A former New York City police officer was arrested over the weekend for allegedly spray-painting anti-Semitic messages on buildings and cars in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.
A school building and 20 private homes and vehicles were splattered with red paint and messages of hate Saturday in what the Jewish Forward dubbed a “vandalism spree.”
Michael Setiawan, 36, a former police officer for New York City’s 69th precinct, was reportedly arrested Sunday and accused of posting the graffiti.
An individual alleged to be Setiawan was caught on a surveillance camera painting the door of the Bnos Zion Bobov School. See footage below:
http://youtu.be/Pk4KbugH410
The messages left on the buildings reportedly included swastikas and terms including “F*** you Jew” and “Jew cheap s***.”
The community was rattled over the incident, with locals and officials decrying the acts.
“Hate is not a Brooklyn value, and I repudiate any lowlife individual who would spread their prejudiced invective,” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said.
Setiawan, who was reportedly sent for a mental evaluation following his arrest, is being charged with hate crimes, including 19 counts of criminal mischief and aggravated harassment, according to the New York Daily News.
A young boy reported the suspect after he said he saw him
spray-painting a car and took down his license plate as he drove away.
Setiawan’s father, Thomas, told media that his son suffered from
depression and suicidal thoughts after leaving the NYPD in 2007, though
he said the family is unsure why he left the force
Showing posts with label aggravated harassment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aggravated harassment. Show all posts
Monday, May 05, 2014
Monday, March 01, 2010
Officer Torrey Sitterly Charged with Aggravated Harassment
A Herkimer village police officer who threatened to kill his former wife earlier this year was allowed to remain on duty with his service weapon until his criminal charge was resolved, officials said Monday.
Officer Torrey Sitterly was charged Jan. 17 with second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor, after he made 19 menacing phone calls within a 20-minute time span to his former wife, Kelly Stalter, of Cooperstown, state police said.
Stalter is a state trooper with Troop C based in Oneonta.
During that series of phone calls, the 31-year-old Sitterly threatened to physically harm Stalter, 29, and her boyfriend, police said. In addition to the misdemeanor charge, a temporary order of protection was also imposed for Sitterly to stay away from Stalter.
State police investigated the case. When Sitterly was charged, however, state police did not issue a press release.
Otsego County prosecutors ultimately adjourned the charge in contemplation of dismissal on Feb. 18 in Oneonta Town Court, which means the charge would be dropped in a year if Sitterly does not break any laws. The order of protection also was dropped last month.
Stalter said she hasn’t had any problems with Sitterly since the arrest, even while she occasionally encounters him during Family Court proceedings.
“I do feel safer now,” Stalter said. “This was just my way of saying I’m not going to allow this to go on anymore, and that he can’t be saying these things or making these kinds of threats.”
Sitterly could not be reached for comment Monday.
While the case was pending, Herkimer Village Police Chief Joseph Malone said he believed there was no need to suspend Sitterly, reassign him to other duties, or prohibit him from carrying a weapon on the job.
Instead, Sitterly was required to secure his firearm at the department while he was off-duty to comply with the order of protection, Malone said Monday.
“Obviously, if we felt there was any kind of threat we would have taken other action,” Malone said, who previously discussed the matter with the village’s Albany-based labor attorney, Bryan Goldberger. “We felt there was no need for any type of action, just based on the circumstances and what I know about it.”
Goldberger could not be reached Monday.
Sitterly, one of the department’s 21 full-time officers, has been with Herkimer Police for three years and previously was employed by the Fort Plain Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Stalter on Monday declined to elaborate on the details of what happened with Sitterly because they have a child together. Their divorce was finalized in August, but they still have matters pending in Family Court, she said.
“Both agencies – state police and the village of Herkimer police – acted in the best manner they could,” said Stalter, whose own Troop C investigated the incident. “They were professional, and both agencies were more than willing to help me with whatever it was that I needed.”
News of Sitterly’s threats drew comparisons to a more serious domestic incident involving a police officer that occurred less four months earlier. In September, Utica police Investigator Joseph Longo Jr. stabbed his wife, Kristin, to death before killing himself shortly after the couple began divorce proceedings.
Now, the Utica Police Department faces a potential lawsuit alleging that it failed to do enough to prevent Longo from killing his wife after she repeatedly expressed concerns about Longo’s mental state. In Longo’s case, however, the department did take away his firearms and reassigned his duties.
Eugene O'Donnell, professor of police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former New York City police officer, said it would be unfair to question Malone’s judgment without knowing how immediate the threat really was.
“You have to be careful as a police chief not to rush to judgment,” O’Donnell said. “If there’s going to be a perception that the chief’s kneejerk reaction is to immediately take adverse personnel action against an officer, then that could result in a collapse of morale at the agency. Punish first and inquire later is not fair, and it’s not the right way to do things.”
Sitterly is the latest among a series of Herkimer police officers to find themselves in trouble with the law:
* Investigator Robert Risi, 42, currently is serving 1 to 3 years in state prison after he admitted to stealing nearly $16,000 from the Herkimer Police Department’s evidence room to fuel his gambling addiction.
* Officer Shauna Wright, 40, was charged by state police with second-degree harassment, a violation, in May 2009 following a confrontation with her sister-in-law, Heather Wright, in the parking lot at West Canada High School. Shauna Wright was ticketed to appear in Newport Town Court, but the outcome of that case could not be determined Monday.
Malone acknowledged these incidents involving the three officers have placed a dark cloud over the department.
“Do we suffer a black eye for a while? Yes, but you retain your professionalism and move on,” Malone said. “Everyone has problems in their lives, and we’re obviously held to a higher standard in the public’s eye, so it becomes more of an issue than the people we deal with on a daily basis with these same issues that aren’t police officers.”
Officer Torrey Sitterly was charged Jan. 17 with second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor, after he made 19 menacing phone calls within a 20-minute time span to his former wife, Kelly Stalter, of Cooperstown, state police said.
Stalter is a state trooper with Troop C based in Oneonta.
During that series of phone calls, the 31-year-old Sitterly threatened to physically harm Stalter, 29, and her boyfriend, police said. In addition to the misdemeanor charge, a temporary order of protection was also imposed for Sitterly to stay away from Stalter.
State police investigated the case. When Sitterly was charged, however, state police did not issue a press release.
Otsego County prosecutors ultimately adjourned the charge in contemplation of dismissal on Feb. 18 in Oneonta Town Court, which means the charge would be dropped in a year if Sitterly does not break any laws. The order of protection also was dropped last month.
Stalter said she hasn’t had any problems with Sitterly since the arrest, even while she occasionally encounters him during Family Court proceedings.
“I do feel safer now,” Stalter said. “This was just my way of saying I’m not going to allow this to go on anymore, and that he can’t be saying these things or making these kinds of threats.”
Sitterly could not be reached for comment Monday.
While the case was pending, Herkimer Village Police Chief Joseph Malone said he believed there was no need to suspend Sitterly, reassign him to other duties, or prohibit him from carrying a weapon on the job.
Instead, Sitterly was required to secure his firearm at the department while he was off-duty to comply with the order of protection, Malone said Monday.
“Obviously, if we felt there was any kind of threat we would have taken other action,” Malone said, who previously discussed the matter with the village’s Albany-based labor attorney, Bryan Goldberger. “We felt there was no need for any type of action, just based on the circumstances and what I know about it.”
Goldberger could not be reached Monday.
Sitterly, one of the department’s 21 full-time officers, has been with Herkimer Police for three years and previously was employed by the Fort Plain Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Stalter on Monday declined to elaborate on the details of what happened with Sitterly because they have a child together. Their divorce was finalized in August, but they still have matters pending in Family Court, she said.
“Both agencies – state police and the village of Herkimer police – acted in the best manner they could,” said Stalter, whose own Troop C investigated the incident. “They were professional, and both agencies were more than willing to help me with whatever it was that I needed.”
News of Sitterly’s threats drew comparisons to a more serious domestic incident involving a police officer that occurred less four months earlier. In September, Utica police Investigator Joseph Longo Jr. stabbed his wife, Kristin, to death before killing himself shortly after the couple began divorce proceedings.
Now, the Utica Police Department faces a potential lawsuit alleging that it failed to do enough to prevent Longo from killing his wife after she repeatedly expressed concerns about Longo’s mental state. In Longo’s case, however, the department did take away his firearms and reassigned his duties.
Eugene O'Donnell, professor of police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former New York City police officer, said it would be unfair to question Malone’s judgment without knowing how immediate the threat really was.
“You have to be careful as a police chief not to rush to judgment,” O’Donnell said. “If there’s going to be a perception that the chief’s kneejerk reaction is to immediately take adverse personnel action against an officer, then that could result in a collapse of morale at the agency. Punish first and inquire later is not fair, and it’s not the right way to do things.”
Sitterly is the latest among a series of Herkimer police officers to find themselves in trouble with the law:
* Investigator Robert Risi, 42, currently is serving 1 to 3 years in state prison after he admitted to stealing nearly $16,000 from the Herkimer Police Department’s evidence room to fuel his gambling addiction.
* Officer Shauna Wright, 40, was charged by state police with second-degree harassment, a violation, in May 2009 following a confrontation with her sister-in-law, Heather Wright, in the parking lot at West Canada High School. Shauna Wright was ticketed to appear in Newport Town Court, but the outcome of that case could not be determined Monday.
Malone acknowledged these incidents involving the three officers have placed a dark cloud over the department.
“Do we suffer a black eye for a while? Yes, but you retain your professionalism and move on,” Malone said. “Everyone has problems in their lives, and we’re obviously held to a higher standard in the public’s eye, so it becomes more of an issue than the people we deal with on a daily basis with these same issues that aren’t police officers.”
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Investigator James Talford Arrested for Harassment
A 21-year veteran of the State Police found himself on the other side of the law today after he was arrested for the alleged aggravated harassment against two Ontario residents, troopers said.
Investigator James W. Talford, 45, who is assigned to the Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit in Buffalo, was issued appearance tickets for misdemeanor charges including two counts of aggravated harassment, attempted falsifying of business records and official misconduct.
State Police officials would not disclose additional information about the specifics of Talford's alleged actions except to say an investigation is continuing.
"The criminal and internal investigation is ongoing at this point," said Trooper Rebecca Gibbons, State Police spokeswoman.
Talford -- who, according to public records, lists a home address in East Amherst -- is currently suspended without pay pending the internal affairs probe, Gibbons said.
State Police were involved in the joint investigation of Talford that also included investigators from the Erie County District Attorney's office and the Niagara Regional Police in St. Catharines, Ont.
Niagara Regional Police were not able to provide details late Wednesday as to the complaints alleged against Talford by the apparent victims, who live in the Niagara Region.
Talford is expected to be back in Buffalo City Court at 9 a.m. Aug. 12 to answer the alleged criminal charges against him.
Investigator James W. Talford, 45, who is assigned to the Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit in Buffalo, was issued appearance tickets for misdemeanor charges including two counts of aggravated harassment, attempted falsifying of business records and official misconduct.
State Police officials would not disclose additional information about the specifics of Talford's alleged actions except to say an investigation is continuing.
"The criminal and internal investigation is ongoing at this point," said Trooper Rebecca Gibbons, State Police spokeswoman.
Talford -- who, according to public records, lists a home address in East Amherst -- is currently suspended without pay pending the internal affairs probe, Gibbons said.
State Police were involved in the joint investigation of Talford that also included investigators from the Erie County District Attorney's office and the Niagara Regional Police in St. Catharines, Ont.
Niagara Regional Police were not able to provide details late Wednesday as to the complaints alleged against Talford by the apparent victims, who live in the Niagara Region.
Talford is expected to be back in Buffalo City Court at 9 a.m. Aug. 12 to answer the alleged criminal charges against him.
_________________________
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/northernsuburbs/story/748734.html?imw=Y
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/northernsuburbs/story/748734.html?imw=Y
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
More Information on Officer John W. Lewis Arrested for the Third Time
SCHENECTADY
Schenectady Police Officer John W. Lewis was arrested Monday for the third time in seven months, this time accused of threatening to kill his ex-wife.
Lewis, 39, of Oregon Avenue, was charged with third-degree stalking and second-degree aggravated harassment, both misdemeanors. He is accused of threatening Allison Fitz Lewis, his former wife, three times last week and a fourth time in August, each alleged incident spelled out in court papers.
In a telephone conversation with his ex-wife Saturday, Lewis allegedly told her he would be at her house every night and, if she were not there, he would go looking for her.
“He further stated that if he found her with someone, he was going to kill whoever she was with and kill her,” the court paperwork reads.
Each of Lewis’ three arrests since April have come as his marriage dissolved. The divorce was final in September, county records show.
After each arrest, he has been suspended without pay for 30 days, as he was Monday. Between the suspensions he returned to the payroll, but not to work.
Lewis was arraigned Monday and released to return to court Nov. 24. His listed attorney, Michael Horan, did not return a call for comment. Police union President Lt. Robert Hamilton also did not return a call.
Lewis was first charged in April, accused of the violation of harassment of his estranged wife. The case stemmed from allegations that he grabbed and pushed his wife during a dispute over their child. He was acquitted of that in June in a City Court trial.
In the meantime, however, he was also charged with a more serious count of criminal contempt, accused of violating an order of protection issued in the harassment case. In that case, he is accused of phoning the woman several times, driving by her and going to her work. The contempt case remains pending.
The latest allegations are more explicit, including direct threats. Papers reference four separate alleged incidents, one each Nov. 4, 7, and 8 and one Aug. 13.
In the August incident, Lewis allegedly told his ex-wife he was coming to her new boyfriend’s house to talk to her. Lewis also allegedly told her he would never let her be with anyone else.
The divorce was final in late September.
On Nov. 4, Lewis allegedly told his ex-wife personal items from her e-mail. Three days later, at about 4:30 a.m., Lewis repeatedly rang her door bell, asking whom she was with, according to papers.
It was on Saturday that Lewis allegedly told her he would keep coming over to her house, and then threatened to kill her.
Monday’s charges did not include a new contempt charge. The previous order of protection expired with the June acquittal. A new order, however, was issued Monday.
Lewis in July filed a notice of claim against the city, alleging that the city Police Department worked with his ex-wife to force him from his job, publicly embarrass him and create a hostile work environment, according to the notice.
He also alleged that police refused to accept an application for a warrant in which Lewis was the victim and to acknowledge his status as a victim of his ex-wife and another woman.
City officials tried to get Lewis fired 10 years ago over accusations that he used a racial slur during an off-duty incident on Feb. 27, 1998, behind the city police headquarters on Liberty Street. Several people overheard the remark.
Lewis kept his job after an arbitrator ruled that the city was “unduly harsh” in firing him.
Kevin Luibrand, Lewis’ attorney in the claim against the city, said Monday his client has since gone on disability for an undisclosed ailment. Nothing new has happened with the possible lawsuit, Luibrand said. He said it would be inappropriate for him to comment further.
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