(Long Island, NY) The Fourth Squad reports the arrest of a Lawrence man on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at 8:20 p.m. for Aggravated Harassment which occurred in Cedarhurst.

According to detectives, on March 7, 2016 at approximately 5:05 p.m. Carlos A. Rivera, 17, was walking southbound on Oxford Road when he found a piece of chalk on the ground and proceeded to draw a Swastika in front of two different homes on Oxford Road.

Suffolk County Police reports the arrest of Carlos A. Rivera, 17, of Lawrence on Sunday, March 20 for Aggravated Harassment which occurred in Cedarhurst. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

A subsequent investigation by detectives led to the arrest of Rivera on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at 8:20 p.m. at his residence.

Rivera is charged with (2) two counts of Aggravated Harassment 1st degree. He was issued a desk appearance ticket to respond on April 13, 2016 to First District Court in Hempstead.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Incident occurs as DEC and State Police increase enforcement of illegal ATV/ORV use in Pine Barrens

(Long Island, NY) Three men face charges of up to ten years in jail after a joint detail by New York State Police and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation resulted in an Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) being run over during an operation to crack down on illegal All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) use in the Pine Barrens.

On March 13, ECO Travis McNamara and NYS Trooper Fabio Daino were on a multi-agency ATV/ORV patrol, sponsored by the Pine Barrens Law Enforcement Council, when the officers encountered three four-wheel drive vehicles operating illegally off road on PSEG property in Shoreham. Officer McNamara was speaking to the driver of the lead truck, Trevor Galvez, 17, of Selden, when he and the other drivers attempted to flee. Galvez quickly backed up, running over the lower leg and foot of Officer McNamara, fracturing several bones. Officer McNamara was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital where he underwent surgery and was released later last week.

Mug shot of Jesse Demers, 20, of Selden. Photo Credit: NYSP.

Trooper Daino apprehended Galvez and another driver, Richard Hughes, 23, of Sound Beach, a short distance away. ECOs arrested the driver of the third truck, 20-year-old Jesse Demers, of Selden, the following day at his residence.

“Illegal ATV and ORV use is a direct threat to the integrity of sensitive ecosystems like the Pine Barrens and public safety, and I’m proud to work with the State Police to step up our enforcement efforts to protect our environment and the people who responsibly enjoy it,” said Acting DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “The safety of DEC’s officers and staff is paramount, and I wish Officer McNamara a full and swift recovery. We will ensure that these men, and any individuals who harm or attempt to harm to our officers, receive the full extent of the law.”

Mug shot of Trevor Galvez, 17, of Selden. Photo Credit: NYSP.

Trevor Galvez was charged with: Assault 2^nd, a felony; Reckless Endangerment 2^nd, a misdemeanor; Unlawful Fleeing of a Police Officer, a misdemeanor; Reckless Driving, a misdemeanor; and several vehicle and traffic law infractions. Assault 2^nd can carry a maximum of seven years in prison, and each misdemeanor up to one year. Jesse Demers and Richard Hughes received identical charges minus the Assault 2^nd.

The arrested suspects were processed at the State Police Troop L Barracks in Riverside and held overnight at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center in Riverhead. Each man was arranged and made bail.

Mug shot of Richard Hughes, 23, of Sound Beach. Photo Credit: NYSP.

The officers were part of a multi-agency ATV and ORV detail run by the Pine Barrens Law Enforcement Council (LEC). The council, formed in 1993, combats illegal ATV activity as well as other violations in the Pine Barrens. ATV and dirt bike riding can cause tremendous resource damage due to Long Island’s sandy soils. The vehicles can create ruts in trails, tear up native vegetation and potentially disturb or injure other authorized recreational users.

Individuals who spot illegal activities are encouraged to call DEC’s Environmental Conservation Officers at (631) 444-0250 during business hours, and (877) 457-5680 or (518) 408-5250 at all other times. Individuals can also call (877) BARRENS for non-emergency calls relating to the Pine Barrens.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who stole items from a Coram store.

Suffolk County Police are seeking the public’s help to identify the man who stole items from a Coram store. Photo Credit: SCPD.

A man entered the 7-Eleven, located at 2223 Route 112, and stole four beverages on March 7. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male who was wearing a jacket with a New York Yankees logo on the back.

A man entered the 7-Eleven and stole four beverages on March 7. Photo Credit: SCPD.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and detectives from the Riverhead Police Department are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who robbed a convenience store in Calverton in January.

A man entered Bolla Market, located at 3705 Middle Country Road, on January 25 at approximately 10 p.m., displayed a handgun and demanded cash from an employee.

Riverhead Police are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who robbed a convenience store in Calverton in January. Photo Credit: RPD.

The employee complied and the man fled on foot. The man was dressed in a dark-colored jacket with a hood, gloves, mask, pants and sneakers.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

(Long Island, NY) The Fifth Squad reports the arrest of seven individuals at 8:32pm on Saturday, March 19, 2016 in Lynbrook.

According to Detectives, a Lynbrook Police Officer responded for a call of suspicious males dressed in red, looking into vehicles in the vicinity of 100 Ocean Avenue. The Officer observed a green dodge caravan with several occupants dressed in red. The Officer pulled alongside of the vehicle on Waterview Place in Lynbrook.

Nassau County Police reports the arrest of seven individuals on drug and weapon charges on Saturday, March 19 in Lynbrook. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

Upon approaching the vehicle on foot, the Officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and observed a clear bag containing a green leafy substance on the floor in the front. As the Officer requested identification from the vehicle’s occupants additional clear bags containing a green leafy substance were recovered in addition to a few individual pills believed to be ecstasy, a black gravity knife, a black/silver .40 caliber Smith and Wesson and a silver 9mm handgun.

Officers placed all seven suspects into custody without incident. Arrested were:

Defendants Rasean Fulton, 35, of New York, NY and Daquan H. Samuels, 25, of Staten Island are each charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd Degree and Criminal Possession of Marijuana 5th Degree.

Mug shot of Rasean Fulton, 35, of New York. Photo Credit: NCPD.

Mug shot of Daquan H. Samuels, 25, of Staten Island. Photo Credit: NCPD.

Defendants Lamont McPhatter, 36, of Staten Island and Christian B. Pagan, 19, of Newark, NJ are each charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of Weapon 2nd and 3rd Degrees.

Mug shot of Lamont McPhatter, 36, of Staten Island. Photo Credit: NCPD.

Mug shot of Christian B. Pagan, 19, of Newark, NJ. Photo Credit: NCPD.

Defendant Angel Cruz, 38, of Newark, NJ is charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd and 3rd Degrees and Criminal Possession of a Control Substance.

Mug shot of Angel Cruz, 38, of Newark, NJ. Photo Credit: NCPD.

Defendants Jose Garcia, 32, of Staten Island and Christine A. Ruffin, 37, of New York, NY are each charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd Degree.

Mug shot of Jose Garcia, 32, of Staten Island. Photo Credit: NCPD.

Mug shot of Christine A. Ruffin, 37, of New York, NY. Photo Credit: NCPD.

All defendants will be arraigned on Monday, March 21, 2016 in First District Court 99 Main Street Hempstead.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Alliance for Quality Education Applauds the Board of Regents Decision

(Long Island, NY) In response to the Board of Regents’ electing Betty Rosa as its new chancellor, the Alliance for Quality Education has released the following statement.

“We are pleased that the Board of Regents has elected Betty Rosa as its Chancellor. She is highly skilled and experienced educator who is respected by parents, students, teachers and policy makers alike,” saidBilly Easton, Executive Director for the Alliance for Quality Education. “Her knowledge and experience will allow her to proceed with substantial reforms that will include addressing the educational needs of all students and working to improve struggling schools throughout the state.

“She is a good listener and a reliable proponent of sorely needed solutions including essential parent engagement, expansion of community schools, and educational policies based on what works in classrooms rather than the test and punish model that has been in vogue around the country. AQE is confident that Chancellor Rosa will move the New York State schools forward in positive and meaningful ways.”

“Continuing Difficult Dialogues” Is the Theme

(Long Island, NY) The Social Justice/Diversity Summit – a forum to create awareness among Long Islanders of a broad range of social justice issues – will be held at Farmingdale State College on Saturday, April 23.

The event begins at 9 a.m. at the college’s Campus Center Ballroom.  Admission is free and open to the public, but attendees must register in advance at https://www.farmingdale.edu/academics/centers-institutes/social-science-research-institute/registration.shtml.  The summit is sponsored by Farmingdale’s Social Science Research Institute.

Roundtables led by community leaders and social justice advocates will address issues such as Environmental Justice, Health Disparities, Homelessness, Immigration, LGBTQ, Race, Housing Discrimination, Educational Disparities, Mental Health, Criminal Justice, Food Justice (and Food Security), and more.

A focal point of the event will be inspiring Long Islanders to lobby for equal access to vital resources regardless of race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, gender, disability, and sexual orientation.

Among the featured speakers are Bernice Sims, author of Detour Before Midnight, an account of the infamous Neshoba County, Mississippi, murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman; Elaine Gross, president of ERASE Racism, a Long Island-based, nationally acclaimed organization known for its cutting-edge work on institutional and structural racism, especially in the areas of housing, education, and community development;and the Reverend Dr. Alfonso Wyatt, author, mentor, and founder of Strategic Destiny: Designing Futures Through Faith and Facts.

Marge Rogatz, a life-long champion for social equity, justice and the rights of the homeless, will be honored as Lifetime Community Advocate. She has been president and CEO of Community Advocates, Inc. for 30 years; was a co-founder and officer of both the Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless and Sustainable Long Island; is a founding officer and current co-chair of ERASE Racism; a board member emerita of the Long Island Community Foundation; and a director of the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA).

For more information contact Dr. Miriam Deitsch at 631-420-2751.

Farmingdale’s Social Science Research Instituteencourages and implements multidisciplinary social science research to benefit the residents and organizations of Long Island, and, more broadly, the state, the nation, and the world.  It promotes excellence guided by ethics in fostering scientific and social advances.   The Institute aims to foster social justice and equality in the region through community involvement and individual empowerment and to inspire students to increase their community involvement and maintain a lifelong commitment to social equity and justice.

Farmingdale State College prepares students with the education, skills, and critical thinking needed to meet tomorrow’s challenges. As the largest of SUNY’s colleges of technology (with almost 8,700 students), FSC equips students with the resources and knowledge sought by today’s emerging industries. Offering bachelor and associate degrees, FSC will soon offer its first graduate program.  At FSC, students learn in small, personalized classes and have abundant opportunities for applied learning—internships, clinical training, and guided research—that provide practical instruction and personal growth. Located an hour east of Manhattan, the campus offers residential halls, a lush 380-acre campus undergoing major renovation, and a highly successful NCAA Division III athletics program with modern facilities to make FSC one of the fastest-growing colleges in the region. In addition, in 2015, 2014 and 2013, FSC was listed one of the best colleges in the North and in 2013 FSC was the only SUNY school (and the only LI school) listed in the LEAST debt category in the section titled Student Debt Load at Graduation for regional colleges in the north. In 2015 UniversityPrimeTime.com again listed FSC the fifth safest college in the nation. Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/farmingdale.

(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Chad A. Lupinacci (R,C,I-South Huntington) recently joined Town of Babylon Supervisor Rick Schaffer and other local elected officials to announce the success of the New York State Property Tax Cap Rebate. Lupinacci applauded the rebate program, saying Town of Babylon residents will be receiving an average return of $313.

Assemblyman Lupinacci (Far left) celebrates tax rebate success with elected officials. Photo Credit: NYS.

“I am proud to join my state and county colleagues in giving back to the Babylon community,” Lupinacci said. “I applaud Supervisor Schaffer and each of my colleagues here today – it is my hope that we will continue to find ways to alleviate the overwhelming tax burden that New York residents face statewide,” said Lupinacci.

(Long Island, NY) The Fifth Squad is investigating a Robbery that occurred on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 2:30 am in Elmont.

According to detectives, a male victim, 24, was walking on Hempstead Turnpike near Wellington Road when he was approached from behind by three male subjects. The subjects pushed the victim to the ground and began hitting and kicking him about the body.

Nassau County Police are investigating a Robbery that occurred on Saturday, March 19 in Elmont. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

The subjects then took the victims’ wallet containing an undetermined amount of US currency and two (2) debit cards and fled the scene in an unknown direction. The victim responded to the hospital by private auto for treatment of his non-life threatening injuries.

Subject # 1 is described as a light skin male with a goatee, wearing a black hat. No further description for the two (2) remaining subjects.

Detectives request anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.

(Long Island, NY) Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued the following statement on his agreement with FanDuel and DraftKings:

“I’m pleased to announce that both FanDuel and DraftKings will stop taking bets in New York State, consistent with New York State law and the cease-and-desist orders my office issued at the outset of this matter. As I’ve said from the start, my job is to enforce the  law, and starting today, DraftKings and FanDuel will abide by it.  Today’s agreement also creates an expedited path to resolve this litigation should that law change or upon a decision by the appellate division.  Regardless, our key claims against the companies for false advertising and consumer fraud are not affected by the agreement and will continue.”

Copies of the agreements can be found here and here.