WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

Hits: 0

WPCNR PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. JUNE 6, 2012: 

Playland hosted the ninth annual  Fleet and Equipment Day Tuesday, and hundreds of police officers, law enforcement managers came on down to watch state-of-the-art police cars, hazardous devices robots,  surveillance equipment and land-sea-rescue units were demonstrated.

Officers could also get to try out  the very hot police cruisers on the Playland obstacle course. The squeal of peel-outs and short-stops, tight turns and prowess of the officers at the wheel was better than “Law and Order.

Westchester County Educational  Safety Training sponsored the Trade Show all morning long.

Hits: 0

WPCNR FBI WIRE. From the Federal Bureau of Investigation. June 6, 2012:

According to the superseding information to which Kugel pled and other court filings:

Kugel was employed at BLMIS and Primex Trading N.A. LLC (“Primex”), its affiliated entity, from 2001 through December 11, 2008. Kugel’s responsibilities included budget forecasting for BLMIS’s Market Making and Proprietary Trading operations, overseeing the company’s health care plan, and reviewing and maintaining its internal employee records and related documents.

Kugel was aware that there were individuals on BLMIS’s payroll who did not work for the firm but who nevertheless received salaries and benefits, and he created and maintained false BLMIS employee records on their behalf. Specifically, Kugel was responsible for submitting an Annual Return (“Form 5500”) concerning BLMIS’s employee benefit plan to the United States Department of Labor (DOL). Form 5500 required Kugel to identify accurately the number of employees at the firm, but instead, he included a number of employees who, in fact, did not work there.

During his tenure at BLMIS, Kugel also charged more than $200,000 in personal expenses, including luxury clothes, jewelry, and vacations for himself and his family, to a corporate American Express card but did not report it as income on his tax returns.

***

Kugel, 38, faces a statutory maximum sentence of 19 years in prison. The breakdown of the maximum sentences for each of the charged offenses is set forth in the attached chart. Kugel is also subject to mandatory restitution and criminal forfeiture and faces criminal fines up to twice the gross gain or loss derived from the offense. Pursuant to the cooperation agreement entered into with the government, Kugel will forfeit at least $2.3 million. This forfeiture will be used to compensate victims of the fraud, consistent with applicable Department of Justice regulations.

Judge Swain set a sentencing date for Kugel of December 13, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.

Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the FBI, the IRS, and the DOL. He also thanked the Justice Department’s Labor-Management Racketeering Unit of the Organized Crime and Gang Section of the Criminal Division and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

These cases were brought in coordination with President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, on which Mr. Bharara serves as a Co-Chair of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Working Group. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch and, with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa A. Baroni, Julian J. Moore, Arlo Devlin-Brown, Barbara A. Ward, and Matthew L. Schwartz are in charge of the prosecution.

Hits: 0

WPCNR Report from the Westchester County District Attorney. June 1, 2012:

Janet DiFiore, Westchester County D.A.,  announced today that Eugene Lorino (DOB 02/22/51) of 3524 Hull Avenue, Bronx, New York, Richard Vale (DOB 05/05/66) of 2721 Barker Avenue, Bronx, New York and Carlos Burgos (DOB 12/26/67) of 1247 College Avenue, Bronx, New York were arraigned on an eleven count indictment charging them with:

·        one count of Robbery in the First Degree, a class “B” Violent Felony,

·        two counts of Burglary in the First Degree, class “B” Violent Felonies,

·        one count of Criminal Use of a Firearm in the First Degree, a class “B” Felony,

·        two counts of Burglary in the Second Degree, class “C” Felonies,

·        one count of Attempted Robbery in the First Degree, a class “C” Felony,

·        one count of Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, a class “D” Felony,

·        one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class “D” Felony,

·        one count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree, a class “D” Felony,

·        one count of Criminal Impersonation in the First Degree, a class “E” Felony.

On January 10^th, 2012 Lorino, along with Burgos and an unapprehended male, while displaying firearms, forced their way into the victim’s basement apartment at 22 Main Street in Hastings-on-Hudson.

The defendants believed that the victim had a large sum of United States Currency on the premises because of a potential business transaction in the Bronx that the victim had with Richard Vale and ultimately didn’t come to fruition.

After demanding the money, they went to a second apartment in the building where they tied up the victim and his family.

The defendants then attempted to gain access to a safe on the premises. Not being able to, they took approximately $7,000 in cash that was on hand and fled.

A four month long investigation ensued, lead by the Hastings-on-Hudson Police Department, assisted by investigators and prosecutors from the Organized Crime and Criminal Enterprise Bureau, Superior Court Trial Division of the District Attorney’s Office, the Westchester Intelligence Center and the NYPD.

Information was developed as to the movements and whereabouts of the defendants that ultimately lead to these individuals being taken into custody earlier this month.

“The investigation into this home invasion exemplifies how law enforcement in Westchester County can work seamlessly to respond, gather evidence, investigate, analyze and interpret information which ultimately led to arresting and charging these defendants with violent felonies.” said District Attorney Janet DiFiore after the defendants were arraigned on the indictment.

Bail was set at for $500,000 cash/bond for Vale, $750,000 cash/bond for Burgos and remand for Lorino.

Their next court date is scheduled for June 21st, 2012.

The defendants face a maximum of twenty five years in state prison.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph DiBenedetto of the Investigations Division and Assistant District Attorney Christine O’Connor of Superior Court Trial Division are prosecuting the case.

Hits: 0

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. Special to WPCNR. May 31, 2012:

The  White Plains Commissioner of Public Safety released the following statement providing details of how the White Plains Police Department located Pierce Crowley, the 15 year old runaway from Rye, missing since last Friday afternoon), in New York City early Thursday morning in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Here is Commissioner David Chong’s statement on the matter:

“At approximately 12:30 AM this morning (Thursday) White Plains Detectives located missing person/runaway Pierce Crowley in the Washington Heights section of New York City.  Pierce was spotted by two NYPD uniform Police Officers on Patrol who were checking out a group of youths.  The NYPD Officers had our flyers about Pierce in their memo books.  They immediately contacted our units and we took possession of Pierce. 

We transported Pierce back to White Plains and early this morning he was returned to his relieved parents in Rye.  This is a great example of tenacious Detective work by the White Plains Police Department.  It was really like trying to find a needle in a haystack.  I congratulate the entire Department for their efforts and most specifically, Lieutenant Eric Fisher Commander of Detectives and his Detectives for their tireless efforts over the past few days.  We are all relieved that Pierce is back with his family.”

Hits: 0

WPCNR SOUTH END TIMES. From a White Plains CitizeNetReporter. May 31, 2012, UPDATED JUNE 3, 2012: 

A correspondent advises WPCNR that a coyote has been spotted lurking “numerous times” by a number of residents in  the vicinity of French American School of New York Ridgeway property and North Street during the last two weeks. Another reader writes WPCNR Sunday: “I spotted a coyote last Monday morning (Memorial Day) at 12:15 AM on Anderson Hill Rd in Harrison.”

Have you seen an animal of this description?

Typical Coyote well-groomed. (Stock Photo)

The correspondent says that on this past Sunday afternoon, in broad daylight, it attacked her neighbor’s dog, who called the police.

Residents should be aware not to leave pets or children unattended in the yards and be aware of the possibility that the coyote or coyote(s) may be encountered on evening walks.

Coyotes have  been reported now in the county for the last five years. The last reported attack of a coyote occurred in April 2010 in Rye when a poodle tied to a stake in a yard was killed by a Coyote.

Here are some tips on how to avoid being a house of interest to coyotes:

Coyotes have a very broad range of adaptation. They are seen traveling alone, in pairs, and in packs. Their very broad diet allows them to survive in many different territories. At the present times coyotes are more afraid of humans then we are of them. Some cases have shown coyotes becoming more brave and aggressive towards humans. Cases such as people feeding these animals give the coyote a sense of trust that through adaptation will be bad in the future.  They have been known to become less afraid and more aggressive toward humans. Coyotes use urine to mark their territories and have a variety of calls which help defend their territory as well as strengthen bonds and communication.

Coyotes have a keen sense of sight, smell, and hearing, which allow them to survive in many different areas. Food is what makes the coyote’s habitat. Wherever the food is, is where the coyote needs to be. They can occupy a range of up to twelve miles. Although coyotes dig their own dens, they have been known to burrow out small fox and badger holes.  They are also found in small mountain crevices.  These dens are only used for tending to the young the rest of the year these dens are abandoned.

A coyotes’ main diet consists of mice, rats, insects, rabbits, etc. They are known to hunt day and night, either alone or in packs. Coyotes will occasionally hunt larger animals but not alone.  They have also been known to eat out of open garbage cans and whatever humans feed them. So keep your garbage cans covered and do not encourage them with food.

Preventing Coyotes

There are a few things that can help prevent coyote occurrences.  First of all keep all pets and pet food and their water indoors or in a secured kennel if you live in an area that is suspected of or is known to be in this wild animal’s foraging range.  Try to avoid feeding wild cats as they are part of the diet of a coyote as well as the food you feed the cats. Minimize your ground cover of vegetation and pick up any fallen fruit from fruit trees within the area.  

Only when coyote become a danger or otherwise become a pest are they considered to be nuisance wildlife to be controlled.