Gov Signs Bill Reducing NYPD’s Stop and Frisk Database

By Eric Yun

Last Friday, Governor Paterson signed a bill that will reduce the number of people the NYPD can store in its “stop and frisk” database.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (D- Brooklyn) and Senator Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn), prevents the NYPD from storing the name and address of people stopped and questioned by the police, but not charged with a crime. Previously, anyone who was stopped and questioned by police could have had their name, address, gender and ethnicity stored in the database.

Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly both opposed Governor Paterson's decision. “This was an effective investigative tool we've been forced to surrender for no good reason,” Police Commissioner Kelly said to the Wall Street Journal. “Without [the database], there will be, inevitably, killers and other criminals who won't be captured as quickly, or perhaps ever,” Kelly said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.

Critics of the bill say the legislation will ham- per the NYPD's ability to solve crimes. Kelly estimated that over 170 crimes were solved because of the database.

Stu Loeser, spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg, told The New York Times, “We're disappointed that police officers will be denied an important tool they have been using to solve crimes and prevent others.”

Proponents of the bill claim the database infringed on the civil liberties and privacy of innocent civilians.

“In a democracy there are times when safety and liberty find themselves in conflict,” Governor Paterson said in a statement, “From the Alien and Sedition Acts to the interment camps during WWII to the Patriot Act, we have experienced moments where liberty took a back seat. And each time, hindsight made our errors clear.”

New York City Comptroller John Liu applauded the legislation in a press release. “In our free society, there is simply no justification for the police to keep such a massive database of millions of individuals who haven't done anything wrong. The shame of it is that 90 percent of the innocent people in this database are people of color,” he said.

Senator Joseph Addabbo (D- Howard Beach) voted in favor of the bill. “I supported everybody's rights,” he said, “Our justice system is innocent until proven guilty.”

Addabbo does not foresee an increase in crime because of the bill. He would, however, support its repeal if crime does increase. “If I find it increases crime, I'll be one of the first senators to introduce a bill to repeal it,” he said.

Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) supported the bill. “I felt it was a duplication of process. Police already keep a written form with the information,” he said.

Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) released a statement criticizing the bill. “As categories of crime continue to rise throughout the City, the NYPD needs every available tool at its disposal to keep our streets safe,” he said. “With the stroke of his pen, the governor has effectively taken away an invaluable resource that has undoubtedly helped make New York the safest big city in America.”

Assembly Members Audrey Pheffer (D-Ozone Park) and Margaret Markey (D- Maspeth) did not immediately respond by press time to a request for comment. Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) declined to comment on the legislation, and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Crime News: Shooting in MV, Burglary in Maspeth

By Conor Greene

Police provided details on several incidents that occurred recently within the confines of the 104th Precinct: a shooting in Middle Village, and a residential burglary in Maspeth.

Daniel Pizzuli, 18, and Daniel Pizzuli, 40, both of 52-30 65th Place in Maspeth, face charges of attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment, assault and menacing following a dispute and shooting on May 23rd in Middle Village.

According to police sources, the pair was arrested after assaulting a 25-year-old man at about 7:35 that evening near the corner of 79th Street and 68th Avenue. The victim was first hit with a bat and then shot in the hand, police said. Both of the suspects were charged in the incident, but the Queens District Attorney’s Office didn’t have any additional details.

Police also reported that a home near 60th Street and 59th Drive in Maspeth was broken into on the night of May 20 while the family was home and asleep. Police say the suspects entered the home through a window, likely after cutting out the screen. They took a wallet and credit cards before fleeing the scene in the family’s vehicle after locating the car keys.

The investigation is ongoing, with no arrests made yet.

Homeless Woman Found Murdered in Park

Residents Shocked at Discovery near 106th Precinct

By Conor Greene

An unidentified homeless woman who was a fixture in the playground adjacent to the 106th Precinct was found dead Monday morning on a park bench, apparently bludgeoned to death.

A homeless man made the gruesome discovery at about 9:30 a.m. inside Ozone Park’s Officer Nicholas DeMutiss Playground on Liberty Avenue at 102nd Street. Police and a team from the city’s Medical Examiner’s Office spent several hours going through the crime scene as neighbors looked on. The woman’s belongings, including a shopping cart, were strewn around the bench where the body was found.

The violent murder shocked and horrified residents, some of whom would bring the woman food and clothes from time to time. That the incident occurred next door to the precinct headquarters, inside a park fre- quented by neighborhood children, only added to their concerns.



Neighbor Charlotte Chavis said that she had brought the woman food and clothes several times since noticing her sleeping there this past winter. “She was a very nice old lady,” said Chavis, adding that the park is generally quiet, in part due to its proximity to the stationhouse.

Another resident echoed the feeling that the park is considered safe for children to play in. She said she saw the woman there last week, and said the victim kept to herself. “Somebody had to drop that there last night,” she said of the body. “This park is loaded with children during the day. This is insane. The precinct is right there – why wouldn’t you feel safe. This is a total shock.”

Paul Ramroop said he believed the woman was in her 60’s and was often seen in a nearby Laundromat. “People gave her food... she felt comfortable in the park,” he recalled.

Neighbor Simoa Santiago said it is unusual to hear about violence in the popular neighborhood playground. “It’s scary. We live a few houses down, and there are a lot of children in this area,” she said. “Nothing like this has happened before. She minded her own business and didn’t bother anybody.”

As of press time Wednesday, police hadn’t released any additional details on the incident

Three Nabbed on Attempted Theft

Three individuals from Elmhurst were arrested in Maspeth on Tuesday afternoon after a resident spotted them in the rear yard of a neighbor who was at work. Police say the suspects were attempting to steal an all-terrain vehicle.

Officers responded to a home at 73-23 53rd Avenue at about 3 p.m. and arrested Gabriel Mercedes, 19, of Lamont Avenue in Elmhurst, Demetrio Rivera, 21, of Ithaca Avenue in Elmhurst and a 16-year-old from Elmhurst, who police declined to name, according to the 104th Precinct.

Police determined the three were attempting to steal a quad from the yard, and charged them with criminal trespass and petit larceny., the civic group Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together are warning residents to keep their eyes open for suspicious behavior in the area. While the suspects are not believed to have attempted to break into the home, there have been number of burglaries in the neighborhood in recent months.

Details Provided on Atlas Park Stabbing and Ridgewood Flashings

By Conor Greene

Details on several recent incidents, including an apparent stabbing at Atlas Park shopping center, another flashing incident in Ridgewood and arrests for pot smoking in Juniper Valley Park were provided to residents at last week’s COP 104 meeting in Maspeth.

Deputy Inspector Keith Green of the 104th Precinct informed residents that major crime is down about 1.5 percent so far this year. Through the first 17 weeks of 2010there have been 464 major crimes reported, down from 472 at the same time last year. In addition, overall arrests for all crimes are up 14 percent this year, thanks to big increases by the precinct’s patrol unit and detective bureau.

Green reported that there has been another incident in the Ridgewood area of a man exposing himself to young girls on their way to school. There were at least two incidents before Easter and the third occurred last week, all between approximately 7 and 8 a.m. in the vicinity of neighborhood schools. While the victims, who are between 9 and 11 years old, were unable to provide detailed descriptions of the suspect, he is believed to be a Hispanic man in his 20’s who drives a beige car.

A man was previously arrested for flashing incidents within the 104th Precinct, but officers have confirmed that the same individual isn’t responsible for the recent crimes. “We think that he is local and that we will get him soon,” said Green. Police later said the investigation is ongoing, with officers from the precinct and school safety squad dedicated to patrolling each morning along routes where children walk.

Green said the investigation into a stabbing at Glendale’s Atlas Park on a recent weekend was stymied when the victim refused to cooperate with responding officers. In response to concerns from local civic leaders, Green confirmed that an incident did occur at about 3 a.m. on April 17 during an event held at the mall’s Simply Fondue restaurant. “Something happened, but we don’t know all the details,” he said.

Police and ambulances were called after a 26-year-old man suffered an apparent stab wound, but the victim claimed he had fallen and refused to say what happened. “We think there was a fight,” said Green. “He doesn’t want to talk about it, and no witnesses came forward.” While the shopping center has a surveillance system, the attack wasn’t captured on tape. Since the victim didn’t confirm the incident, it was not classified as an assault in the precinct’s crime statistics.

The restaurant didn’t return a phone message seeking comment on the incident, and an e-mail sent to mall management wasn’t responded to. While there haven’t been problems at Simply Fondue in the past, police are now checking to make sure their new hours of operation and events are allowed under the terms of their liquor license. “This raised some red flags, so they’ll be getting some attention over the next few weeks since they changed the way they operate,” said a police source.

Green also reported that, acting on complaints from residents, police made 11 arrests for teenagers smoking marijuana in Juniper Valley Park. In three cases, additional charges were added for criminal possession of a weapon, he added, with the arrests taking place during afternoon and early evening hours.

So far this year, most major crime categories have remained pretty level with the same period last year, according to Green. There has been one homicide – the murder of a transgender woman in her Ridgewood apartment – which was quickly solved, compared with one unsolved homicide at this point last year. There have been three rapes so far, down from five, while robberies are level at 66. Despite a rough two-week period, auto thefts have remained relatively flat, with 99 so far compared to 94last year.

Burglaries, which Green said “are always a problem for us regardless of the time of year,” have dropped eight percent from 135 to 124. The precinct generally ranks among the highest in the city for burglaries reported, so “they are always a concern of ours, and we put a lot into reducing that,” added Green. He noted that a burglary pattern was closed out earlier this year and said there are no current patterns in the area.

While there has been a major spike in felony assaults, with 63 so far compared with 39 at this point last year, Green said the increase is partly due to new guidelines for what incidents are classified as such. He noted there have been 57 arrests among those incidents, a clearance rate he called “very high.” Grand larceny has dropped 14 percent to 109 so far this year.

Crime News: Drug Raid and Subway Robbery

Austin Street Home Raided in Drug Investigation

Four individuals were arrested after police executed a search warrant at an Austin Street home, according to police.

Following an investigation by the 104th Precinct’s Street Narcotics Enforcement Team, an apartment at 75-02 Austin Street in Forest Hills was raided at about 6 a.m. last Saturday. While the home is within the confines of the 112th Precinct, the investigation and arrests were conducted by the 104th Precinct.

Inside the home, officers found a “substantial amount” of drugs including marijuana, heroin and an assortment of prescription pills. In addition, an undisclosed amount of cash and drug paraphernalia was also recovered at the scene.

Arrested were: David Evan, who police say lived in the apartment, and Alexis Afflick of Manhattan, Robert Kane of East Brunswick, N.J., and Michael Caccavale of Baldwin. All were charged with felony possession of controlled substances, according to police.

Man Robbed Outside Subway Station

A man was robbed by armed gunmen while entering a Ridgewood subway station last week, police reported.

The victim was about to enter the subway station at Halsey Street and Wyckoff Avenue at about 10:30 a.m. on April 22 when he was approached by two black males, according to the 104th Precinct. One of the perps flashed a gun at the victim and forcibly removed his phone and money before fleeing the scene.

A search of the area was conducted by officers from the precinct and transit division, but the suspects were not located. The investigation is continuing.

Manhattan Man Charged in Ridgewood Murder

By Conor Greene

Police have charged a Manhattan man in connection with the murder of a transgender woman who was found strangled in her Ridgewood apartment on March 30.

Rasheen Everett, 29, was taken into custody on April 9 in Las Vegas by members of the 104th Precinct Detective Squad and Queens Homicide Squad. He was charged last Wednesday with second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the murder of 29-year-old Edelbuerto “Amanda” Gonzalez-Andujar.

The victim was found inside her 62nd Street home after friends became worried because they were unable to contact her. Authorities say Gonzalez-Andujar was found naked, strangled with bleach poured over her body. Published reports say Everett was seen on surveillance tape leading the victim’s home with a laptop.

“The defendant is accused of violently taking the life of another human being in her own apartment and then tampering with the body by dousing it with bleach,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. “This case will be vigorously prosecuted in order to secure a measure of justice for the victim and her family.”

Authorities say Everett entered Gonzalez-Andujar’s apartment at about 8:50 a.m. on March 27, where he remained alone with the victim. The pair are believed to have met online, and police say that several minutes after Everett entered the apartment, screams and loud banging consistent with a struggle were heard. About 17 hours later, Everett was seen leaving the apartment alone, carrying two bags that appeared filled with items.

On March 30, an officer entered the apartment after friends had said they were unable to contact her since several days before and saw the victim’s body on a bed. The subsequent investigation was conducted by the precinct’s detective squad.

Police have yet to release a motive in the killing, but reports suggest that that money, and not the victim’s gender identity, was at the center of the altercation. Everett is also reportedly wanted in Massachusetts regarding the attempted murder of his ex-wife.

Attempted Deception Burglary Leads to Huge Police Response

Details of Maspeth Incident Provided at COP 104 Meeting

By Conor Greene

Crime is down and arrests are up in the area so far this year, according to the
104th Precinct, which was able to fight back from a spike in incidents that occurred earlier this year.

So far this year, major crime is down 4.6 percent in the precinct, which covers Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale and Ridgewood, according to Lt. James Lombardi of the Special Operations Unit. At the same time, arrests are up throughout the precinct, he told residents at the monthly COP 104 session, which was held during last week’s Juniper Park Civic Association meeting.

While felony assaults are up 32 percent this year, there have been a total of 31 arrests in connection with the 41 assaults reported this year, according to Lombardi, who estimated that 90 percent are domestic in nature. After a large spike earlier this year, burglaries are up just one percent, or one additional incident, compared with the same time last year.

“We were able to get that under control recently,” said Lombardi of the spike in crime that occurred throughout the precinct in the first few months of 2010. One bright spot, he added, is graffiti arrests, which have risen 437 percent this year. There have been 43 graffiti busts so far, compared with just eight at the same time last year. “Everybody is doing their job. It does take some time because we have to identify the tags.” He said that three individuals recently served jail time after being arrested on graffiti charges.

A resident asked about a huge police response last Thursday on 73rd Street near 57th Avenue, when a number of squad cars and a helicopter descended on the neighborhood.

Officer Tommy Bell from the precinct’s Community Affairs Unit explained that huge turnout was in response to a report at about 10:30 a.m. of an attempted burglary. An individual who claimed to be a Department of Environmental Protection employee fled the scene when the homeowner became suspicious, leading to the huge response.

According to Bell, the incident was consistent with past deception burglary attempts that have taken place both within the confines of the 104th Precinct and across the city. Any ongoing citywide crime patterns tend to result in a large response from law enforcement, he added.

Editorial: Beware of Blind Spots

Most of us have who drive have, on at least one occasion, held our breath behind the wheel-- gasping over a near miss with a car in the next lane. “I didn’t see that car. It was in my blind spot.”

Over the past week, another “blind spot”, one far more dangerous, appeared in the local news when three men were stabbed on a Manhattan train, early on Sunday. Two victims died from their injuries, a third was seriously wounded, their attacker left the scene without a trace-- and the subway station where the crime occurred did not have a security camera.

But these dangerous “blind spots” in crime and terrorism surveillance along the subway system of the largest city in the United States don’t occur just because of the lack of cameras. They exist also because of the 4,313 security cameras that have been installed, almost half just don’t work due to mechanical difficulties. In fact 2,043 of the cameras operated by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) are presently out of service due to a situation of which Mayor Bloomberg says, "I think it's fair to say the MTA does not have enough money to provide the level of security that people want and that we should have,” and “Someday we're going to get very badly hurt because of it."

Another contributing factor in the subway “blind spot” are the to-the-bone budget cuts--$93 million-- made by the MTA, resulting in unmanned token booths and far fewer officers to patrol our subways. The same cuts have resulted in a shortage of officers responsible for patrolling bridges and tunnels over the weekends.

While pressed about culpability in the matter of securing the city’s subways, the MTA and Lockheed Martin, the company contracted to install cameras and cell phone stations in the subway system, continue to play a dangerous game of finger-pointing. The result of which is a lawsuit filed by both parties. According to Lockheed Martin, their progress has been delayed because the MTA has denied them adequate access, while the MTA contests that Lockheed delivered faulty equipment.

Although crime is down on the city’s subways overall, the fact remains that a system which is responsible for transporting more than five million New Yorkers every day is not secure and remains an ever attractive prospect for criminals and terrorists. The NYPD does not rely on any surveillance devices operated by the MTA. They have officers routinely patrolling the subways and also conduct random searches in stations scattered across the five boroughs.

Clearly a more functional and cooperative effort among all the city agencies who contribute to mass transit security could eliminate more crime and add to safety for crowds of commuters under threat of terrorist activity. A most recent attack by suicide bombers in Moscow both points to the vulnerability of the subway system as a target and emphasizes the critical need for maximum surveillance.

The NYPD continues to install a network of thousands of security cameras throughout the city to be manned by private surveillance companies as part of an intensive security initiative. The onus is now on the MTA to adjust cost cuts and restore or re-acquire whatever funding necessary to initiate and maintain that subway riders in NYC are not faced with deadly blind spots.

Mixed Response to Woodhaven Power Line Fire

No Response from 911, but Hero Neighbor Steps Up

By Conor Greene

When a stretch of power lines went on fire during Saturday night’s storm, Woodhaven residents were alarmed and frustrated when they were not able to reach a 911 operator, but pleasantly surprised by the efforts of an off-duty Con-Edison worker who lives nearby and didn’t hesitate to react to the dangerous situation.

The action started at about 6:20 p.m. near the corner of 90th Street and 86th Road, when Richard Fogel’s daughter told him the upstairs lights were flickering. He opened his front door and was “greeted by a wall of rather intense smoke” that blocked his view of the street. When the winds shifted, he saw that the “whole block of power lines was smoking really intensely” before the approximately 300-foot stretch of lines “erupted into flames.”

The chaotic scene drew many residents from their homes, including some who rushed to move their cars from beneath the wires, despite the obvious risk. “Lots of people called 911 - it was kind of pandemonium for a while - but not one soul got through,” said an outraged Fogel. “No even a message to stay on the line, no recording, connection, anything – just dead.”

Fogal figured the fire would go out once the lines broke and fell to the ground, but he was concerned about prospect of live wires sitting in deep puddles of water. After his unsuccessful 911 calls, Fogel contacted the 102nd Precinct directly and was told officers were aware of the situation. Cops finally arrived on scene at 6:46 p.m., but the officers immediately retreated to their patrol car and left after quickly assessing the scene, said Fogel. It wasn’t until 7 p.m. that the police took control of the situation.

“It was a busy night, so I can forgive the cops and fire department [which never came to the scene] but I cannot forgive 911,” said Fogel. “If they’re not there in an emergency, what the hell good is it? Never mind the storm damage, what if I was having a heart attack or there was a bank robbery? The point is, it’s a technology problem.”

However, there was one bright spot to the situation involving a neighbor who works for Con-Ed, which is a company that doesn’t normally receive praise from Queens residents. After retreating back inside his house minutes after the fire broke out, Fogel looked out the window and noticed a man wearing a yellow Con-Ed rain jacket standing in the street.

It turns out Fogel’s neighbor Jose Aldana was taking the trash out at about the time the power lines caught fire. For more than 20 minutes, he oversaw the situation and helped keep residents away from the dangerous wires until authorities finally arrived on the scene. “The guy dropped what he was doing and tried to keep people away,” said Fogel.

The residents “were extremely lucky to have such a dedicated resident volunteer his own time and put his own safety at risk to keep his fellow residents safe,” wrote Fogel in a letter to Aldana’s boss at Con-Ed. “To reiterate, [he] took the initiative to put his own safety aside… alone and in the pouring rain when no one else was available.”

After Con-Ed’s poor handling of prior emergencies, including the 2006 blackout, Fogel said it felt strange to be praising the company. On top of Aldana’s efforts, Fogel was complementary of the company’s response to the area the next day. “An army of them were out here, and everyone was back on the next day. They did the right thing here, and I’m going to give the cops and firemen the benefit of the doubt, as I’m sure it was a mess. But we at least deserved a police cruiser, as 40 minutes is a little long to respond.”

The city received the second-most 911 calls within a 24-hour period during the storm, with the amount of calls for help didn’t return to normal levels until Sunday morning, according to reports. The NYPD receives about 38,000 calls over a 24-hour period on a typical Saturday.

Break-in Attempt Foiled at Community Federal

A S.W.A.T. team assembled inside the lobby of Community Federal Savings Bank located at 89 - 07 Jamaica Avenue in the early morning hours Saturday to move in on four bank thieves who were stuck in the ceiling of the bank. The four men were arrested after trying to gain entrance to the bank vault through the roof. Several duffel bags of what was presumed to be currency and valuables taken from the bank were recovered by police after they were tossed onto the street by the bandits before they were apprehended.

Former Woodhaven Man Charged with Killing and Dismembering Wife

Woodhaven Woman Went Missing in 2007

By Patricia Adams

The investigation of a Woodhaven mother who went missing more than two years ago has culminated with the arrest of her husband on charges of second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.

U.S. Marshals arrested Edwin Fuentes, 42, outside a realtor’s office on Pitkin Avenue in Ozone Park late Wednesday afternoon for the murder of his wife Reina De Los Santos, who went missing in June of 2007. Frustrated Queens detectives put in more than thirty months and conducted a grueling investigation leading up to the arrest. According to one department insider, the case represents an intense effort by Queens Homicide to bring strong evidence to the DA.

Fuentes has long been a suspect in his wife’s disappearance, but police were continually stymied by the fact that no trace of the missing woman was found until 2008 when teens in Forest Park found a suitcase containing bones later identified as those of De Los Santos.

According to charges filed by DA Brown’s office, Fuentes allegedly dismembered his wife’s body and put some of her body parts in a suitcase. Brown said, “The defendant is accused of killing his wife and disposing of her body, leaving her two children without a mother. He was able to evade justice for more than two years but the diligence of police and prosecutors in pursuing this case means that he will now be held accountable for this crime.”

According to the criminal complaint, at some time between June 19, 2007 and June 22, 2007, Fuentes killed his wife inside their apartment on 88th Road in Woodhaven, later dismembering her. He then called police and reported his wife was missing.

When police arrived at the house to take the report one of the officers noticed that Fuentes had fresh scratches on his arms and what appeared to be a bite mark on his left hand. The defendant was also described as shaking, nervous and even stuttering during the interview with police, at which time he told them that the scratches were a result from playing with his children. He told police he had last seen his wife on June 20.

At the time of her disappearance, Fuentes launched a campaign to blanket the neighborhood with posters of his missing wife, even soliciting donations to cover the costs of printing. He was quoted during an interview with The Forum saying there was no reason he could imagine for his wife’s disappearance. “She is a very loving and supportive mother, everyone knows that. I don’t understand where she could be.” Asked if he had a message he would most like to get to his wife Fuentes said, “We love you and we miss you. Just come home safe.”

On March 4, 2008, four teenagers walking in Forest Park found a suitcase containing what appeared to be partial human remains. The suitcase was removed to the Queens County Morgue where the remains were identified as a human skull and various other body parts. The remains were later identified through dental records as those of Reina De Los Santos Reyes and following an autopsy her death was ruled a homicide.

Shortly after the remains were identified, Fuentes was picked up by police in connec- tion with what was termed an unrelated matter. The suspect had allegedly struck De Los Santos’ 17-year-old son Ariel, who was in his custody following the disappearance. The boy was from the victim’s first marriage and suffers from Tourette syndrome and additional dissociative disorders.

A caretaker, assigned to Ariel from the Administration of Children’s Services (ACS), told police that she found the boy, on at least two occasions since December, with bruises on his mouth and face from being struck in the head. The couple also shared a biological daughter, Thais who is now with her father's family. Ariel is presently in the custody of his mother's family. Fuentes is prohibited by law from having any contact with either of the children.

Although there was insufficient evidence against him at the time, police investigators have now pieced together the deadly puzzle leading up to De Los Santos’ murder that is studded with domestic violence and death threats. In April of 2007 there is testimony from a witness who heard Fuentes threatening to kill his wife and another witness who reportedly observed the defendant choking the victim in May of 2007 and threatening to kill her if she ever left him.

In addition, Fuentes is also alleged to have told police that he was once a butcher. When asked by the police if he thought he was going to get away with the murder the defendant allegedly replied: “I sure as hell am going to try.”

If convicted he faces 25 years to life in prison.

Deception Burglaries and Frustration Over 311 System Plague 104th Precinct

By Conor Greene

This month’s COP 104 meeting in Maspeth Town Hall focused on two issues impacting residents throughout the precinct: deception burglaries targeting seniors and frustration over lack of follow up by officers on complaints registered to the city’s 311 system.

Recent Crime Stats

Major crime is up just more than seven percent through the first six weeks of 2010 compared with the same time period last year. There have been no homicides and one rape, 27 robberies – up one from last year – and 58 burglaries – down one from last year. Auto theft is down one from this time last year, with 36 so far in 2010.

However, there have been sharp increases in felony assaults, with 24 compared with 18 last year, and grand larceny, with 56 this year, up from 47 in 2009, according to Deputy Inspector Keith Green, commanding officer of the 104th Precinct.

In all, there have been 202 total major crimes, up from 188 at this point last year. The good news, said Green, is that arrests are also on the rise, up 15 percent this year for all crimes and nearly 13 percent for major crimes. Over the past two years, arrests are up 24 percent, according to Green.

“So far, we’ve kept the burglaries at the same level as last year, which is very big for us,” said Green. “It has traditionally been a big problem in the 104 and the rest of Queens.”

Police Warn of Deception Crimes

Police are warning residents, especially the elderly, to be aware of individuals posing as utility workers to gain entry into homes. There have been two recent so-called deception burglaries within the 104th Precinct in the past two weeks, according to Green.

The recent incidents have occurred in Glendale and Ridgewood, and are believed to possibility be part of a larger pattern happening throughout the borough and city, said Green. The thieves generally approach the elderly, especially those living alone, and say they need to enter the house to check on pipes or electrical work.

“They convince you they need to access the house to check on something. They are very convincing,” said Green. Once inside, one perpetrator will distract the homeowner while the other slips away and looks for items to steal. In one case, the victim was approached outside her home and allowed them inside before realizing they weren’t legitimate. While she was able to get them out quickly, they managed to steal a check off her table.

There were no injuries reported in either recent incident, according to Green, who said the perps generally don’t get physical and look for jewelry, cash and other small valuables they can quickly grab. “There are professionals who travel around and do this,” the commanding officer said. “Don’t ever let anyone in your house you didn’t call. There is just no reason to,” he said, adding that residents who are approached should call 911.

The suspects in the most recent incident, which took place at a two-family house on Stanhope Street, were described as two white men ages 35 to 45. In the Glendale incident two weeks ago, the victim didn’t get a good look at the suspects. However, a mailman saw the incident and blocked the street with his mail truck. The suspects were forced to back down the one-way street in a silver truck and fled the scene, according to Green.

Tough Times in Upper Glendale

Civic leader Kathy Masi reported that it has been a “rough time in upper Glendale” with a recent rash of incidents in the vicinity of Doran Avenue. In recent weeks, there was an incident with a man flashing a pellet gun after an incident at a nearby bar, along with several attempted and suc- cessful home burglaries.

“We’re convinced that it’s coming right from the block,” she said of possible perpetrators. “We’ve had quite a bit in upper Glendale, and I don’t know what we can do. It hasn’t been a good two months here.”

The burglary incidents have had a “terrible effect on seniors,” added Masi, adding that one woman fell down her stairs and was badly injured while checking to make sure her basement door was locked. “It’s really frightening,” said Masi. “You’re not even seeing what’s going on that doesn’t factor into the [precinct’s crime] numbers.”

No Response to 311 Complaints

A family from Admiral Avenue in Middle Village aired frustrations over a lack of response to complaints they have logged with the city’s 311 phone number.

The family has been dealing with loud music ever since new tenants moved into the home adjacent to theirs. This has led the family to file numerous complaints with 311, only to watch as the complaint is classified online as being resolved, even though the music continues and no officers ever showed up to investigate, according to the family.

“We’ve called 311 and nothing ever happens,” one member said, adding that they are sure no officers responded because they sit outside their house for several hours waiting. “It says the police department responded and took action, but the music doesn’t go off.”

Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said he has regularly heard similar complaints from other residents. “We’re hearing this over and over again. Something is wrong with 311 when it comes to dealing with the precinct,” he said. “This is not isolated – it’s happening all over. We’ve heard this for several years now. This is a legitimate complaint. We’ve got to find out what’s going on with 311.”

Green said he would look into these incidents and check which officers were assigned to respond to the specific calls to see what went wrong.

Richmond Hill Man Arrested in NJ Double Homicide

Victims are from Howard Beach and Ozone Park

By Patricia Adams

A Queens bar owner was arrested on Saturday and charged with two counts of Murder, and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose after a homicide investigation conducted by New Jersey law enforcement officials.

Nicholas D. Kiriakakis, 25, of Richmond Hill, was charged in the shooting deaths of two other men from Queens. Jonathan Beneduce of Howard Beach and Michael Mirasola from Ozone Park were shot and killed in their vehicle on Wednesday while parked on a residential street in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Police officials say Kiriakakis met with both victims in Queens and that the three men then drove to Teaneck in separate vehicles. The alleged killer drove his own vehicle, with the two friends driving a 2007 Ford Explorer.

Police are investigating the reasons that the three men travelled to the location. Multiple searches conducted at the Kiriakakis’ residence, his place of business at Pearl, a restaurant/bar on Bell Blvd, and his vehicle resulted in theseizure of two simulated handguns, a stun gun, and illegally obtained prescription drugs.

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said the three men headed to New Jersey around 7:30 pm and that there is no evidence to show that anyone else was involved in the double murders. The prosecutor also said that law enforcement is investigating the possibility that the incident was tied to a drug transaction. Molinelli told reporters however, that no drugs were found on either or the victims or in their SUV.

The distraught father of one of the victims, Nick Beneduce, told The Forum that he was unable to comment on the case because of a request from police not to comment during the ongoing investigation.

Bail for Kiriakakis was set at $3 million. He was also charged by the NYPD with Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Possession of Prescription Ledger Drugs without a Prescription, and with being a Fugitive from Justice for the Bergen County charges. He is currently being held in the Queens Detention Center awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

Armed Robbery at Local Synagogue

By Patricia Adams

The Rockwood Park Jewish Center was the scene of an armed robbery early Friday morning. Two gunmen took more than $7000 in cash from a card game in the basement of the synagogue.

According to police, the 106th Precinct responded to a call reporting a man with a gun at the center located on 84th Street in Howard Beach at about 3:35 a.m. Officers arriving at the scene were met by seven complainants who stated they were robbed at gunpoint by two black men, wearing masks, and brandishing black firearms.

One witness at the scene, identified only as Tony M., told police he was exiting through the rear door at the center after playing cards and was accosted by two perpetrators who came from behind him. Holding a gun to the man’s head, the bandits forced another patron to open the door, allowing them inside.

The men ordered all the card players onto the floor and proceeded to take approximately $7,000 in cash from the victims according to police. During the robbery, there was an alleged altercation between one of the gunmen and a victim who got one of the suspect’s knife and stabbed him with it before the two masked men fled the scene. The perpetrators drove away in an unknown direction in a black SUV with tinted windows--the license plate was not reported.

After fleeing, the men drove to Elmhurst Hospital where the injured suspect sought medical attention for his stab wounds. Hospital personnel recognized the seriousness of the situation and alerted police. An arrest was subsequently made.

President of the RPJC Bernard Fisch was contacted for comment about the incident and referred The Forum to the police. “I don’t know anything. I have nothing to say,” Fisch said before abruptly hanging up the phone.

Police are still investigating the crime and sources say the investigation may extend outside the precinct if the Public Morals division decides to investigate why there was a card game at the premises to begin with.

Teacher Charged with Letting Students Wrestle in Classroom

A teacher and an aide assigned to PS 65 in Ozone Park have been arraigned on child endangerment charges for allowing two fourth graders to wrestle in the classroom in order to settle a dispute, authorities announced.

Teacher Joseph Gullotta, 29, and para-professional Abraham Fox, 43, both of Long Island, were arraigned over the weekend in Queens Criminal Court and released on their own recognizance. They are due back in court on February 25 and face up to a year in jail.

According to the charges, a 10-year-old student was having a dispute with a student inside the classroom on January 28 when Gullotta told him that he should instead take it out on a nine-year-old student. When the two boys began grabbing each other’s arms and shoulders and wrestling, Gullotta allegedly told another student to close the door.

During the wrestling match, the older student’s head struck the younger student’s mouth, resulting in injuries to both children. Even though he was inside the classroom at the time, Fox didn’t attempt to stop the boys or offer them assistance for their injuries. In addition, despite the students’ injuries and Fox’s observation that the younger might need stitches, neither adult offered the boys the chance to go to the nurse’s office until two periods later.

Finally, two hours after the wrestling match, Gullotta allowed just the younger boy to go to the nurse and allegedly instructed him to lie about how his injuries occurred. However, the student voiced concern about the other student, who had complained that his head hurt. The nurse told the student to go back to the classroom and get the other student. Gullotta is accused of escorting the older student to the nurse’s office and ordering him to tell the same made-up story the younger child had told the nurse.

The incident came to light when the parent of one of the students involved in the incident overheard them talking about it. The investigation at the school, located at 103-22 99th Street, was conducted by the 106th Precinct.

Candle Blamed for Apartment Fire

Four-Alarm Blaze in Kew Gardens Injures Five

By Conor Greene

Fire officials say an unattended candle is to blame for a quick moving fire that gutted several apartments in a Kew Gardens apartment on Monday afternoon.

Four firefighters and one civilian suffered minor injuries in the fire, which broke out around 11:45 a.m. in a second floor apartment at 84-70 129th Street. The fire quickly spread to the third, fourth and fifth floors and went to four alarms by 12:15p.m. before it was brought under control at 1:11 p.m., according to the FDNY.

As crews worked to keep the fire from spreading to the building’s top floor, two police officers who were on duty outside a nearby school raced to the scene and helped evacuate a woman and her young daughter. Initial reports indicated residents were trapped inside due to heavy smoke, but fire officials say an “aggressive attack” kept it from spreading.


“We saw the woman stepping out onto the fire escape, and that’s when I proceeded to jump over the fence, climbed the fire escape… grabbed the baby and walked them down,” Sgt. Kevin Bishoff of the 102nd Precinct told reporters. He teamed up with Officer Johnny Becerra to help the residents escape the blaze.

“It went to four alarms,” FDNY Deputy Chief James Didomenico said at the scene. “We were able to stop it on the fifth floor. It did not get to the sixth floor through an aggressive attack. Had it gotten to the sixth floor and possibly gotten into the cockwall it could’ve been a major, major fire and much worse than today.”

On Tuesday, debris from the destroyed apartments was piled in front of the building, which was charred and boarded up. A notice was posted on the door ordering some residents to vacate their apartments, while tenants in other parts of the building were allowed back inside.

Shamin Naz, who has lived in the building for 21 years, said that she and her family were very lucky on the day of the fire. “I was at the hospital with my daughter for an examination,” said Naz. “I got a frantic call from my brother saying the building was one fire.”

Naz immediately began trying to get in touch with her other children to make sure they had left the building. “When I was able to contact them I felt so lucky. For the other people who were trapped, I just say thank God no one died. The apartments, they can be put back together. No one died.”

The Red Cross is providing assistance to the up to seven families left homeless by the fire.

Concerns Over Burglaries, Railroad Security and Response Time in 104th Precinct

By Conor Greene

A number of concerns regarding the 104th Precinct were discussed at a public safety meeting this week, but with no officers in attendance, many of the questions remain unanswered.

Items slated for discussion at Tuesday’s Community Board 5 Public Safety Committee meeting included a review of the precinct’s current staffing levels, updates on crime statistics and concerns over the safety of freight train cars passing through the area.

A member of the precinct’s Community Affairs Unit said on Wednesday that “conflicts in our schedule” prevented the precinct from sending an officer to the meeting. Regardless, he noted that certain issues, such as staffing levels or personal assignments, are not discussed in public due to security concerns. One aspect of the precinct’s crime statistics that was discussed at length is an increase in burglaries, which is the only major crime that is up so far this year compared with 2008.

To date, there have been 415 reported break-ins, up more than 14 percent from the 363that had occurred at the same point last year. Over the past 28 years, burglaries are up more than 70 percent, with 46 reported this year compared with 27 last year.

All other major crimes are down this year compared with the same point in 2008, including robbery (263 to 290), grand larceny (464 to 515) and grand larceny auto (287 to 336). There has been one murder this year compared with four that occurred in two separate incidents last year, and there have been 13 rapes compared with 17 last year. However, all categories except murder are up over the past 28 day period, including double the amount of felony assaults (16 to eight) and grand larceny auto (25 to 18).

Another issue discussed in depth was security along the railroad corridors and train yards located within the community board’s confines. A representative for Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Glendale) said that pushing the rail operator CSX to ensure that all necessary safety precautions are being taken is a top priority.

While nobody from the precinct was able to discuss sensitive issues such as staffing levels and response time, board members in attendance expressed concerns over both issues. Robert Holden, who chairs the Public Safety Committee and is president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said he has been hearing complaints from neighbors that there aren’t enough officers to patrol the area or respond to crimes.

One problem, according to Holden, is that a patrol car dedicated to following up on prior crimes was nixed. That has led to a number of complaints from residents who said they had to wait “five, six, seven hours or longer” to report crimes. “We’ve been getting a lot of complaints about that,” he said, adding that the problem will likely be compounded when officers are reassigned for the upcoming terror trials in Manhattan. “That is going to overburden our precinct, which is understaffed already,” he said.

Another complaint from residents, said Holden, is officers discouraging victims from filing police reports. Several residents complained about both of these issues at recent civic meetings, leading Holden to wonder, “How often is it happening?”

Barbara Sheehan Speaks: Part II

By Patricia Adams

Last week The Forum brought you the first part of an interview with Barbara Sheehan, accused of shooting her husband, retired NYPD Sgt. Raymond Sheehan in February of 2008.

Now Sheehan is facing a murder trial and because of one judge’s ruling, will have to do so without the benefit of expert testimony to demonstrate the extent of the physical and mental abuse she suffered from for almost twenty years.

This week, Barbara Sheehan recalls her life as an abused woman and explains what happened on the day she shot her husband.

I SHOT MY HUSBAND

“I shot him because he was going to kill me. Finally he was going to end it all and shoot me. So I shot him.” Barbara Sheehan says that on the morning she killed Ray Sheehan he had been in the bathroom shaving, one of his handguns resting on the sink next to him. They had been arguing since the night before.

THE NIGHT BEFORE

“We went up to see my son at school. I brought him chicken cutlets and returned some laundry.” But as soon as they got in the car to leave Sacred Heart College, Ray Sheehan turned, without notice, and delivered a blow to her face that immediately sent blood gushing from her nose and pain shooting through her head. “I thought right away that it [my nose] was broken. There was so much blood and it hurt so much.” And Barbara says, “It didn’t stop there. He tried to throw me out of the car on the Merritt Parkway.”

Barbara Sheehan continued. “I was afraid to get out of the car. It was a wooded area and I was bleeding so much. No one was around.” All she wanted was to get home and go to the hospital. After arguing on the side of the road Ray Sheehan gunned the car back on to the parkway and headed toward home.

But the rest of the ride was filled with more verbal abuse, slaps, punches, pinches and anything else Ray Sheehan could manage from behind the wheel of the moving car. This episode had been brought on because Barbara had told her husband that she would not accompany him on a trip to Florida scheduled for the next morning.

“I was afraid to go away with him - to be alone with him in another state. My sister-in-law warned me not to go — she said he was going to kill me.” The sister-in-law she spoke of was married to Sheehan’s twin brother. The couple knew of Ray’s abuse and had gotten Barbara information on a domestic violence hotline and some support groups where she could go for help.

When they arrived home, Barbara was covered in blood--the cartilage from her nose displaced and moved completely over to one side. “I looked in the mirror and saw my whole nose on the side of my face. I just wanted to go to the hospital.”

But Ray Sheehan refused to take her. “I got my coat and left the house. I was going to walk to the hospital.” And on her way down the street Barbara used her cell phone to call her sister-in-law. “She told me to get out of here as quickly as possible, that Ray would probably be enraged because I had left.” As she hurried away, she heard the sound of a speeding car coming toward her — she turned and saw Ray Sheehan in their car. “I have to go,” she screamed into the phone, “he’s coming for me.”

Screeching to a halt, he pulled up and demanded she get into the car. They drove to St. John’s Hospital on Queens Boulevard. “He told me to get out and that he was going to wait right there. He wasn’t going in with me and warned me to keep my mouth shut.”

Inside the hospital Barbara Sheehan waited for treatment, but within a few minutes of her arrival, the cell phone began to ring. “He was calling to say that if he saw any police pull up he would know that I had called them. If that happened he said, hewould leave and go kill my family. ‘You know I have the guns with me—if you open your mouth, I’ll go out in a blaze of glory and your family will be dead.’”

Over and over her phone rang or beeped with text messages. Numerous calls and texts with more threats about keeping silent or paying the consequences. Finally when she grew too afraid to continue waiting for treatment, Barbara Sheehan left the hospital and returned to the car.

THE SHOOTING

The next morning the arguing continued, her husband infuriated over her refusal to go to Florida. “He was in the bathroom with one of his guns on the sink next to him. He was so angry because of Florida. And I knew. I just knew he was going to kill me.” It was then she says that he picked up the gun to threaten her. Barbara Sheehan ran into the bedroom where she grabbed another of Ray’s handguns.

“I came out of the bedroom with the gun. I wanted to get downstairs and get out of the house.” But Raymond Sheehan saw his wife heading for the stairs. Gun in hand, he turned and aimed it at her. “I knew he was going to shoot me and I just started firing.”

Media reports have consistently made inaccurate claims that she emptied 11 shots into the back of her husband, however, the autopsy report clearly proves that Raymond Sheehan was not shot in the back--the entry wounds were from the side of his body, consistent with Barbara’s story that he turned toward her aiming his gun.

After a documented history of almost twenty years of being beaten, Barbara Sheehan shot her husband. Ray Sheehan dropped to the floor; he was dead. Barbara Sheehan was downstairs on the phone. She called her sister, Robin, who arrived at the house minutes later. She found Barbara on the floor huddled in a fetal position. Robin called 911.

LOOKING TOWARD TRIAL

According to Barbara Sheehan’s attorneys, psychiatrists, psychologists and national experts on domestic violence all agree that those with little to no personal exposure to domestic violence are likely not capable of comprehending the harm which these abusers repeatedly levy on their victims.

Those unfamiliar with domestic abuse are most often unaware that this abuse devastates its victims with induced trauma on the emotional, psychological and physical levels. Typically, it is through the testimony and shared experience of expert witnesses that jurors can gain insight to the typical lives of abusers and their abused.

When Barbara Sheehan stands trial for her husband’s murder, she will have to do so without the benefit of such witnesses due to a ruling handed down in early November by Justice Arthur Cooperman. The ruling prohibits the inclusion of expert psychological and psychiatric testimony.

Now attorney Michael Dowd will search for a mechanism to overturn Cooperman’s decision — or find a way to bring a defense as strong as that which has been disallowed by the judge. “We’re in trouble here... what I don’t want is this terrific lady to go to prison,” said Dowd, “and be forced to stay there while we fight for an appeal. There is no reason for that. All we want is the right to present the evidence. We’re only asking for a fair trial by jury.”

LOOKING BACK

“When I think of life before, I just stop and try to think of life now. It’s so much better. I am safe. I may go to prison. But my kids and my family they are safe.” Then Barbara Sheehan comments on the irony. “Ray always told me that I could never escape him. He used to say that the ADA’s and the judges and the police ‘they all stick together Barbara.’ Now I see he was right—it’s as though he were reaching out from the grave.”

Photos: More than 400 rounds of ammunition recovered by police from Raymond Sheehan’s nightstand following his death. Following Raymond Sheehan’s death, investigators found evidence of his perverse sexual encounters with transvestites and crossdressers. Among things recovered were costumes (as shown above) and records of meetings with she-male sex partners discovered on the hard drive of his computer.

Jennifer Sheehan: A Daughter's View

Jennifer Sheehan remembers her home life well. Starting from the age of 4, the 23-year-old nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering says her earliest memories of the violence in her home were the sounds of screaming and things breaking downstairs beneath her bedroom.

“I didn’t get up from my bed… I remember going to sleep scared.” Jennifer continued recounting a series of harrowing childhood experiences during an interview with The Forum. One by one she dredged up the memories of the household where a mother’s love was the only barrier between two children and their raging, abusive father.

“He would never say anything to us.” Jennifer recalled coming home from school; her father sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper. “He never even looked up.” There were no happy times in the Sheehan house when Raymond Sheehan was there. “You would never know what would set him off. If something wasn’t where he wanted it, that was more than enough for my mother to get beat.”

Even mealtime was a trauma, especially when Raymond Sheehan didn’t like the menu. “My brother and I love my mother’s sauce. I remember one night when we were eating. She put the dish down in front of him—it was right off the stove. He picked up the dish and poured the whole thing over her head.”

And there were other times, many of them when Jennifer says she and her brother, Ray, saw their mother getting beaten. One of the worst she can remember was after her mother had accidentally scraped the side view mirror on the car when pulling into the driveway.

She heard crying and screaming coming from the living room downstairs. “I came out of my room to look. My father’s gun was lying next to him on the table. He was on the couch, on top of my mother. He just kept punching her. All over her body. Harder and harder. She just cried and cried, begging him to stop. Asking him over and over again, ‘Why are you doing this?” But Raymond Sheehan never answered. He would finish with his beating, get up and go out.

Of the beatings and the bruises, Jennifer says there are far too many to recall. “Her eyes were black and blue. There were marks on her arm. And then I would see my mom in her pajamas, where other people did not. And there were bruises all over her.”

And the reflections of other violence in the house; when on occasion her father would use his hands on her. “I remember one time, I was about eight. He grabbed me and picked me up. He threw me across the room. My mom got in between to help me. Then he beat her.”

Now Jennifer says she doesn’t get as upset as she used to when talking about the life she and her mother and brother spent with Ray Sheehan. She says life is much better. “The most anxiety comes from worrying about my mom’s trial. We are still not free to move on until we have that behind us. But at least we are all safe.” And she says that she hopes her mom will have the chance to work helping other victims of domestic violence.

When asked about the personal relationship with her father the pain in her eyes is obvious. “There was no relationship. Never. Not with me and not with my brother. We didn’t go to his funeral and the only reason I went to his wake was because I had to see for myself that he was really dead. I had to see that now we were really safe.”

Of her mother Jennifer Sheehan says very simply, “No matter what was going on with my mom, she never let anything get in the way of her love for us. She protected us from him. She is the best mother we could have.”

Jennifer Sheehan says she still suffers from anxiety attacks whenever she thinks about the trial. “I have to believe that when the judge and the jury hear what we have to say, they’ll know the truth.”