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Miriam Rocah

Judge Overturns NFL Lineman's Father's Conviction In Decades-Old Hudson Valley Robbery (UPDATE) Judge Overturns NFL Lineman's Father's Conviction In Decades-Old Hudson Valley Robbery (UPDATE)
Judge Overturns NFL Lineman's Father's Conviction In Decades-Old Hudson Valley Robbery (Update) Following the discovery of new evidence and constitutional violations, a judge has vacated the conviction of the father of an NFL lineman who served years in prison for a Westchester robbery decades ago.  In an announcement on Friday, Dec. 27, the Westchester County DA's Office said a judge overturned the conviction of 67-year-old Jeffrey Koonce, who was found guilty of robbery and weapons possession in 1983 in connection with a 1981 armed robbery at a Mount Vernon social club.  District Attorney Miriam Rocah said her office’s Conviction Review Unit (CRU) uncovered evide…
Sergeant Indicted For Assault After Kicking, Punching Suspect During Arrest In Westchester: DA Sergeant Indicted For Assault After Kicking, Punching Suspect During Arrest In Westchester: DA
Sergeant Indicted For Assault After Kicking, Punching Suspect During Arrest In Westchester: DA A police sergeant working for a Westchester department faces assault charges after allegedly repeatedly kicking and punching a suspect during an arrest following a high-speed chase, officials announced. Sgt. Hector Cartagena, age 55, of the Yonkers Police Department, was indicted on assault charges on Monday, June 17 in connection with an incident that occurred in Yonkers on Thursday, March 14, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced.  According to the DA's Office, on the day of the arrest, the suspect allegedly led Yonkers officers on a high-speed chase a…
Superintendent, Security Specialist Stole From Westchester School District: DA Superintendent, Security Specialist Stole From Westchester School District: DA
Superintendent, Security Specialist Stole From Westchester School District: DA A former superintendent and security system specialist face corruption charges after allegedly stealing thousands from the Westchester school district they served and using the funds to buy luxury items for themselves, officials announced. Former Greenburgh-Graham Union Free School District Superintendent Oliver Levy, age 55, and the district's former security specialist, Surendra Kumar, age 47, were both arrested and arraigned on Thursday, May 30 in connection with the scheme, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli ann…
6 Westchester Law Enforcement Leaders Return Home From Israel After Large-Scale Hamas Attack 6 Westchester Law Enforcement Leaders Return Home From Israel After Large-Scale Hamas Attack
6 Westchester Law Enforcement Leaders Return Home From Israel After Large-Scale Hamas Attack This story has been updated.  Six Westchester law enforcement leaders who had been in Israel during deadly, violent fighting that has left hundreds of Israelis and several American citizens dead have successfully returned home. The six law enforcement leaders had been in Israel as part of a 32-member New York delegation that had traveled to the country on Thursday, Oct. 5 to participate in an international counterterrorism and antisemitism training, Westchester District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced. As a result, the leaders had been in the country when the Islamist Hamas militant g…
New DNA Evidence Exonerates Man Of Rape In Westchester: DA Seeks To Vacate Conviction New DNA Evidence Exonerates Man Of Rape In Westchester: DA Seeks To Vacate Conviction
New DNA Evidence Exonerates Man Of Rape In Westchester: DA Seeks To Vacate Conviction DA officials are asking the court to vacate the conviction of a 72-year-old man who served numerous years in prison for a 1975 rape in Westchester that he was found to have not committed thanks to new DNA evidence.  The Westchester County District Attorney's Office will ask the court to vacate the conviction of South Carolina resident Leonard Mack, age 72, who spent over seven years in prison for a 1975 rape in Greenburgh, DA officials announced on Tuesday, Sept. 5.  At the time of the rape, on May 23, 1975, Mack had been accused of forcing two high school students at gunpoint int…
$135K Spent At Strip Clubs: Westchester Government Contractor Admits Hiding Expenses $135K Spent At Strip Clubs: Westchester Government Contractor Admits Hiding Expenses
$135K Spent At Strip Clubs: Westchester Government Contractor Admits Hiding Expenses A Westchester County government contractor and its manager from Fairfield County have admitted to trying to hide tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money spent at strip clubs.  City Carting of Westchester, Inc. and its manager, 37-year-old Christopher Oxer of Darien, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, June 6 to submitting false financial records that hid more than $100,000 in company money that was spent at strip clubs, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.  According to the DA's Office, City Carting held an annual $20 million contract with the county …
Westchester Sex Offender Shares Child Porn On Social Media, Gets Years In Prison Westchester Sex Offender Shares Child Porn On Social Media, Gets Years In Prison
Westchester Sex Offender Shares Child Porn On Social Media, Gets Years In Prison An already-registered sex offender from Westchester County was sentenced to years in prison for sharing child pornography on social media.  Yonkers resident Demetrious Kotopoulos, age 41, was sentenced to three to six years in state prison for sharing and possessing child pornography, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced on Tuesday, Jan. 31.  Kotopoulos, who was already on probation for a prior sex offense conviction, uploaded a file of a nude child engaged in sexual conduct to the social media messaging platform Discord on two occasions between March 2…
NY State Trooper Issued Over 30 Fake Tickets While Patrolling, DA Says NY State Trooper Issued Over 30 Fake Tickets While Patrolling, DA Says
NY State Trooper Issued Over 30 Fake Tickets While Patrolling, DA Says A New York State Trooper is charged with issuing more than 30 false tickets while patrolling parkways, officials said.  Westchester County resident Edward Longo, a 34-year-old resident of Yorktown, was charged and arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 31 for allegedly issuing 32 false tickets to people who were never pulled over while patrolling the Sprain Brook and Taconic State Parkways between May 10, 2021, and Oct. 2, 2022, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah.  Longo also allegedly supported depositions containing false statements and information without actuall…
Double-Fatal Crash: 20-Year-Old Charged After Hitting Tree Head-On In Westchester Double-Fatal Crash: 20-Year-Old Charged After Hitting Tree Head-On In Westchester
Double-Fatal Crash: 20-Year-Old Charged After Hitting Tree Head-On In Westchester A man has been charged after driving over 100 miles per hour without headlights and hitting a tree head-on in Westchester County, killing two passengers, authorities just announced.  Mount Vernon resident Anthony Rose, age 20, was charged with causing the December 2021 crash and arraigned on Thursday, Jan. 26 in court, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah.  On Dec. 18, 2021, around 5:30 a.m., Rose and three other passengers were driving on the Cross County Parkway in Mount Vernon. Rose started driving at high speeds over 100 mph without his headlights tur…
15-Year-Old Gets Years In Prison For Fatally Stabbing Westchester Cheerleading Captain 15-Year-Old Gets Years In Prison For Fatally Stabbing Westchester Cheerleading Captain
15-Year-Old Gets Years In Prison For Fatally Stabbing Westchester Cheerleading Captain A teenage girl will spend years behind bars for fatally stabbing a 16-year-old cheerleading captain in Westchester County, officials said. Earlier Report - Teen Girl Admits To Fatally Stabbing Mount Vernon Cheerleading Captain: DA The 15-year-old, who was not named because of her age, was sentenced to three to nine years in jail on Tuesday, Jan. 24 for the April 8, 2022 killing of 16-year-old Kayla Green in Mount Vernon, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah. On the day of the stabbing, around 4 p.m., the teenager stabbed Green in the abdomen foll…
Man Admits Strangling 25-Year-Old Woman To Death Nearly 20 Years Ago In Westchester: DA Man Admits Strangling 25-Year-Old Woman To Death Nearly 20 Years Ago In Westchester: DA
Man Admits Strangling 25-Year-Old Woman To Death Nearly 20 Years Ago In Westchester: DA A man has finally admitted to strangling a woman to death and leaving her body wrapped in a blanket alongside a parkway in Westchester County nearly 20 years ago.  Earlier Report - Suspect Charged With Murder Of Woman Found Wrapped In Blanket On Side Of Westchester Parkway Florida resident Christopher Gonzalez, age 41, pleaded guilty to the 2005 murder of Yonkers resident Angel Serbay on Wednesday, Jan. 18, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah.  Gonzalez murdered Serbay on Sept. 3, 2005, when he strangled the 25-year-old to death and left her body w…
Man Gets Life In Jail For Fatal Shooting Of Woman That Caused School Lockdowns In Westchester Man Gets Life In Jail For Fatal Shooting Of Woman That Caused School Lockdowns In Westchester
Man Gets Life In Jail For Fatal Shooting Of Woman That Caused School Lockdowns In Westchester A man who shot and killed a mother of two inside her own home in Westchester County has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder.  Earlier Report - Man Found Guilty In Fatal Shooting Of Woman That Caused School Lockdowns In Tarrytown Cynell Brown, age 32, was sentenced to 25 years to life on Thursday, Jan. 12 for the 2018 murder of 34-year-old Jessica Wiltse of Tarrytown, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah. On Feb. 27, 2018, around 7:10 a.m., Brown shot Wiltse twice and hit her chest and arm at her Tarrytown residence on White Plains Road. She was then …
Teen Girl Admits To Fatally Stabbing Cheerleading Captain In Westchester County: DA Teen Girl Admits To Fatally Stabbing Cheerleading Captain In Westchester County: DA
Teen Girl Admits To Fatally Stabbing Cheerleading Captain In Westchester County: DA A teenager has admitted to fatally stabbing a 16-year-old cheerleading captain in Westchester County, officials said.  Earlier Report - Teen GirI Indicted For Fatal Stabbing Of Mount Vernon Cheerleading Captain The 15-year-old defendant, who was not identified, pleaded guilty to the April 8, 2022 killing of 16-year-old Kayla Green in Mount Vernon on Tuesday, Dec. 20, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah.  On the day of the stabbing, around 4 p.m., the defendant stabbed Green in the abdomen during the Mount Vernon High School’s celebratory parade on&…
Westchester County Man Gets Prison Time For Fatal Shooting Of 35-Year-Old Man: DA Westchester County Man Gets Prison Time For Fatal Shooting Of 35-Year-Old Man: DA
Westchester County Man Gets Prison Time For Fatal Shooting Of 35-Year-Old Man: DA A man from Westchester County is facing a significant amount of prison time for fatally shooting a 35-year-old victim.  Earlier Report - Man Who Chased, Fatally Shot Victim In White Plains Found Guilty By Jury, DA Says On Monday, Dec. 5, 28-year-old Brandon Williams of White Plains was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison for the murder of Deron Strange, age 35, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in White Plains, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah.  On the day of the shooting, around 11:50 p.m., Williams shot Strange multiple times with a semi-a…
New Charges: 21-Year-Old Indicted In Westchester County Domestic Shooting, DA Says New Charges: 21-Year-Old Indicted In Westchester County Domestic Shooting, DA Says
New Charges: 21-Year-Old Indicted In Westchester County Domestic Shooting, DA Says A 21-year-old man from the Hudson Valley has been indicted for a shooting in Westchester County that left one victim injured.  Earlier Report - 21-Year-Old From Area Charged In Yonkers Domestic Shooting Rockland County resident Nahkeem Janvier of Spring Valley has been charged with attempting to murder a 33-year-old victim in Yonkers at an apartment located at 32 Vineyard Ave. on Wednesday, Oct. 19, according to an announcement by Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah from Tuesday, Dec. 6.  On the day of the shooting, around 2:45 a.m., Janvier fired thr…
New Charges: 19-Year-Old Indicted For Shooting Fellow Teen In Westchester County New Charges: 19-Year-Old Indicted For Shooting Fellow Teen In Westchester County
New Charges: 19-Year-Old Indicted For Shooting Fellow Teen In Westchester County A 19-year-old man has been officially indicted on charges connected to the shooting of a 15-year-old boy in Westchester County, according to the county's district attorney.  The suspect, Yonkers resident Joseph Tejera, is accused of shooting the victim twice on Wednesday, Oct. 26 on Woodworth Avenue in Yonkers, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah.  The victim was then taken to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where he received emergency medical treatment, Rocah said.  Tejera was arrested by Yonkers Police on Wednesday, Nov. 2, acc…
Man Found Guilty In Fatal Shooting Of Woman That Caused School Lockdowns In Westchester Man Found Guilty In Fatal Shooting Of Woman That Caused School Lockdowns In Westchester
Man Found Guilty In Fatal Shooting Of Woman That Caused School Lockdowns In Westchester After a four-week trial, a man faces life in prison after being found guilty of fatally shooting a Westchester County woman in an incident that led to school lockdowns.  Earlier Report - New Charges In Woman's Fatal Shooting That Caused School Lockdowns Cynell Brown, age 32, was convicted of the 2018 murder of 34-year-old Jessica Wiltse of Tarrytown on Wednesday, Nov. 16, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah.  On Feb. 27, 2018, around 7:10 a.m., Brown shot Wiltse twice in her chest and arm with a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol at h…
Northern Westchester Man Charged With Killing Stepfather, Lighting Relative's Home On Fire: DA Northern Westchester Man Charged With Killing Stepfather, Lighting Relative's Home On Fire: DA
Northern Westchester Man Charged With Killing Stepfather, Lighting Relative's Home On Fire: DA A man from Northern Westchester is charged with fatally stabbing his stepfather before lighting a relative's home on fire.  On Wednesday, Sept. 14, around 12:30 a.m., 30-year-old Shane Gilleo of Peekskill is accused of stabbing 48-year-old Edward Reeves numerous times with a knife at a residence in Peekskill on North James Street, according to a release by Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah on Thursday, Nov. 10. Reeves was taken to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, where he later died, Rocah said.  Later that day, around 11:20 a.m., Gilleo is charge…
Westchester Gang Member Found Guilty Of Brutal Street Assault, Faces Sentencing: DA Westchester Gang Member Found Guilty Of Brutal Street Assault, Faces Sentencing: DA
Westchester Gang Member Found Guilty Of Brutal Street Assault, Faces Sentencing: DA A member of the 300 Bloodhound Brims street gang has been found guilty of a violent street assault in Westchester County.  On June 17, 2021, around 9 p.m., 20-year-old Devin Coates, hit a 33-year-old victim in the head with a glass bottle and knocked them unconscious in Yonkers at North Broadway (Route 22), according to Westchester District Attorney Miriam Rocah.  After this, the attack on the victim continued as numerous gang members and associates hit and kicked the victim, who was taken to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla and suffered a traumatic brain injury along w…
Northern Westchester Man Sentenced For Sexual Conduct With Child Northern Westchester Man Sentenced For Sexual Conduct With Child
Northern Westchester Man Sentenced For Sexual Conduct With Child A man from Northern Westchester has been sentenced for subjecting a child to sexual abuse.  44-year-old Jorge Lazo Achahui of North Castle was sentenced to 15 years in state prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced on Wednesday, Nov. 2.  Achahui pled guilty to subjecting a 12-year-old victim to sexual intercourse numerous times between March 2020 and July 2020 on Wednesday, Sept. 28, Rocah said.  North Castle Police arrested Achahui on Feb. 6, 2021, following an investigation into his …
Man Charged With Taking Pictures Under Woman's Skirt On Train In Westchester Man Charged With Taking Pictures Under Woman's Skirt On Train In Westchester
Man Charged With Taking Pictures Under Woman's Skirt On Train In Westchester A Fairfield County man was indicted for taking photographs underneath a woman's skirt on a train in Westchester County.  On Friday, Sept. 23, around 11:27 p.m., 67-year-old Majid Hedayati of Riverside allegedly used his cellphone to take pictures under a victim's skirt while sitting across from her on a Metro-North train that was traveling from Harrison to New York City, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced on Monday, Oct. 31.  Rocah said the victim's friend, who was sitting next to Hedayati, confronted him and then reported him to the train's…
Westchester County Man Gets Maximum Sentence For 'Horrific' Sex Crimes Against Child, DA Says Westchester County Man Gets Maximum Sentence For 'Horrific' Sex Crimes Against Child, DA Says
Westchester County Man Gets Maximum Sentence For 'Horrific' Sex Crimes Against Child, DA Says A Westchester County man has been sentenced for repeated sexual conduct with a child and rape. On Tuesday, Oct. 25, 48-year-old Virgilio Cruz was sentenced to two consecutive 25-year sentences, 50 years in total, for his crimes, the maximum sentence available, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah. “Today, this defendant was held to account for horrific crimes committed against a vulnerable child,” Rocah said. “We hope the victim, who was extraordinarily brave and testified in court, can begin their journey to healing and feeling safe." According to Rocah…
Out-Of-State Man Found Guilty In Violent Westchester Home Invasion Out-Of-State Man Found Guilty In Violent Westchester Home Invasion
Out-Of-State Man Found Guilty In Violent Westchester Home Invasion After a three-week trial, an out-of-state man has been found guilty of charges connected to a brutal Westchester home invasion in 2018.  At around 7:30 a.m. April 23, 2018, at around 7:30 a.m., Confessor Soto of Fayetteville, North Carolina, entered a residence in Yonkers on Leighton Avenue while armed with a handgun and zip ties, and tied up the 82-year-old homeowner, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah, Soto then forced the homeowner into his 54-year-old daughter's bedroom, woke her up, and demanded money from the pair at gunpoint, Rocah said. When…
Man Gets 15 Years For Sexual Conduct With Child In Northern Westchester Man Gets 15 Years For Sexual Conduct With Child In Northern Westchester
Man Gets 15 Years For Sexual Conduct With Child In Northern Westchester A man has been sentenced for engaging in sexual conduct with a child in Westchester County. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, 34-year-old Putnam County resident Segundo Loja-Mayancela, of Mahopac, was sentenced to 15 years in state prison followed by 15 years of supervised release, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah. Rocah said Loja-Mayancela had subjected a minor to intercourse and other sexual acts on numerous occasions in Ossining, which began in January 2017 when the victim was 10 years old and ended in October 2019. Loja-Mayancela was arrested on May 20 by Oss…
Westchester Woman Who Fatally Stabbed Boyfriend Freed From Prison Under New State Law Westchester Woman Who Fatally Stabbed Boyfriend Freed From Prison Under New State Law
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…
23-Year-Old Indicted For Allegedly Shooting 3 People In Westchester County 23-Year-Old Indicted For Allegedly Shooting 3 People In Westchester County
23-Year-Old Indicted For Allegedly Shooting 3 People In Westchester County A 23-year-old man was indicted on attempted murder charges for allegedly shooting three people in Westchester County over the summer. Jaquan Henderson, of Yonkers, was charged in the shooting that injured three people in Yonkers in July, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced on Monday, Oct. 3. The DA's Office said he was indicted for: Three counts of second-degree attempted murder Three counts of first-degree assault Two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon Third-degree criminal possession of a weapon According to the report, at about 10:45 p.m. on…
Man Sentenced For Killing Wife During Dispute At Home In Westchester Man Sentenced For Killing Wife During Dispute At Home In Westchester
Man Sentenced For Killing Wife During Dispute At Home In Westchester A man has been sentenced for stabbing his wife to death during a dispute at her Westchester home. Kirk Fisher, age 60, of the Bronx, was sentenced on Thursday, Sept. 29, to 20 years in state prison for killing his wife Kaya Green, at her Mount Vernon home, said Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah. “This is a devastating case of domestic violence and we hope the family of Kaya Green has some sense of closure,” Rocah said. On the night of Thursday, April 8, 2021, Fisher repeatedly stabbed the 47-year-old victim, who suffered numerous stab wounds to various parts of he…
Man Sentenced For Fatally Stabbing Victim In Westchester County Apartment Man Sentenced For Fatally Stabbing Victim In Westchester County Apartment
Man Sentenced For Fatally Stabbing Victim In Westchester County Apartment A 43-year-old man was sentenced to years in prison for fatally stabbing a Westchester County man in the victim's apartment in 2019. Richard Vincent, of Mount Vernon, was sentenced on Thursday, Sept. 29, to 18 years in state prison followed by five years of post-release supervision for the stabbing of 39-year-old Randy Streete, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced. On March 12, 2019, Vincent cut Streete's throat and stabbed him multiple times during a fight in the victim's apartment, located on South Sixth Avenue in Mount Vernon, the DA's Office said. T…
Man Sentenced For Attempting To Rape Woman Who Was Walking With Grandchild In Westchester Man Sentenced For Attempting To Rape Woman Who Was Walking With Grandchild In Westchester
Man Sentenced For Attempting To Rape Woman Who Was Walking With Grandchild In Westchester A 29-year-old man was sentenced to years in prison after he admitted he attempted to rape a woman who was pushing her grandchild in a stroller in Westchester County. Steven Hernandez, of the Bronx, was sentenced on Thursday, Sept. 22, to five years in state prison after pleading guilty to first-degree attempted rape in May, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced. The woman was about to enter an apartment building with her grandchild in Yonkers at about 1:20 p.m. on July 30, 2021, when Hernandez grabbed her from behind and groped her, according to the announcement. …
Westchester Restaurant Owner Sentenced For Failing To Pay $23K In Wages To Employees Westchester Restaurant Owner Sentenced For Failing To Pay $23K In Wages To Employees
Westchester Restaurant Owner Sentenced For Failing To Pay $23K In Wages To Employees The owner of a Westchester County restaurant was sentenced for failing to pay more than $23,000 in wages to eight employees. Paul Hurley, age 57, of New Rochelle, was sentenced on Wednesday, Sept. 14, to three years of probation and ordered to pay full restitution to the victims, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced. In June, Hurley pleaded guilty to failure to pay wages for failing to pay eight employees of Hurley's Steakhouse and Pub a total of $23,114 for their work between October 2018 and June 2019, the DA's Office reported. The restaurant has since closed.…
Former Northern Westchester Attorney Sentenced For Stealing More Than $3.7M From Clients Former Northern Westchester Attorney Sentenced For Stealing More Than $3.7M From Clients
Former Northern Westchester Attorney Sentenced For Stealing More Than $3.7M From Clients A former attorney in New York has been sentenced for stealing millions from clients. Northern Westchester resident Laurieanne DeLitta, age 51, of  Briarcliff Manor, was sentenced to a term of one to three years in state prison for stealing more than $3.7 million from eight clients she represented as a real estate lawyer between 2017 and 2021, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 7. The court also ordered DeLitta to pay full restitution to her victims. “Attorneys should be held to the highest standards of ethics and integrity,” Roc…