100 Years 100 Mentors is a special partnership between the PDAA and Pennsylvania Big Brothers Big Sisters as part of the observances of the 100^th Anniversary of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association (PDAA).  The goal is to recruit 100 new mentors statewide from within the ranks of district attorney offices and partners in the community.

“As District Attorneys, our first responsibility is to prosecute criminals, but we also believe in doing our part to prevent crime from happening in the first place,” said Francis Schultz, PDAA president and Crawford County District Attorney. “Mentoring relationships are proven to make a difference and as district attorneys we are hoping to make a difference in our communities by helping to recruit more mentors.”

The partnership between PDAA and Big Brothers Big Sisters was a natural fit according to Schultz. The two groups share an interwoven history. The Big Brothers Big Sisters movement was founded in part by an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia over 90 years ago.

“Mentoring has a proven track record of making a difference in children’s lives,” said Ted Quali, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Big Brothers Big Sisters.  “Mentoring changes the trajectory of a young person’s life away from the dangerous behaviors that can lead them down an unfortunate path in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. No group understands this more than District Attorneys and the PDAA, and we are thrilled to partner with them.”

Independent research has shown that youth in the Big Brother Big Sisters program are 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol, and 52% less likely to skip school.

“In Philadelphia, we have seen what happens when children have positive role models in their lives and we’ve seen what happens when they don’t,” said District Attorney Seth Williams. “My colleagues throughout Pennsylvania can tell you the same thing which is why we are committing to do our part through this recruitment effort.”

“If we can change perspectives, we can change lives and our communities,” Schultz concluded. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters maintains 26 agencies across the Commonwealth.

Darby’s arrest came after a seven-month Grand Jury investigation where it was found that Darby, Karriem Mangum and Police Officer Kristopher Epes were involved in filing a false insurance claim.  Officer Epes died in 2010, and Karriem Mangum pleaded guilty to all charges on October 14, 2011 and received a period of probation. 

Darby today admitted to being involved in a false insurance claim that was submitted for a 2006 Volvo registered to his boyfriend Karriem Mangum.  Mangum falsely reported the car stolen in order to collect money from Nationwide Insurance Company.  Darby helped Mangum by stating that the car was parked on Robbins Avenue before the two traveled to New York for a long weekend with friends.  He also admitted to lying to the Grand Jury.  ADA Linda Montag successfully prosecuted this case.

In an overnight raid on the 4800 block of Florence Street conducted by the District Attorney’s Dangerous Drug Offender Unit, the DEA, and members of the Philadelphia Police Department’s 12^th and 18^th  District, 9500 hits of LSD with a street value of approximately 28 thousand dollars and 10 thousand dollars in cash were found.  This investigation began with the help of detectives from the Upper Moreland Police Department earlier this month.  On January 18, 2012 Upper Moreland detectives notified our office that they had arrested a Drexel University student on marijuana and gun charges who was willing to provide information on a drug ring operating on the Drexel campus.  That student then allowed District Attorney’s Detectives to record phone calls of his drug transactions.  Those transactions included the sale of drugs to another Drexel student who was working as a supplier to the first student.  The second student was subsequently arrested and also decided to cooperate with our office and he became an informant as well.  Thanks to information and taped phone conversations from both of those students the District Attorney’s Office was able to arrest the masterminds of the drug ring early this morning.        

33 year old Raphael Zappala of 50^th Street in Philadelphia, 31 year old Joshua Dassay of Florence Street in Philadelphia, and 34 year old Wesley Crawford of Haverford Road in Ardmore were all arrested and charged with Delivery, Possession with Intent to Deliver, Conspiracy, Use of a Communication Device to Facilitate a Narcotics Transaction, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child (EWOC).  The defendants are facing the EWOC charge because an infant was at the apartment during the time of the raid.  Joshua Dassay is also wanted in 9 other states for other crimes.

“This is another example of excellent teamwork between the different members of law enforcement in the Commonwealth,” said District Attorney Seth Williams. “There was a huge drug ring operating on Drexel’s campus and we were only able to identify and infiltrate it because of cooperation with the Upper Moreland Police Department, Drexel University, the Philadelphia Police Department, the DEA and members of our Drug Enforcement Unit.  It is sad that this was taking place on a campus of higher learning, but I hope that the actions of a few do not tarnish the image of educational excellence that we associate with Drexel University.”

 “This was an horrific and senseless crime,” says District Attorney Seth Williams, “and my office will not tolerate thugs like this endangering our city.  My office is going to do everything we can to make sure everyone involved in this heinous attack is punished, which is why we have charged this defendant with Attempted Murder.   I applaud the Philadelphia Police Department on their quick work in arresting this defendant, and we anticipate more charges in this case will be coming very soon.”

 The Grand Jury investigation examined the Rogals’ billing practices covering a period from mid 2002 through the beginning of 2011.  During the investigation, the Grand Jury heard from over twenty witnesses and reviewed hundreds of documents.  The evidence presented established that doctors working for the Rogals at the Pain Center were performing a procedure that the Rogals referred to as Radio Frequency Surgery (RFS).   RFS, as performed at the Pain Center, is an intra-muscular procedure during which tissue is destroyed using heat generated by a radio signal.  This was done by inserting a needle into the affected muscle, and the Rogals claimed that this procedure could alleviate chronic pain.  Based on the testimony of experts, the Grand Jury found that each RFS treatment had a maximum value of $800, but the Rogals routinely sought a minimum reimbursement of $4,800 for each RFS treatment.  The Rogals then charged insurance companies by using a billing code for a delicate, high risk invasive procedure performed on a nerve bundle located in the brain.  When the insurance companies challenged the Rogals billing practices, the Rogals responded that they were performing essentially the same procedure as defined by the brain surgery code and that the part of the body on which the procedure was performed was irrelevant to the amount billed.  

The Grand Jury explicitly rejected this argument and found it to be part of the Rogals’ scheme to defraud insurance companies.  The Grand Jury further found that the Rogals engaged in business practices that were designed to conceal the true nature of what they were doing in furtherance of this scheme.  Of the more than 5 (m) million dollars billed to insurance companies, the Rogals were able to pocket more than 1 (m) million dollars in their personal accounts.   

Assistant District Attorney Vicki Markovitz and Detective Karl Supperer are specially assigned to this case.  Dr. Rogal and Kim Rogal each face a maximum sentence of 317 years in prison and a fine of $613,000.  The investigation into the Rogals is ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact the District Attorney’s Office.

Nellie was born and raised in South Florida.  She graduated from the University of Florida in 2002, and the Florida Coastal School of Law in 2008.  While in school she was active in numerous performing ensembles including the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps which is now based out of Allentown, PA.  Nellie was also a proud member of many organizations during law school including Law Students Organized Against Violence, and Lambda Legal Society which is an LGBT legal fraternity.

ADA Fitzpatrick is excited about her new role and eager to continue to strength the relationship the DA’s Office has built over the years with the LBGT Community in Philadelphia.

“There is zero tolerance for people shooting firearms into the air to ‘celebrate’ the holiday,” said District Attorney Seth Williams, “It’s a stupid act that can have deadly consequences, and there is nothing festive about it.”  

On December 31, 1998 Joe Jaskolka was struck in the head by a so-called ‘celebratory’ bullet while walking along Fernon Street near Second Street in South Philadelphia.  Joe was only 11 years old at the time; the bullet is still lodged in his head and his assailant has never been caught.  As a result of that bullet, Joe is paralyzed on the right side of his body and face, and he can’t use the left-side of vocal chords.  He is now 24 years old and has undergone 33 surgeries to his brain and 21 surgeries to his eyes.  The Jaskolka family estimates that insurers have paid more than $15 (m) million dollars to cover the cost of all of his surgeries, and even after all of those procedures Joe still suffers from double vision and the shaking of his eyes every time he speaks.  Joe and his father Gregory Jaskolka join the District Attorney’s Office and the Police Department every year to show the life changing damage that can happen when guns are fired into the air on New Years Eve.

“This is very simple,” said Joe Jaskolka, “what goes up most come down.”

“We went from having an annual New Year’s Eve party to having an annual press conference,” Gregory Jaskolka said.

“This is a senseless act, firing a gun into the air and not thinking about where it’s going to land,” adds District Attorney Williams.  “We want people to have a good time, but we don’t want them to be idiots while doing that.”

“Please, enjoy yourself responsibly, “said Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey.  “Ring in the New Year in a good way, but don’t put somebody else’s life in jeopardy because you will go to jail.”

Anyone caught shooting a firearm into the air could be charged with Recklessly Endangering Another Person (REAP), which could result in several years in prison if you are convicted.  If a bullet hits someone the shooter could be charged with Aggravated Assault, Attempted Murder or even Murder.

Philadelphia police received 117 reports of gunshots fired between 11 p.m. on December 31, 2010 and 3 a.m. on January 1, 2011.  On an average night the police might receive a maximum of 10 reports of gunshots fired.  The number of legal guns purchased across the country went up dramatically this month alone.  According the FBI the number of guns purchased in December topped the previous on-month record which was set in November. Since then there have been 1,534,414 inquiries by gun dealers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System also known as NICS, and almost half a million checks were done the last six days before Christmas.

The amount of guns on Philadelphia streets continues to be a problem and the District Attorney along with Raymond Jones of Philadelphia Safety Net believes this also is a good time to remind people about the importance of gun safety. Philadelphia Safety Net (PSN) provides hand-gun safety educational information and is also active to trying to reduce the number of available guns on Philadelphia streets through city-wide gun turn-ins.  Most recently their Goods for Guns effort allowed Philadelphia residents to obtain redeemable vouchers for groceries and clothing items in exchange for hand guns turned in under the supervision and direction of the Philadelphia Police Department.  “Our goal is to save Philadelphia one block at a time,” said Raymond Jones.