Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Wasted Talent

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Wasted Talent: Wasted Talent St. Ray and Goldman Sachs alum guns down dealer over $35 #NYPD #GoldmanSachs #StRaymonds BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 13- Distri...

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Wasted Talent

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Wasted Talent: Wasted Talent St. Ray and Goldman Sachs alum guns down dealer over $35 #NYPD #GoldmanSachs #StRaymonds BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 13- Distri...

Wasted Talent

Wasted Talent

St. Ray and Goldman Sachs alum guns down dealer over $35

#NYPD #GoldmanSachs #StRaymonds

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 13- District Attorney Robert Johnson announces the conviction of Alexis Sanchez for the murder of 42-year-old Stephen Mari. 

Following a two-week long trial and a day-and-a half-long deliberation, a jury on February 11th found Sanchez guilty of: murder in the second Degree (Class A Felony) and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (Class C Violent Felony).

Sanchez was a graduate of St. Raymond’s High School in the Bronx and employed as a computer tech at Goldman Sachs.  Sanchez was also a drug addict. But by November 2, 2011 he had been out of that job for a few weeks and looking to score heroin from his regular dealer, Stephen Mari.

Sanchez was going to be $35 short on a $180 drug deal. So he lured Mari into the alleyway between 1523 and 1525 Purdy Street near Parkchester. That is where he took a .380 semi-automatic handgun and shot at Mari eight times, hitting him with six of those bullets, severing his victim’s spleen, intestines, lung, spinal cord, with one of those bullets entering the 42-year-old father’s head and brain. 

The shooter then left his dealer to die in that alleyway, which was just a half block from his old high school. Speeding off in his mother’s SUV, Sanchez would remain at large for another nine months, thinking he had gotten away with murder. Once under arrest, Sanchez gave a video statement to Bronx Assistant D.A. Joshua Gradinger in which he recreated his version of the events with Detective Robert Schlosser of the 43rd Precinct (still from video below).

At trial, Sanchez claimed Mari had kidnapped him because of the money shortfall, that the dealer had pulled a gun, and that he had wrestled it from the much larger man, reluctantly firing eight times. But those facts were refuted by a forensic pathologist who took the stand and other testimony during trial, and ultimately disbelieved by the jury.0

Sanchez faces up to 40 years to life in prison. He will be sentenced on March 6, 2015 before Justice Margaret Clancy, Bronx Supreme Court.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Repeat Felon has Crack Heads See the Light

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Repeat Felon has Crack Heads See the Light: Repeat Felon has Crack Heads See the Light Vicious stabbing leads to life changing event #NYPD #DA #Crackheads #Bronxnews BRONX, NEW YORK, ...

Repeat Felon has Crack Heads See the Light

Repeat Felon has Crack Heads See the Light

Vicious stabbing leads to life changing event

#NYPD #DA #Crackheads #Bronxnews

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 12- District Attorney Robert Johnson announced the sentencing of a repeat violent felon, Octavio Rivera, to 17 years behind bars, following a conviction that arose from a dispute over drugs and money.

Walter Romaine wanted to smoke some crack, but he did not want to smoke it alone. So he asked his friend Flossey Samuels to come along to his apartment on Creston Avenue the morning of August 2, 2012.            But they were followed by Rivera – who proceeded to demand Walter’s cash and phone – and when he got it, struck out with a knife.

Flossey, terrified but in control, managed to call 911 for the critically injured Walter Romaine, who, slashed in the face and ear, and stabbed in the chest, would require surgery to repair a punctured lung and torn aorta.

In August of last year Rivera was convicted by a jury of assault in the first degree, a Class B violent felony, as well as criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor. 

Before Justice Dominic R. Massaro, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison with five years post-release supervision, after being adjudged a predicate violent felon, a provision of the New York State Criminal Law by which defendants who have been convicted of previous qualifying violent felonies are given tougher sentences than they would normally have gotten. 

This was Rivera’s second violent felony in a prolific life of crime. At age 38, Rivera has spent more time in prison than out during his adult life for a laundry list of crimes, more than two dozen cases adjudicated in the Bronx alone, most involving the criminal possession and sale of drugs, but also including a half-dozen felonies including grand larceny, robbery, harassment, assault and criminal trespass.

But the story does not end there. Although Rivera will be spending the nearly two decades behind bars, Flossey Samuels and Walter Romaine’s stories involve recovery and success.

Flossey, now age 44, admits she was a lifelong drug addict who at times turned to prostitution to feed her habit. After this horrific 2012 incident and drug arrests in 2012 and 2013, she accepted plea agreements that saw her enter TASC, an alternative treatment program for drug offenders. And it worked. Clean of drugs for a year and a half now, she has made a remarkable comeback, making progress on getting her younger children back, working toward her GED, and newly engaged to be married.

Walter Romaine, although still coping with lingering injuries from the horrific attack, also entered drug treatment with equal success. The 39-year-old continues his drug-free progress and is working with a food services company.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Drivers Boiling Mad After Blaz Tells Them to Move ...

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Drivers Boiling Mad After Blaz Tells Them to Move ...: Drivers Boiling Mad After Blaz Tells Them to Move It #Snow #Drivers #deBlasio By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 11- For at least...

Drivers Boiling Mad After Blaz Tells Them to Move It

Drivers Boiling Mad After Blaz Tells Them to Move It

#Snow #Drivers #deBlasio

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 11- For at least the last two weeks the city has suspended the alternate side parking rules, so the plowed snow has turned into blocks of ice that have encased vehicles across the borough and many Bronxites believe the city's decision to lift the suspension was just plain wrong.

The suspension was lifted on Tuesday, February 10, and many area drivers were furious with the decision.

One young woman who declined to give her name, had been busy breaking the ice for three-hours outside Herbert H. Lehman College in Bedford Park.

The woman blurted out, "It sucks man, because now I have to take the car and then I won’t find parking when I comeback because of all this ice."

"It's very difficult," the woman continued, "It took me three hours to get out of this spot. There's no way an elderly person can do this."

Asked if officials made an error in the decision, she replied, "Absolutely."

Carmen Ortiz was slightly older and a little more angry as she was breaking and shoveling the blocks of ice near Villa Avenue when she said, "It's stupid and ridiculous. I don't even think I can do it myself."

Ortiz eventually won her battle with the elements and as her reward, she was able to pull her truck out before being slapped with a $65 summons-- and traffic agents were on patrol.

Before leaving, Ortiz replied, "It's too cold and there's too much ice. I think the mayor made a mistake."

Another driver, iced in near Paul Avenue summed it up best, stating, "I think it's a mistake. I think they could have waited a couple of days when they have forecastered rain, that will wash it all away."

Another driver, Herman Vela, stuck on Jerome Avenue, also sounded off, "Even without the snow it's tough to find parking sometimes. I at least hope they take all the snow away, so we can park properly."

Vela added, "I think they made a good choice, because it's time now to move" the vehicles.

But when asked about his elderly neighbors, Vela replied, "Oh that's different man. I guess they have to find somebody to help them."

Wiley Norvell, a spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio was asked about the decision, when he stated, "The DOT (Department of Transportation) is the agency with jurisdiction over that, but obviously we all coordinate.

Norwell said the decision was decided by the DOT, Department of Sanitation and the mayor's office.

Norwell continued, "Anytime decisions are made about alternate side parking, whether to suspend it or reinstate, it's made in full coordination across multiple agencies."

Norwell then added, "Obviously, this has a lot to do with the Department of Sanitation and their ability to sweep the curb and that kind of stuff."

Norweel then ended the interview, asking for an e-mail request for any additional comment.

A written request was then sent to the mayor's office asking if they were planning on plowing the ice before the street sweeper moves in.

The DOT could not immediately say if it was 14 days or 18 days since the alternate side parking suspension went into effect-- during the suspension the city has issued $0 in summonses for alternate side parking.

A response from both the mayor's office and the Department of Transportation were not returned before the deadline for this article.