Harrison REVIEW THE
June 24, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 26 | www.harrisonreview.com
2 Dems to lock horns in town board primary By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer
Orlando Strong
Southern Westchester County recently honored the victims of the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando, Florida with two separate candlelight vigils. The LOFT LGBT Community Center in White Plains and the village of Mamaroneck both memorialized those lost in America’s deadliest mass shooting with songs, prayers and statements from elected officials. For coverage, see page 6. Photo/Chris Courtney
Harrison police arrest 3 suspects for fraud, grand larceny By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer Harrison police arrested three suspects in connection with a June 12 theft of a Louis Vuitton tote bag stolen from a locked car parked outside a Purchase-area recreation center. The victim told police that she parked and locked her car outside the recreation center and returned to find the windows down, her driver’s-side door lock damaged, and her designer bag, which she left on the floor of the passenger’s seat, missing. Jonathan Nievees Marrero, Braulio Alejandro Besoain Ortiz and Balentina Naomi Vilches Ledezma were arrested on Thursday, June 16 outside Corona Hotel in Queens, New York
by the Harrison police. Police used video from the site of the crime and sophisticated tracking technology to locate the three suspects, who are reportedly from Chile. But the police were not the only ones using advanced technology. The three suspects had allegedly created fake identities and credit cards, collecting nearly $40,000 of stolen goods and cash in the process. Harrison police seized $15,000 in cash, $4,000 in iTunes gift cards, thousands of dollars in stolen Louis Vuitton wallets, belts, sunglasses, shoes and bags, fake identifications, a social security card and debit cards disguised as Starbucks gift cards. Harrison Police Chief Antho-
ny Marraccini said with the technology available today, even the most seemingly straightforward crimes such as grand larceny can turn into cases of identity theft. Marraccini said the department is collaborating with other law enforcement agencies, including police from Suffolk County on Long Island and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to investigate the extent of their case against the suspects. According to the Harrison Police Department, the suspects are believed to be involved in similar theft and fraud-related crimes across the country. Marraccini speculated that the suspects may be involved in a larger criminal conspiracy due to the advanced technology which they appear to have used.
“I think they must be part of some bigger operation,” he said, “because when we took them down, we didn’t find any machines that could make that type of identification.” The police chief noted that the photo IDs used by the suspects were from Florida, California and Mexico, and carried alleged alias names. One suspect’s identification from Florida did not contain any wording printed on it; Marraccini said the suspect used an ink stamp to forge the blank document. The California identification card had a piece of white tape covering the words “nondriver license.” The suspects are being held without bail at the Westchester ARREST continued on page 5
Two Democrats have announced their candidacies for the town board seat first vacated in January by Joe Canella. Canella abdicated his seat after being elected town justice in November 2015. Councilman Joe Stout, 60, was appointed to the seat by the all-Republican town board in January following Canella’s resignation. Now, Stout is looking to win in November’s special election for the right to fill out the remainder of Cannella’s term, which expires in 2017. But in order to do so, Stout, a registered Democrat, will first face a challenge from within his own party in endorsed candidate Chris Rodier, a political newcomer from West Harrison. Before a Sept. 13 primary becomes official, each candidate will have to gather 260 signatures from registered Democrats in Harrison by July 14. Stout sought the endorsement of the Harrison Democratic Committee, but according to Elizabeth Pritchard, the committee chairwoman, they preferred a political outsider with no relationship with town Republicans like Mayor Ron Belmont. “We thought, ‘Maybe it’s time to bring some new blood here,’” Pritchard said. According to Pritchard, a four-person nominating committee tapped four potential candidates before deciding on Rodier, a self-employed software engineer who develops software for a hedge fund. She said the committee felt their nominee, Rodier, 40,
was “intense and compassionate about what [the committee] cares about.” One such issue Pritchard and other Harrison Democrats have been vocal about is preventing the zoning text amendment that the town board passed in May, which allows for the building of large senior living facilities in residentially zoned areas, and has drawn petitions and protests from some Harrison residents. Rodier said he was inspired to enter the race after a discussion with members of Save Harrison Inc., a group of residents that is suing the town over its decision to pass the zoning amendment. Months earlier, Rodier helped to set up a fundraiser for the group to hire an attorney. He said his campaign consists of three pillars: open government, preventing the “mis-development” trend in Harrison and fiscal responsibility. To illuminate these issues, Rodier said he plans to produce a software that will allow residents to see how their tax dollars are spent proportionally and how that compares to neighboring towns, adding, “I will produce that software whether I get elected or not.” Rodier also harped on the lack of parking in Harrison, which he said has stifled the development of businesses in the community. Stout similarly pointed to downtown parking as an issue he hopes to address. Stout worked for more than 35 years in various parks and recreation departments throughout Westchester County, including Harrison Parks and Recreation, DEMS continued on page 7
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