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June 29, 2023

Greetings, 

Happy Summertiime! I hope we have a pleasant, safe season.

These past weeks, I joined the community during events observing National Gun Violence Awareness Month. My Office joined a Peace Walk in Morrisania. I was honored to join Rep. Ritchie Torres and the family of Angellyh Yambo, as he unveiled his proposed federal law that would expand gun-free zones around schools to 5,000 feet, include early childhood education programs in the protected area, and prohibit the sale and possession of ghost guns. 

June marks Pride Month, and I was happy to celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community in the Bronx and across the city.

I was delighted to attend several Juneteenth celebrations, honoring the hard fought struggle toward Emancipation and the fight for equality. 

June 15, 2023 was World Elder Abuse Day, which raises awareness of the many abuses our seniors can fall victim to, including physical and emotional abuse, and financial crimes. A few weeks ago, we indicted two separate cases for fraud against seniors. My Office will continue to bring justice for our elderly victims.

In service, 

Darcel D. Clark

Bronx District Attorney

On June 21, District Attorney Clark stood in support of Congressman Ritchie Torres’ proposed legislation, the Angellyh Yambo Gun Free Zone Expansion Act of 2023. This federal law would expand gun-free zones around schools to 5,000 feet and include early childhood education programs in the protected area, and prohibit sale and possession of ghost guns. The act is named for the 16-year-old Bronx girl who was fatally shot by a teen with a ghost gun near her high school. “These weapons are a major threat to public safety and are being used in crimes more and more in our city,” said District Attorney Clark. “Naming the proposed legislation for Angellyh is poignantly appropriate, as her family has channeled their grief into advocacy against gun violence.”

On June 21, our Community Affairs Unit and District Attorney Clark attended the Peace Walk Against Gun Violence hosted by our community partners: S.O.S Bronx, Stand Up To Violence (SUV), Release The Grip (RTG), Guns Down, Life Up, B.R.A.G and more. There were about 80 people who attended the Morrisania peace walk.

On June 23, District Attorney Clark and New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber announced the indictment of Correction Officer Vinette Tucker-Frederick, 41, for falsifying suicide training completion for 74 officers in one of the Rikers Island jails. The defendant is being charged with Tampering with Public Records, Identity Theft and Official Misconduct. “...the defendant allegedly provided a group of officers the personal identification and login information for scores of officers on leave and allegedly directed them to take the training for their colleagues,” said Clark. “In the first two weeks of May 2021, scores of officers unknowingly were credited with taking the training despite the fact that they weren't even on Rikers Island...” Tucker-Frederick is due back in court on September 12, 2023. 

On June 22, Dane Richardson, 40, was sentenced to 83 years to life in prison for killing two men and wounding a third in two shootings in 2019. According to the investigation, Richardson shot Nestor Ventura, 26, multiple times leading to his death on August 18, 2019. Three months later, the defendant shot and killed Stephon Brown, 19, and shot and wounded his brother, Rory Brown, 21, leading to his hospitalization. On December 4, 2019, Richardson was arrested at a motel on the New England Thruway, where he was found to be in possession of crack cocaine.

On June 20, FDNY Firefighter Sylus McKenzie, 33, was indicted for stealing credit cards from a deceased man during an EMS call. According to the investigation by the Department of Investigation and our Public Integrity Bureau, McKenzie responded to a 911 call for an unresponsive male in Manhattan. The man was pronounced dead shortly after McKenzie arrived. After McKenzie left the scene and other first responders were preparing to seal the location, it was discovered that multiple credit cards of the deceased were missing from the apartment. McKenzie attempted to make purchases at a Sunoco Gas Station, Food Bazaar and tried to buy AirPods at a Target; a total of $1,123.21 using the stolen credit cards. The defendant is due back in court on September 7.

On June 15, District Attorney Clark announced separate indictments for two men who were stealing from elderly people. The first defendant, Paul Frieary, 69, who had a law office on Riverdale Avenue, is charged with second-degree Grand Larceny and other charges. According to an investigation, between July 2014 to January 2021 the defendant took thousands of dollars from victims in retainer fees to represent them in their real estate closing, and allegedly never dispersed money to clients when he received money from buyers. The second defendant, Rudolf Drauch, 60, allegedly almost depleted a 95-year-old woman’s savings by alleged check fraud. “A 95-year old woman who does not speak English entrusted her checkbook to someone,” said District Attorney Clark. “Allegedly, the checks wound up in the hands of the defendant, who cashed over $120,000 worth of checks. It’s a cautionary tale for everyone, particularly seniors, that no one should give their account information to anyone unless they have made sure the person is trustworthy.” 

On June 19, District Attorney Clark marched in NY State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s Juneteenth Rally. Many community officials, organizations and the Laborers’ International Union of North America participated in the celebration.

On June 25, District Attorney Clark and BXDA staff participated in the NYC Pride March, the iconic celebration in Manhattan.

On June 17, District Attorney Clark spoke at Da Bronx Pride Festival in Longwood. It was a joyful event filled with love. 

The Bronx DA’s Office held a pride celebration for staff featuring Nuyorican Poets Cafe’s Executive Director Nicco Diaz, singer and songwriter Frankie Allday, and Destination Tomorrow’s Sage Rivera.

On June 5, we kicked off our summer internship program for law school and college students. We enrolled a total of 94 interns-- 63 students from 28 law schools in New York and across the nation, and 31 undergrads from colleges throughout the New York area, including 15 students who are from the Bronx. We hope they have a positive and empowering experience as they see firsthand how the criminal justice system works. The program ends on July 28.

The Bronx District Attorney’s Office is one of the largest employers in the Bronx. We are committed to pursuing justice with integrity by providing services to victims of crime and prosecuting the accused fairly. Whether you join our legal or professional staff, you will be provided with training, mentorship and opportunities for professional development. The collegial and collaborative environment will provide you with not just a job, but a home for building a career in criminal justice. Check out the wide variety of opportunities– IT, interpreters, digital forensic examiner, and clerical staff–we have available.

Our Domestic Violence Bureau is looking for a File Clerk. The person in this role is responsible for all aspects of organizing, retrieving, and maintaining the files of the Domestic Violence Bureau. The responsibilities of this role also include requesting and retrieving evidence for legal staff and documenting the complaints from civilian witnesses and Police Officers. If you, or someone you know, is interested, please apply here.