A Spring Valley man convicted of three violent felonies yesterday faces 25 years in prison on each count. Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh says 26 year-old Rigoberto Lopez Castro raped a Spring Valley woman twice in September two years ago. Walsh says during one of the incidents Castro held a belt to the victim’s neck and hit her multiple times. He was convicted of two counts of rape and one count of burglary. He’s being held in the Rockland County Jail awaiting sentencing in June.
Breaking News
Report: Family Appealing Judge’s Decision to Toss Lawsuit Against Spring Valley Police
The family of a Spring Valley woman who died during a confrontation with village police several years ago is appealing a state judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit claiming negligence by the cops. The Journal News reported the family of 53 year-old Tina Davis claimed her January 2020 death was caused by the Spring Valley police. Supreme Court Justice Sherri Eisenpress found that officers acted within department policy when they gave Davis medical aid as they were waiting for medical professionals to arrive on-scene. The medical examiner had reported that Davis died as a result of “cardiac arrest due to acute cocaine and alcohol intoxication with seizure activity, agitated behavior, and police restraint.” Police had responded on January 4th, 2020, to a 911 call reporting Davis was breaking car windows and chasing a person on Bethune Boulevard and Fred Hecht Drive. A 2021 report by New York’s Attorney General cleared the police of any criminal acts, but suggested officers undergo better training for dealing with people with mental health issues.
Nyack Man Indicted by Rockland Grand Jury in March Slashing Incident on Main Street
A Nyack man has been indicted by a Rockland County Grand Jury for Assault, stemming from an incident two weeks ago. Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh says 63 year-old Eddie Sanchez was arguing with a 46 year-old man from Orangetown when he slashed the victim across the face, leaving him with a four-inch long wound on the left side of his lower cheek requiring nearly 30 stitches. The incident took place on the sidewalk on Main Street in Nyack and Walsh says it was witnessed by several people. Walsh says Sanchez fled the scene but was caught a short time later. Sanchez faces up to 25 years in state prison if convicted of the top charge. He is currently on probation from a prior conviction from an assault just last year.
Three Former Monsey Men Convicted in Kidnapping of Two Children
Three brothers formerly from Monsey face up to 30 years in prison after being convicted in Federal Court Wednesday in the 2018 kidnapping of two children. They were part of a fringe sect of ultra-Orthodox Judaism called Lev Tahor. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams says Yoil, Yakov, and Shmiel Weingarten were found guilty of kidnapping a 12-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl and taking the girl outside the United States to continue a sexual relationship with her adult male ‘husband.’ Williams said they helped foster forced child marriages, physical beatings, and family separations, causing “irreparable harm to children in their formative years.” Sentencing is scheduled for July 9th.
Rockland County Executive, County, Sue MTA and TBTA over Congestion Pricing Plan
Rockland County Executive Ed Day and the County of Rockland have filed a lawsuit against the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority over their proposed Congestion Pricing plan. This comes as the MTA voted today to approve the congestion pricing plan, clearing another hurdle in its quest to charge drivers $15 to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street. Day says the toll is illegal, and violates the Equal Protection Clause of the New York State and United States Constitutions…
Day says the plan runs afoul of the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits excessive fines, by penalizing an otherwise legal activity. Today’s vote was 11-1 in favor of the plan. It’s not a done deal yet, as litigation and possible an act of Congress could bring it to a halt. If not, it could be in effect by mid-June.