island, prompting police to investigate potential fraud. On Wednesday, Nov. 1, Andy Kwok, age 53, was arrested in a Levittown restaurant for pretending to be a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, according to Nassau County Police. At approximately 11:20 a.m., Kwok, a resident of the hamlet of Delmar in Albany County, was dining at K City Hot Pot and Sushi, located at 3056 Hempstead Turnpike. He was dressed as a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, complete with a fraudulent ID car…
$1.5M Fraud: Hudson Valley Man Lied To Investors About Being Licensed Broker, Feds Say $1.5M Fraud: Hudson Valley Man Lied To Investors About Being Licensed Broker, Feds Say
$1.5M Fraud: Hudson Valley Man Lied To Investors About Being Licensed Broker, Feds Say A Hudson Valley man faces up to 20 years in prison for allegedly lying to investors that he was a licensed investment broker and making off with more than $1.5 million of his customer's cash.  Rockland County resident Jeffrey Tognetti Jr., age 26, of Piermont, was charged on Thursday, Aug. 31 with wire fraud, said Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. As alleged in public court proceedings in White Plains feral court, Tognetti ran a scheme that solicited and obtained funds from victims based on the misrepresentations that, among other things,…
Duo Nabbed In Drug Den Full Of People In  Region, Sheriff Says Duo Nabbed In Drug Den Full Of People In  Region, Sheriff Says
Duo Nabbed In Drug Den Full Of People In Region, Sheriff Says Two people were arrested after sheriff's deputies served a warrant at an apartment in the region known as a frequent drug den. The incident took place in Sullivan County around 3 a.m., Friday, June 9 at 18 Roosevelt Place, Apartment 16 in Monticello. "The residence is well known in the neighborhood as a drug-prone location where the injection and smoking of illicit substances take place," said Sullivan County Undersheriff Eric Chaboty. Seven people were removed from the apartment, none of whom lived there, Chaboty said.  Detectives charged Sullivan County resident Lauren T. Stack, ag…
Sexual Predator Sting: Attorney Nabbed After Arranging To Meet Girl In Hudson Valley, DA Says Sexual Predator Sting: Attorney Nabbed After Arranging To Meet Girl In Hudson Valley, DA Says
Sexual Predator Sting: Attorney Nabbed After Arranging To Meet Girl In Hudson Valley, DA Says An undercover investigation in the Hudson Valley has led to the arrest of a Long Island attorney who is accused of preying on a minor using online platforms. Long Island resident Daniel Waxman, age 55, was arrested on Wednesday, May 31 after authorities say he arrived in Rockland County to meet with whom he thought was a 14-year-old girl. From Monday, May 22 up until Wednesday, an undercover investigator from the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office posing as a minor engaged in a series of text conversations with Waxman, Rockland DA Thomas E. Walsh said. The undercover inve…
NY Engineer Sentenced For Stealing GE's Trade Secrets To Benefit China NY Engineer Sentenced For Stealing GE's Trade Secrets To Benefit China
NY Engineer Sentenced For Stealing GE's Trade Secrets To Benefit China A New York engineer is heading to federal prison for conspiring to steal General Electric’s trade secrets to benefit the Chinese government. Schenectady County resident Xiaoqing Zheng, age 59, of Niskayuna, was sentenced to two years behind bars in federal court in Albany on Tuesday, Jan. 3. It followed his March 2022 conviction on a charge of conspiracy to commit economic espionage. After a four-week trial, the jury either acquitted Zheng, or could not reach a unanimous verdict, on 11 other charges. According to the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District, Zheng worked at GE Po…
Former Coach In Hudson Valley Charged With Transporting Minors, Now Cops, To Engage In Sex Acts Former Coach In Hudson Valley Charged With Transporting Minors, Now Cops, To Engage In Sex Acts
Former Coach In Hudson Valley Charged With Transporting Minors, Now Cops, To Engage In Sex Acts A former diving coach in the Hudson Valley is facing federal charges, years after he allegedly transported teenagers across state lines for sex. Victor Byrne, age 56, who formerly coached competitive divers in Rockland County, was arrested Wednesday, Aug. 31, in Orlando, Florida. Federal prosecutors said Byrne transported a 16-year-old victim from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Rockland County to engage in illegal sexual activity in July 2006. In February 2008, he transported another 16-year-old from New Jersey to Rockland County, again to engage in illegal sex, prosecutors said. Byrne worked…
Hudson Valley Man Indicted After Undercover Investigation Into Child Predators Hudson Valley Man Indicted After Undercover Investigation Into Child Predators
Hudson Valley Man Indicted After Undercover Investigation Into Child Predators A 32-year-old Hudson Valley resident is facing multiple charges after authorities said he sent sexually-explicit photographs and messages to an undercover officer who was posing as a child. Thomas Szeliga, of the hamlet of Orangeburg in Rockland County, was indicted on one count of second-degree attempted criminal sexual act and one count of first-degree attempted disseminating indecent material to minors, according to authorities. Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh II said that on or about and between Friday, June 3, and Monday, June 27, Szeliga exchanged sexually explicit…
Registered Sex Offender Busted By Undercover Officers In Hudson Valley Targeting 'Teen Girl' Registered Sex Offender Busted By Undercover Officers In Hudson Valley Targeting 'Teen Girl'
Registered Sex Offender Busted By Undercover Officers In Hudson Valley Targeting 'Teen Girl' A registered sex offender was busted by undercover officers during a sexual predator sting operation in the Hudson Valley, officials announced. In Rockland County, New Jersey resident Brian Reed, age 33, of Sussex, was busted and indicted following an online sting conducted by the District’s Attorney’s Special Investigative Unit. Rockland County DA Thomas Walsh II noted that Reed is a registered sex offender with a past conviction in New Jersey. According to Walsh, between Wednesday, May 25 and Thursday, May 26, Reed allegedly exchanged text messages, photos, and phone calls - all sexually…
Ex-NY Resident Indicted For Massive Fraud Scheme Involving Sports Betting Ex-NY Resident Indicted For Massive Fraud Scheme Involving Sports Betting
Ex-NY Resident Indicted For Massive Fraud Scheme Involving Sports Betting A former New Yorker is accused of being the mastermind of a massive sports betting fraud scheme that bilked victims out of tens of millions of dollars. Cory Zeidman, age 61, formerly of Long Island, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. He was arrested Wednesday, May 25, in Florida, according to the US Attorney’s Office in the East District. Federal prosecutors said Zeidman used national radio ads to lure sports fans into believing that they could “get in on the ground floor” of his phony sports betting organization and that it could provide i…
Hudson Valley Man Charged As Leader Of Organized Armed Robbery Conspiracy Hudson Valley Man Charged As Leader Of Organized Armed Robbery Conspiracy
Hudson Valley Man Charged As Leader Of Organized Armed Robbery Conspiracy A Hudson Valley man was arrested and accused of leading an organized armed robbery conspiracy in the region. Orange County resident Patrick Chellel, age 31, of the village of Montgomery, was arrested on Wednesday, March 23, and charged in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies of suspected drug dealers in Orange County, the Bronx and Hartford, according to Damian Williams, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York. “As alleged, Patrick Chellel organized and directed a violent conspiracy to rob suspected drug dealers and associates at gunpoint," Williams said. "C…
Police Release New Info On Fatal Shooting Of College Student From Hudson Valley Police Release New Info On Fatal Shooting Of College Student From Hudson Valley
Police Release New Info On Fatal Shooting Of College Student From Hudson Valley The 21-year-old SUNY Potsdam student from the Hudson Valley who was killed just off-campus was fatally shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting, according to new information released by police. Putnam County resident Elizabeth Howell, age 21, who was a senior at SUNY Potsdam, was struck by three bullets that were fired from a grey, four-door Honda Civic at around 5:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18, investigators from the Potsdam Police Department announced. Original story - Brewster HS Grad Killed In Upstate Shooting Was An Aspiring Educator Police said that her alleged shooter, St. Lawrence C…
Man, Woman In Hudson Valley Charged After Police Probe Shipments Of Drugs Through Mail Man, Woman In Hudson Valley Charged After Police Probe Shipments Of Drugs Through Mail
Man, Woman In Hudson Valley Charged After Police Probe Shipments Of Drugs Through Mail Two Hudson Valley residents were arrested following an investigation into a home receiving shipments of drugs through the mail. Orange County residents Muhammad Iftikhar, age 42, and Maria Younis, age 39, both of Goshen, were arrested following the investigation, which concluded on Tuesday, Feb. 8, New York State Police reported. Police said the two were arrested after a search warrant was executed at the Goshen residence, and law enforcement seized more than 50 grams of anabolic steroids and more than 20 grams of MDMA. Authorities said the investigation was conducted by State Police in co…
Six, Including Police Officer In Hudson Valley, Charged In Sex Trafficking, Bribery Scheme Six, Including Police Officer In Hudson Valley, Charged In Sex Trafficking, Bribery Scheme
Six, Including Police Officer In Hudson Valley, Charged In Sex Trafficking, Bribery Scheme A police officer who allegedly protected a prostitution ring in exchange for free sexual favors is among six facing a host of charges for their roles in operating a sex trafficking organization throughout New York, federal officials announced. In Brooklyn federal court, a 14-count indictment has been unsealed for six suspects who ran the operation - which included minors - while the cop protected them from being arrested by law enforcement. Those charged: Wayne Peiffer, age 48, of Highland in Ulster County; Jose Facundo Zarate Morals, age 32, of Queens. Luz Elvira Cardona, age 33, of Que…
Lack Of COVID Test Stops Kidnapper's Bid To Cross Canadian Border With Girl In Trunk Lack Of COVID Test Stops Kidnapper's Bid To Cross Canadian Border With Girl In Trunk
Lack Of COVID Test Stops Kidnapper's Bid To Cross Canadian Border With Girl In Trunk A teenage man who was stopped at the Canadian border for lack of a COVID-19 test had kidnapped a 16-year-old from Connecticut, sexually assaulted her, and put her in the trunk of his car, according to police. The kidnapping was reported in Connecticut when the suspect, 19-year-old Christopher Jesus Constanzo, abducted and sexually assaulted the female victim on Thursday, Dec. 2, according to Vermont State Police.  Constanzo is then reported to have held the victim in the trunk of his car while he drove from Connecticut toward the US border crossing in Highgate Springs, Vermont. Early …
Four Hudson Valley Brothers Accused Of $19M Scam To Defraud Amazon Four Hudson Valley Brothers Accused Of $19M Scam To Defraud Amazon
Four Hudson Valley Brothers Accused Of $19M Scam To Defraud Amazon Four brothers from the Hudson Valley have been charged for allegedly engaging in a scheme to systematically defraud Amazon.com of millions. "Through the course of the scheme, they manipulated Amazon’s vendor system in attempts to fraudulently induce Amazon to pay for goods that Amazon had not ordered," Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said. In executing the scheme, they fraudulently attempted to obtain at least approximately $32 million and successfully obtained at least approximately $19 million, Strauss said. The four are:…