Federal courts reporter for @Newsday covering courts and law enforcement agencies (FBI, DEA. HSI, etc.) with a special emphasis on Long Island and in New York.
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Articles by Robert E. Kessler
Unsealed Spota records reveal allegations of plot to topple Levy
Federal prosecutors wanted to present evidence at the corruption trial of ex-Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota and his anti-corruption unit chief that the defendants plotted with former county police chief James Burke to remove Steve Levy as county executive, according to newly unsealed court records obtained by Newsday.
Lesko announces key federal prosecutor appointments
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District Mark Lesko announced on Monday a number of key appoinments involving federal prosecutors with deep roots on Long Island. Lesko named as his chief assistant Jacquelyn Kasulis, the second in command of the office’s Criminal, Civil, Administrative and Appeals divisions. Kasulis, was born on Long Island and had lived in Mineola, where her father was a doctor at Winthrop University Hospital, until she was 5-years-old and her family moved to Florida.
Third person charged in Aqueduct robbery that was 'inside job,' feds, NYPD say
A third person was arrested by federal agents and New York City police Wednesday and charged with the March, 2020 gunpoint robbery of $280,000 in cash from Aqueduct Racetrack, according to officials.
Feds announce creation of special unit to probe bias crimes, including those against Asian Americans
Federal prosecutors on Long Island on Monday announced they will expand the office's Civil Rights section to investigate alleged hate crimes in the wake of an increase in violence targeting Asian Americans. The announcement comes in the wake of recent mass shootings at Atlanta-area spas that left six women of Asian descent dead.
Former SEC employee sentenced to home confinement
A former specialist in the enforcement division of the federal Securities and Exchange Commission was sentenced Wednesday to nine months home confinement for stealing government secrets, officials said. The sentencing of MIchael Cohn, 61, of Norwalk, Conn., in federal court in Central Islip was the first such in-person procedure since judges Monday were given limited discretion to hold hearings in courtrooms instead of by video or telephonic conferencing due the coronavirus pandemic.
Schumer announces U.S. Attorney picks for Eastern, Southern Districts
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer on Tuesday nominated new top federal prosecutors for the Southern and Eastern District of New York, offices that generally handle Long Island criminal cases. In a statement, Schumer that his selections marked "the first time ever that three African American leaders would fill these critical positions" in the U.S. Department of Justice.
Former NYPD officer from Queens charged in Capitol riot, officials say
A retired New York City police officer was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly taking part in January 6th riot at the nation’s Capitol, federal officials said.
Longtime federal prosecutor, former Brookhaven supervisor takes the helm of Eastern District
The new head of federal law enforcement in the Eastern District has had a multifaceted career. Not only has he been a federal prosecutor, but he also served as supervisor of Brookhaven Town, a vice president of Hofstra University, and was the quarterback of the Yale football team, throwing the winning touchdown in a Yale-Harvard game.
Leader of Hempstead gang gets 10 years for murder conspiracy, officials say
A leader of the Bloods street gang in Hempstead was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to murder rival gang members, according to officials. Jonathan Mayrick, 32, of Hempstead, who authorities said was a leader of the Nine Trey Gangster set of the Bloods, already was serving a 13½ year federal sentence for narcotics distribution.
Feds: Former LIRR employee charged with falsifying report linked to 2019 Speonk train derailment
A former signalman on the Long Island Rail Road was arrested Thursday on charges hat he lied about having inspected the electric line to a switch whose break caused the 2019 Memorial Day two-train crash that forced the suspension of service to the South Fork during that holiday weekend, according to a federal complaint.
Spota, McPartland should not go to prison for Burke cover up, court papers say
Former Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota and a chief aide argue in court papers that they should not go to prison for their acts in the cover-up of the beating of a prisoner by the Suffolk police chief because they played a relatively minimal role and have already suffered devasting consequences. The papers filed in federal court in Central Islip last weekend are in anticipation of the scheduled June sentencing of Spota and the head of his anti-corruption unit, Christopher MacPartland.
Seth DuCharme to resign as Eastern District U.S. Attorney
The chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District announced Monday that he will be stepping down. Seth DuCharme, 50, who became the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District in July after a long career as a federal prosecutor and before that as a deputy United States Marshal, said he was resigning on March 19 to go into private practice. "My guiding principles have been to serve others and to do my best to go where I am needed most," DuCharme said in a statement.
NYPD officer charged with child pornography pleads not guilty
A New York City police officer from Holbrook accused of producing child pornography pleaded not guilty Friday to an indictment charging him with either sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of children. Carmine Simpson, 26, was arrested by FBI agents in January on a complaint stating he had been online with at least 46 minors whom he had asked to send sexually explicit photos, in which, in many instances, they also would hurt themselves.
Federal judge in Spota-McPartland criminal case said she would unseal some court records
The federal judge who presided over the criminal case of former Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota said Wednesday that she would unseal a number of the records that were not made public during the trial, including material relating to former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke.
Queens man and former NYPD officer charged in Capitol seige, federal prosecutors say
A Queens Republican party official and a retired New York City police officer were the latest people arrested separately by the FBI for participating in the U.S. Capitol seige on Jan. 6th, officials said. Philip Grillo, 46, of Glen Oaks, the Republican leader in the 24th City Council District, was taken into custody Tuesday morning on charges of entering a restricted building and disrupting "the orderly conduct of government," court papers say.
Feds probe Cuomo administration handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes, sources say
ALBANY — The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI have begun a criminal investigation into the Cuomo administration’s handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes, according to sources knowledgeable about the probe. The sources said the investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn was triggered by statements made by Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa in a Feb.
NYPD cop from LI charged with being Chinese agent released on bail
By Robert E. Kessler robert.kessler@newsday.com February 17, 2021 4:11 PM A New York City police officer from Williston Park charged with being an agent of the People's Republic of China was released on a $2 million bond Wednesday from a federal jail after contracting the coronavirus. Baimadajie Angwang, 33, a naturalized citizen from Tibet, had been held in the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Brooklyn for the past four months since he had been arrested.
NYPD cop from LI accused of being Chinese agent to be released on bail
A New York City police officer from Williston Park accused of being a Chinese agent was granted bail Friday on this third attempt after his attorney revealed he had contracted the coronavirus while being held in the federal jail in Brooklyn. Judge Eric Komitee said it was "a close call" when he denied bail initially in October for Baimadajie Angwang 33, but now the situation had markedly changed.
LIRR workers charged with unearned overtime scheme arraigned in federal court
Five current or former Long Island Rail Road employees pleaded not guilty Wednesday to an indictment charging them with fraud and conspiracy for covering up a scheme in which they illegally got tens of thousands of dollars in unearned overtime pay, according to officials. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in Manhattan released each of the five on $100,000 bond, according to spokesmen for federal prosecutors in the Southern District.
Dix Hills investor accused of cheating clients charged with fraud, federal prosecutors say
A former registered investment advisor and broker from Dix Hills was arrested by the FBI Wednesday for cheating clients out of about $400,000 to pay off casino gambling debts, federal prosecutors say.
Manhasset man charged in investment scheme that cost victims $700 million, officials say
The Manhasset head of a $1.8 billion investment fund pleaded not guilty to a securities-fraud scheme Tuesday in which clients allegedly were paid back with their own money instead of promised income from the firm’s investments, officials said.
Farmingdale man is latest LIer charged in Capitol seige, federal prosecutors say
A Farmingdale man is the latest person from Long Island arrested by FBI agents for being in the mob that breached the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, federal officials said. Greg Rubenacker was among a group that was apparently smoking marijuana in the Capitol rotunda, after illegally entering the building, officials said in papers filed Tuesday in federal court in Central Islip.
NYPD officer from Oceanside to take plea deal in murder-for-hire plot, sources say
An NYPD officer from Oceanside charged with plotting to hire a hitman to kill her estranged husband and the teenage daughter of her boyfriend agreed Friday to accept a plea deal in the case.
NYPD cop accused of being Chinese agent makes third bid for release on bond
A New York City police officer from Williston Park, accused of being an agent of Communist China, is making his third bid to be released on bond. His lawyer, John Carman, contends Baimadajie Angwang is subject to inhumane conditions at the federal jail in Brooklyn while Carman has been unable to mount an adequate defense due to the information he is getting from prosecutors.
Hedge fund founder from Roslyn pleads guilty to bankruptcy fraud, feds say
The Roslyn founder and manager of a Manhattan-based hedge fund has pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud, according to officials. Daniel Kamensky, the head of Marble Ridge Capital, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of bankruptcy fraud in U.S. District Court in Manhattan in connection with the bankruptcy of the Neiman Marcus luxury department store chain, according to Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District.
Manhasset man indicted on charges of securities fraud in $1.8B scheme
The head of a $1.8 billion investment fund was arrested by FBI agents Thursday on charges of securities fraud, in which clients allegedly were paid back with their own money instead of from the firm’s supposedly successful financial investments, according to officials. David Gentile, 54, of Manhasset and the founder, owner and chief executive officer of GPB Capital Holdings in Manhattan, was arrested in Boston on charges of securities and wire fraud, as well as conspiracy, officials said.
Former New Yorker arraigned for allegedly violating voting civil rights
A Florida man known as a major media influencer was arraigned Wednesday on violating the civil rights of voters by allegedly tricking them into casting invalid ballots in the 2016 presidential election. Douglass Mackey, 31, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was released on $50,000 bond in federal District Court in Brooklyn.
Hearing postponed for woman accused in Central Islip MS-13 killings
The case of a woman accused of helping lure four men to their deaths in a Central Islip park in 2017 as a teenage member of MS-13, was continued Tuesday after federal prosecutors and a defense attorney said they had not worked out a plea deal.
Feds: East Meadow man sentenced for attempting to bribe IRS agent
An East Meadow business manager who attempted to bribe an IRS agent because they were both Muslims, was sentenced Tuesday to six months home confinement and a $15,000 fine after seeking a lesser sentence on grounds that bribing officials is common in his native Bangladesh, officials said.
California man charged in $11 million cryptocurrency fraud that bilked New Yorkers, sources and papers say
A California man was arrested Monday on charges of cheating investors out of about $11 million in a cryptocurrency scheme that used celebrities, including actor Stephen Seagal, to endorse the business, according to court papers and sources. Among the victims of John DeMarr, 55, of Santa Ana, California, were unnamed residents of the Eastern District of New York which includes Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, the court papers said.
Florida man tried to get voters to cast invalid ballots in 2016 election, feds say
A Florida man considered to be a major media influencer was arrested Wednesday and charged with violating the civil rights of voters in the 2016 presidential election by attempting to get them to cast invalid ballots. Although the victims of Douglass Mackey, 31, of West Palm Beach, were not identified in court papers, sources said the scheme targeted supporters of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in her unsuccessful bid for President against Donald Trump.
NYPD cop from Holbrook charged with producing child porn, prosecutors say
A New York City police officer from Holbrook charged with producing child pornography was online with at least 46 minors whom he asked to send sexual explicit photos in which they hurt themselves, prosecutors said. Officer Carmine Simpson, 26, was arrested at his home by FBI agents early Thursday morning, officials said. Simpson, who has been a cop for two years and was currently assigned to patrol in the 75th Precinct in Brooklyn, was suspended without pay, officials said.
Feds: Bellmore man charged in U.S. Capitol siege
A man from Bellmore was arrested Thursday morning by FBI agents on a charge of illegally being part of the mob of former President Donald Trump supporters that stormed the U.S. Capitol, according to federal court records. Justin Mcauliffe, 39, was the lastest person arrested on Long Island as part of a roundup of people across the country who breeched the Capitol on January 6. A complaint generally lists only one charge which is the basis for an arrest of a person.
Florida man tried to get voters to cast invalid ballots in 2016 election, feds say
A Florida man considered to be a major media influencer was arrested Wednesday and charged with violating the civil rights of voters in the 2016 presidential election by attempting to get them to cast invalid ballots. Although the victims of Douglass Mackey, 31, of West Palm Beach, were not identified in court papers, sources said the scheme targeted supporters of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in her unsuccessful bid for President against Donald Trump.
DEA: Two major illegal drugs flooding NY area
An "alarming amount" of fentanyl and methamphetamine has been flooding the metropolitan area, including Long Island, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Long Island addiction experts say the uptick has been fueled by the increased demand by those turning to illegal drugs to ease the isolation and strain of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Feds: Island Park man faces child pornography, cyberstalking charges
An Island man has been arrested on child pornography and cyberstalking charges in a case in which he encouraged his victim — a 12-year-old girl — to take her own life, federal prosecutors said.
Mangano hearing seeking to overturn convictions delayed, court papers say
A federal judge has delayed a hearing into whether the convictions of former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and his wife, Linda, should be overturned because of a defense claim that a key government witness in the case committed perjury. The hearing into the veracity of the witness, former Long Island restaurateur Harendra Singh, was scheduled to take place in the federal court in Central Islip on Tuesday and Wednesday but was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Feds: U.S indicts top MS-13 gang leadership, trials to be held on Long Island
Multiple members of the overall leadership council of the MS-13 street gang based in El Salvador were indicted Thursday in a case supervised by federal prosecutors on Long Island and in Washington, D.C., and to be tried at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, officials said.
NYPD, FBI detain Queens man for making Capitol threats, sources say
A Middle Village man was arrested Tuesday evening by FBI agents and New York City police in connection with allegedly making threats online about involvement in sending an armed caravan to the U.S. Capitol, accoding with sources familiar with the case. After a raid on his home by law enforcement, Eduard Florea, was charged federally with being a felon in possession of ammunition, the sources said.
Sources: Son of Brooklyn judge arrested for Capital break-in,
The son of a Brooklyn State Supreme Court Judge was arrested Tuesday morning by FBI agents for his role in the break in of the United States Capitol last week, according to sources familiar with the case. Aaron Mostofsky, the son of New York State Supreme Court Judge Shlomo Mostofsky, was taken into custody by FBI agents at his brother’s Brooklyn home, the sources said.
Isidore Shapiro, ex-Nassau Commissioner of Mental Health, dies
By Robert E. Kessler robert.kessler@newsday.com January 10, 2021 12:27 PM Isidore Shapiro, a retired longtime Nassau County Commissioner of Mental Health, died December 27th in an assisted living facility in Tucson, Arizona. He was 101 years old. The cause of death was most likely a heart attack while he was convalescing from a cracked vertebrae, his daughter, Eve Shapiro, said.
NYPD officer accused of being Chinese agent offered a plea
A New York City police officer from Williston Park accused of being an agent of China has been offered a plea-deal that would carry a sentence with a possible wide range of imprisonment from time served to as much as 10 years in prison.
Five charged in NYPD, federal probe with being a robbery crew that staged series of gunpoint home invasions on LI and in NYC
By Robert E. Kessler robert.kessler@newsday.com Updated December 16, 2020 5:54 PM Five people have been charged with being members of a crew that staged a series of violent, gunpoint home invasion robberies and attempted robberies in Suffolk, Queens and New Jersey, according to officials.
Plea offered to 2 charged with destroying boat off Long Island, officials say
The owner and mate of a charter fishing boat that operated out of Captree State Park have been offered plea deals to charges they deliberately destroyed and sunk the vessel in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island, according to officials.
Federal appeals court denies bail to NYPD officer from LI charged with being agent of China
A federal appeals court has denied bail to a New York City police officer from Williston Park accused of being an agent of China, upholding a ruling by a lower federal district court judge. The officer, Baimadajie Angwang, 33, a native of Tibet, was ordered detained without bail as a risk of flight to China by U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee in Brooklyn in October.
Merchant Marine academy settles with ex-cadet who prosecutors said was assaulted by classmates
The U.S. Department of Transportation has paid a $1.4 million settlement to a former cadet at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point who alleged he was sexually assaulted by fellow members of the school’s soccer team, according to his attorney and federal maritime officials. Seven seniors on the academy’s soccer team sexually abused the freshman team member and bullied him for a month afterward, a federal prosecutor said during a related court hearing in 2017.
Plea offered to 2 people charged with destroying boat off Long Island, officials say
The owner and mate of a charter fishing boat that operated out of Captree State Park have been offered plea deals to charges that they deliberately destroyed and sunk the vessel in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island, according to officials.
Judge sets Spota-McPartland sentencings for March 2
A federal judge has set a March sentencing date for former Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota and a key aide, who were convicted last year of helping to orchestrate a coverup in the beating of a handcuffed prisoner by the police chief.
5 LIRR, MTA officials charged with overtime fraud scheme, federal prosecutors say
Five MTA employees, including four current and former Long Island Rail Road employees, have been charged in an alleged overtime fraud scheme federal prosecutors said netted the men more than $1 million in pay for time they didn’t actually work. The overtime pay resulted in "significant increases" in their salaries and earned the defendants the distinction of being among the highest-paid employees of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, prosecutors said.
Officials to announce 'birth tourism' arrests on LI
Federal prosecutors are scheduled to hold a news conference Wednesday morning to announce an indictment charging multiple people in a "birth tourism" fraud and money laundering scheme on Long Island. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Easter District Seth D.
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