This is list of various allegations, arrests, indictments, convictions, plea deals, terminations and “unexpected resignations” (where an employee is allowed to resign, often to protect their pension, before being fired or charged with a crime) involving public sector employees in New Rochelle, primarily those working for the City of New Rochelle or the City School District of New Rochelle. The information comes from a variety of sources, some police and court records and others from inside sources. To the best of our belief this information is accurate but if you have corrections, additional information, corrections or new information please contact us so we can update this page. Note, if a person is no longer employed, their title at time of employment separation is indicated.
After the arrest of former DPW Fleet Manager Richard Fevang City Manager, Charles B. Strome made a public statement claiming that he holds all employees to the highest ethical standards and that he would stack up their ethics against anyone. To his credit, Schools Superintendent Richard Organisciak has never made a similar claim (with good reason).
CURRENT OPEN CASES
Roberto Silva: Arrested for public lewdness, having sex with another man in Saxon Woods Park.
Walter Vanderberg: Arrested for driving without a license after crashing his car into a woman in a wheel chair on North Avenue.
Nana Boahene: Arrested for disorderly conduct, threatening an NRPD officer.
Anthony Newman: Sexually assaulted a woman as City Hall.
Tino D’Abruzzo: Allegations of extortion, bribery.
John Caldararo Falsified building records at Huguenot Hills.
Noel Shaw: Falsified building records at Huguenot Hills.
Richard Fevang: Awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to top charge in 66 count fraud indictment.
Domenic Procopio: Too numerous to count.
Det. Jeff Wilson (retired): Federal RICO lawsuit pending
Kim Nieves: Alleged violation of New York State election laws.
Leroy Manuel: Currently under investigation by Westchester County District Attorney Sex Crimes Unit.
Robert McLean: Currently under investigation by Westchester County District Attorney Sex Crimes Unit.
Kyle Figueroa: Currently under investigation by Westchester County District Attorney Sex Crimes Unit.
Walter Hubbard: Currently under investigation by Westhchester County District Attorney Sex Crimes Unit.
MAIN LIST
New Rochelle City Government
Development Department/Building
Tino D’Abruzzo (building inspector): “unexpectedly resigned” following allegations of extortion, bribery, falsifying business records, partial no-show job.
John Caldararo (senior building inspector): arrested for DWI, licensed revoked, falsifying business records (Huguenot Hills).
Noel Shaw (former buildings department head): Falsifying business records (Huguenot Hills).
Tom Taylor (building inspector): “unexpectedly resigned” following allegations of sexual harassment.
Public Works Department
Richard Fevang (DPW Fleet Manager): “unexpectedly resigned” shortly before indictment on 66 counts of fraud by Westchester County District Attorney, arrested by DA’s office, plead guilty to top count in September 2011, awaiting sentencing in January. At the time he was hired as Fleet Manager, Fevang had been arrested for DWI repeatedly and sent to jail for 20 days after his wife alleged he beat her up.
Brian Acorn (DPW): allegedly falsified business records (under orders from Fevang)
Carlos Valencia: “unexpectedly resigned” allegedly falsified business records (under orders from Fevang)
Renato Sansato (DPW): Arrested for assault after allegedly pulling a guy out of a bar and beating him up for failure to pay loans made by Sansato. Sansato was fired following his arrest but was later found “not guilty”. Sansato told Talk of the Sound that people borrowed money from him in City Hall but since his termination these people are not repaying the loans he made.
Joe Cotroneo (DPW): Caught clearing private lot owned by former Council Member Roberto Lopez on City time, using city equipment and personnel, terminated for cause in June 2011.
Walter Vanderberg (DPW): Arrested by New Rochelle police after he hit a woman in a wheel chair crossing North Avenue. There have been numerous issues with Vanderberg and his lack of a drivers license while working as a driver for the DPW. He was arrested because he did not have a driver’s license.
City Hall Administration
Jason Martinez (IT Department): Arrested by undercover DA officers for drug dealing (ecstasy pills). Live-in girlfriend/fiancé an elementary school teacher (Patricia Martinez) in the New Rochelle school system. Detectives from the DA’s office found a marijuana farm where the pair lived with a young child, opted not to arrest the mother out of concern for the child.
Domenic Procopio (Civil Service Commission): Cheated on property taxes, improperly took STAR and Combat Veteran exemptions for 8 years, improperly denied jobs, failed to select from eligibility list, failed to post job opening notices, failed to hold public meetings. Required to make restitution after Talk of the Sound story on illegal Combat Veteran exemptions.
Beverly Silverman, Civil Service: “Unexpectedly Resigned” after caught paying family members for no-show jobs as civil service exam proctors; a teacher in the New Rochelle school system and the wife of a New Rochelle police officer (Alan Silverman?).
New Rochelle Police Department
Detective Jeff Wilson (NRPD): allegations of malicious prosecution, harassment, unlawful arrest in Stephenson Boulevard case in Federal lawsuit.
Detective Bruce Daniele (NRPD): founding member of NRPD P.A.C.T. Unit’s illegal gambling and pornography web site, ran a $50,000 a year gambling operation based on “box betting” scheme. Currently school security administrator for the New Rochelle school district.
Sergeant David Rodriguez (NRPD): arrested following alleged rape of 17-year old girl,reportedly one of many sexual indiscretions by Rodriquez on and off duty. Wife is news anchor for WNBC-TV morning program who served as Master of Ceremonies for Annual Police Foundation dinner>
Police Officer Kenneth Frank, (NRPD): Burned his car and boat in insurance fraud scheme, caught working a side job while on disability leave.
Police Officer Alan Silverman: Looking to determine if this is the son of Beverly Silverman.
Police Officer John Pastore (NRPD): Drove drunk, drove vehicle into Carlyn’s Cove bar in Larchmont, NY.
Police Officer Jamillah Blair (NRPD): “unexpectedly resigned” prior to hearing convened following her arrest for DWI and leaving the scene of an accident. The person she left at the scene was seriously injured. She ran away and was found later by police hiding in her home.
Detective Timothy McKnight (NRPD): recently suspended for 10 days for being out of the house while sick [under NRPD police you must be home while on sick leave unless granted permission by the desk officer, other officers caught for the same thing got 30 day suspensions]
Police Officer Matthew McCarrick (NRPD): Burglary, 1996.
Police Officer John DeLeno (NRPD): Along with Lucchese, alleged to have raped and sodomized a civilian police dispatcher from NRPD while they were off duty, 1996. Acquitted but fired after a departmental hearing.
Police Officer Gary Lucchese, NRPD: Along with DeLeno, alleged to have raped and sodomized a civilian police dispatcher from NRPD while they were off duty, 1996. Acquitted but fired after a departmental hearing.
Police Officer Eric Shames, NRPD (retired): Robbed a White Plains liquor store, 1993.
Police Officer Tony Jones, NRPD: “Unexpectedly Resigned” following arrest.
Police Officer Araz Alali (NRPD): Numerous issues, dismissed, sued City for racism.
Police Officer Dom Feola (NRPD): Dismissed following allegations of having sex with a 16 year old girl.
Police Officer Joe Poggoli (NRPD):: Fired after caught lying about an off-duty job, numerous allegations of theft including as PBA president (allegedly took flash light chargers donated by the Foundation, meant for NRPD officers and sold them). Sued the city and won a large amount, used the money to buy an Elton John piano for $50,000.
New Rochelle Planning Board
Roberto Silva (former member): Arrested for public lewdness, having sex with another man in Saxon Woods Park in a Sex-Sting by Westchester County Police.
New Rochelle Public Library Board
Frank Pasquale: Plead guilty in Connecticut to charges stemming from his arrest on charges of criminal attempt at second-degree sexual assault, sentenced to 6 years in prison, online sex sting involving what he thought was a minor.
Other
Dozens of NRPD officers involved with P.A.C.T Unit’s Fantasy Football League, a misogynistic, pornographic, illegal gambling web site.
Carol Galice: Rigged bids on car auction, retired to florida, got caught, required to make restitution.
Police Officer ______ DeMaria (NRPD): murdered a police officer. (need name)
New Rochelle Board of Education
Vito Costa (HVAC, Buildings & Grounds): Investigated and arrested by the Westchester County District Attorney for working a no-show job, falsifying billing records, plead guilty.
Donna Henry (General School Aide, Security): transmitted nude image of a 14-year old girl to two other district employees (her son and her daughter-in-law). Suspended for 30 days with pay, hearing, given a pay increase and relocated to New Rochelle High School.
Jose Martinez (Assistant Principal, Jefferson Elementary School): Arrested for Criminal sexual assault of a minor, plead guilty to a course of action, repeatedly raping a 14-year old boy in his office at the Isaac E. Young Middle School.
Frank DeMasi (Carpenter, Buildings & Grounds): Misappropriation of school equipment, converting school van and tools for personal use.
Patricia Martinez (Trinity School): Jason Martinez, her live-in boyfriend/fiancé, arrested for dealing drugs (ecstasy). Detectives from the DA’s office found a marijuana farm where the pair lived with a young child, opted not to arrest the mother out of concern for the child.
Anthony Bongo (Principal, Isaac E. Young Middle School): Lied to Westchester County Healthy Department following complaints of displaying and consuming tobacco products on school grounds, numerous issues including noose incident, student assaults, sexting of a nude former student by building employees, inexplicable test score results showing clear signs of cheating on state exams, Comptroller sited school for failing to maintain receipts for petty cash, Jose Martinez, a fellow administrator repeatedly raped a 14-year old boy in his office at the school.
Kim Nieves (Principal, Jefferson Elementary School): allegedly violated state election law by gathering petitions for a school board candidate on school grounds. Jose Martinez, her assistant principle, suddenly resigned in March, later plead guilty to repeatedly raping a 14-year old boy.
Kareem Ali (Finance/Special Education) – Sexually harassed a senior official in the finance department; prohibited from having direct contact with the woman and not allowed to walk past a certain point in the hallway on the second floor. Ali resurfaced again when the New Rochelle Public Library discovered $300,000 unaccounted for in 2011. He has since been reassigned to Special Education department.
Anthony Paganico (Painter, Buildings & Grounds): given Painter Working-Foreman position without meeting minimum requirements or passing civil service exam, promoted based on “recommendation” New Rochelle Civil Service Commission run by Domenic Procopio (Anthony Paganico’s father was a sergeant in the New Rochelle Police Department, a neighbor and friend of Domenic Procopio).
Jimmy Bonano, Jr. (Buildings & Grounds): Painted death threat against Robert Cox “Cox Sleeps with the Fishes” on side of a boat owned by his father at the Cliff Street Yard controlled by his father James Bonanno.
Jimmy Bonanno, Sr. (Buildings & Grounds): misappropriation, directed school district employees to perform work on his girlfriend’s house in Orange County.
Danielle Carter (General School Aide, Security): Caught stealing at ShopRite grocery store on Palmer Avenue while wearing her City School District of New Rochelle security uniform. Bruce Daniele intervened, she was released but banned from the store.
Rasool Hassan Williams (Buildings & Grounds): Repeat offender for many years, drug use, drug possession. Arrested while employed by the district. Arrested for murder in Ohio three weeks after leaving employment of New Rochelle school district, convicted, sentenced to life in prison.
Len Ricci (Buildings & Grounds): Hired despite felony drug arrest.
Phil Carino (Janitor): Hung stuffed monkey on a noose, racist
Dianna Wessel (Transportation Direction): Arrested for DWI, drove drunk, flipped SUV, hit three cars, arrested DWI, drugs founds in car.
Freddie Smith (Assistant Superintendent of Schools): Numerous allegations of plagiarism, Doctorate revoked by University of Virginia.
Martin Freiman (Janitor): Suspended for making racist statements to children and staff at Jefferson Elementary School, long history of similar incidents, transferred to Trinity, allegedly runs side business, doing vacuum clear repair work on district time for ServiceMaster (James Purdy, head of all janitors, brings the vacuum cleaners to Freiman to fix).
Leroy Manuel (General School Aide, Security): currently under investigation by Westchester County District Attorney Sex Crimes unit. Manual was engaged in a sexual relationship with a student, as a result of which she became pregnant, moved to Florida and had the baby, sources say.
Robert McLean (General School Aide, Security): currently under investigation by Westchester County District Attorney Sex Crimes unit. McLean has allegedly been involved with a “game”, popular in some Caribbean countries, where takes money from the paychecks of district employees and selects one person each week to “win” the money. After reports that McLean had absconded with the funs two men showed up at New Rochelle High School looking for him, wanting their money back. They bypassed security and went to the security office looking for McLean. At a security meeting about the incident radio code “1010” was designated to indicate that someone was on school grounds looking for McLean. Amounts involved range from hundreds to $10,000 to $15,000.
Kyle Figueroa (General School Aide, Security): currently under investigation by Westchester County District Attorney Sex Crimes unit. Last spring, after the Martinez arrest, Figueroa was caught on camera receiving oral sex from a student in area of Room 105/106, sources say.
Walter Hubbard (Janitor, Alternative High School): Currently under investigation by Westchester County District Attorney Sex Crimes unit. He was terminated, resolution passed in February, caught multiple times viewing pornography on school district computers.
Tony Sinkfield (Janitor, Davis Elementary School): For many years allowed people to play basketball at Davis gym without permits or insurance. They played on Saturday’s starting around 10:00 AM. Sinkfield allegedly gave the organizer a key to get into the gym on weekends. This ended recently after Sinkfield had a run-in with Jimmy Bonanno, Jr. and his father triggered an alarm at the school, sources day. New Rochelle police responded to the alarm but the building was empty by the time they arrived on the scene.
Bruce Daniele (School Security Chief): Hired as security guards Jerome Planter and Geeta Singh based on falsified residency records. Has allowed security guards to continue working after the expiration of their New York State security licenses (Leroy Manuel, Kevin Thomas, Cheryl Minor, Robert McLean). No security/no adults or coaches on bus to baseball practice.
Jerome Planter (General School Aide, Security): Submitted falsified residency records to New Rochelle Civil Service Commission to obtain a position with New Rochelle residency requirement.
Geeta Singh (General School Aide, Security): Submitted falsified residency records to New Rochelle Civil Service Commission to obtain a position with New Rochelle residency requirement.
Anthony Newman (Glazier, Buildings & Grounds Department): Sexually assaulted a district employee in City Hall.
Numerous General School Aides/Security continued working after the expiration of their New York State security licenses. More coming on this.
Other:
_____ Gibson, MVFD, worked security at NRHS, arrested by NRPD for drug dealing at Holy Family by the church, school. pressure brought to bear to get charged dropped. Linda Kelly intervened.
_______________ caught by NRPD dealing cocaine on Shore Road.
Donna Henry Son (Kareeem _____
Donna Henry Daughter In Law (Alison _____)
Louis Apicella
John Gallagher
Anthony Rigos
Beverly Silverman Daughter (need name)