Westchester County

Published on: August 3, 2012

Court Questions if Search Warrants are Needed for Infractions

by Stephen Bilkis

The changes in the state of the economy have produced changes in living arrangements for many people. Most cities in the United States have legal codes that detail what type of structure a building is. If the structure is not zoned as a multiple family dwelling, it is illegal to use it as one. With the downturn of the economy, many larger homes in New York have been purchased by slum lords who illegally subdivide them into multiple family dwellings. A New York Sex Crimes Lawyer said when a code enforcement agent is notified that an illegal boarding house is in existence, they must investigate the claim. Some of the indicators that they look for that suggest that a house is being used as an illegal rooming house involve the existence of extra kitchens, plumbing, or bedrooms located in a basement. Sometimes a home will have a mother-in-law suite in the basement that is occupied by a close relative. That is not an illegal boarding arrangement even if the relative helps with the bills on the house. If the mother-in-law suite is occupied by a family who is paying rent to the homeowner and is not related to the homeowner, they are probably in violation of the city codes.

When two distinct families are residing in a house that is zoned as single family dwellings, the homeowner could be found to be in violation of the housing codes. Another red flag that may expose an illegal rooming house is if the code enforcement investigator observes evidence that there are separately keyed entrances, or key locked doors on individual rooms within the house. Individual locks indicate that separate privacy zones exist in the house. A New York Sex Crimes Lawyer said that these separate zones are the sleeping quarters of persons who are either distantly related, or not related at all to the home owner, it is possible that the homeowner is in violation of the housing codes.

Other evidence can also demonstrate that a house is being used as an illegal rooming house. One way that an illegal rooming house is exposed is often through the utility usages of the home. When more than the normal number of people are living in a single family dwelling, the utility usage becomes extreme. One of the first indicators of a large number of people in a single family house is an increase in garbage that is put out to be collected. More people make more trash. They also use more water and electricity. A spike in either of these utilities can indicate that a single family zoned home is being used as an illegal boarding house. Code enforcement agents may use search warrants, but they are rarely necessary in the course of their investigations. Some code enforcement agents in larger cities often use search warrants because it is the only way to see inside of the residence if the people living there refuse to allow them access. A Suffolk County Sex Crime Lawyer said when they do obtain search warrants, they are generally limited to warrants that are executed during the day, or other times when the intrusion is less invasive than execution of a warrant in the middle of night. The execution of a code enforcement warrant should be less of an intrusion into the private lives of the citizens of the jurisdiction than the execution of a criminal warrant. However, when law enforcement officers are involved, their expertise is often limited to criminal warrants and most have never served a code enforcement warrant in their careers.

Published on: February 23, 2012

Day Care Operator Abuses Kids

by Stephen Bilkis

These days, it is very hard to trust others especially when it comes to leaving our kids with people who you can truly rely on. There are many cases these days where nannies and even babysitters are accused of committing sex crimes that involve the children of their own employers according to a New York sex crime lawyer. This goes the same for this case that is considered as an example here in this report for you to understand better the legal proceedings for such cases. The one involved here as the accused is James Watt.

Watt was convicted of rape, sodomy and for putting into danger the welfare of a little child. The crimes involved in his case are considered very heinous since it was committed against innocent and helpless tiny girls who are under 11 years old. These kids according to their parents were entrusted to him since he operates a basement based daycare center in the community. The problem that made everything worse according to another New York child pornography lawyer is that the daycare center was not registered.

A New York Sex Crime Lawyer said that all of the kids involved as victims gave their testimonies in detail even if it was really heinously specific in detail. The New York sex abuse lawyer backed this all up with formal medical evidence from experts done through proper medical examinations of the children. Many of them already showed suffering from diseases which are sexually transmitted. It was actually very sensitive to discuss but this could be a true learning experience for many and how they would be able to protect their children. The total number of crimes that was perpetrated against him includes twelve kids. This of course means that this case should be well investigated and be well prepared.

Published on: October 25, 2011

ICE Agents Arrest Man for Aggravated Sexual Abuse

by Stephen Bilkis

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents (ICE) arrested a man for intending to engage in sexual acts with two young girls. ICE agents posed as a mother willing to sell her two young girls, ages 5 and 8 to the man, states a New York Criminal Lawyer. The man, who was from Athens, Greece, was arrested by ICE agents after landing in the Denver airport. Since his arrest, he has pleaded not guilty to charges ranging from engaging in illicit conduct to aggravated sexual abuse.

ICE agents stage these kinds of operations all the time to catch sexual predators both online and off. As part of the Department of Homeland Security, ICE not only monitors immigration and customs stations in airports, the agency also works tirelessly to stop the illegal trafficking of children and child pornography. A program called “Operation Predator” was created to catch traffickers before children are harmed. Agents pose as parents, relatives or people involved in “sex tourism” to earn the trust of those interested in purchasing children. “Operation Predator” is a world-wide effort to stop sex trafficking.

Those found guilty of sex trafficking, distributing or purchasing child pornography may face up to 10 years in prison, even if this is their first offense. ICE has partnered with other law enforcement agencies throughout the world to stop the distribution of child pornography. Countries such as New Zealand, Italy, the United Kingdom and Australia have task forces in place to catch these types of criminals.

Published on: October 3, 2011

Teacher Confesses to Child Porn Possession

by Stephen Bilkis

A prep school teacher has become what some consider to be “a parent’s worst nightmare” after pleading guilty to child pornography charges, sources told a Nassau County Sex Crimes Lawyers.

The 28-year-old teacher admitted to using an internet file-sharing program to download videos of children engaged in sexual activities.

“I did use it to download material considered to be child pornography,” the ex-teacher told a federal district judge as the ex-teacher and his family sat in a nearly empty courtroom.

Published on: September 27, 2011

College baseball star accused of rape in the Bahamas

by Stephen Bilkis

What is it with sports super stars and rape? It seems like every couple of weeks we get to listen to another story of an athlete who was busted for rape in one capacity or another. According to a Nassau County Sex Crime Lawyer, most recently we have received word that a college baseball idol from Florida and his four friends were accused of raping a young woman while partying in the Bahamas. The 20 year old baseball player is hailed as a superstar because of the way he plays his sport, and no one wants to see a superstar go down for something that so easily could have been avoided, but if a man commits a crime, a man should do the time. This is certainly the attitude in The Bronx and Weschester County when it comes to Sex Crimes.

Perhaps when college guys get hit with the sports spotlight their ego grows a few sizes. Or perhaps they somehow come to see themselves as invincible, in a way, as if they can get away with anything, but no matter how revered a man is on the field, his off time actions will come back to haunt him if he makes the wrong play. Soon after they will see that the illusion of being untouchable was never real at all, despite their contracts, how sharp their game or what team they got signed to.

A mother of one of the young men who was there the night of the rape commented on how she had known all of the men involved for years and she could not fathom that these good, clean American boys could commit such a crime, reports the NY Criminal Lawyer. The mother admitted that she truly thought their innocence would be maintained. But police aren’t so sure, and they are conducting a full investigation to find out what really happened that night in the Bahamas. At this time the baseball player has been released on $10,000 bond and is awaiting trial.

Published on: September 24, 2011

Evidence of Cover-Up in Cop Rape Case

by Stephen Bilkis

What may have been a bogus call to 911 has been added to evidence in the case of two police officers charged with rape, NY City Criminal Lawyers have learned. The 911 call was used to explain one of the four trips the cops made to the home of the victim.

The 911 call originated from a pay phone at First Ave. and E. 13th Street by a man who claimed to be Canadian. The alleged visitor from Canada called to complain about a homeless man sleeping in the hallway of a nearby building.

“He’s just sleeping there in the hallway… He smells really bad,” the caller said. The tape of the call was played in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Published on: August 26, 2011

Cops Accused of Rape Made Cover-Up 911 Call

by Stephen Bilkis

The evidence has been mounting against two police officers accused of rape. Prosecutors have told New York City Criminal Lawyers a 911 call they received from a Canadian tourist regarding the crime was actually one of the officers trying to pin the charges on a “smelly” homeless man. The call was made from a pay phone in the East Village.

The alleged rapist and his accomplice, who may have served as a lookout, are said to have faked the call, so they would have more time to make the second of four visits they paid to the apartment of a drunk woman early one December morning in 2008.

According to the victim, she had passed out on her bed. She awakened to the sound of the alleged rapist removing his bulletproof vest before raping her.