PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT ATTORNEY ISSUES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO TODAY’S PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCILWOMEN AND NOW PRESS CONFERENCE

PHILADELPHIA (November 12, 2015) – Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams today issued the following statement in response to Philadelphia City Councilwomen and NOW press conference:

“While I appreciate and understand the concerns of the city councilwomen and NOW over the content of the emails, I have reviewed this matter and the individuals involved have been disciplined. Additionally, I have reached out to NOW on multiple occasions to sit down and discuss this matter in greater detail and to date they have refused.

“I agree that the material in question was offensive, but I would remind everyone involved that this behavior never took place in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. My office has remained fully committed to doing the important work of making Philadelphia streets safer every day.”

###

PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT ATTORNEY ISSUES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO MAYOR ELECT JIM KENNY’S CHOICE FOR PHILADELPHIA’S NEXT POLICE COMMISSIONER: DEPUTY COMMISSIONER RICHARD ROSS

PHILADELPHIA (November 11, 2015) – Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams today issued the following statement in response to Mayor Elect Jim Kenny’s announcement that First Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross will become Philadelphia’s next Police Commissioner:

“I can think of no better officer to take the reins of the Philadelphia Police Department than First Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross. Mayor Elect Kenny, you made the right choice.

“First Deputy Commissioner Ross, who is a fellow Nittany Lion and Central High School graduate, has stood with and supported this office from key investigations to improving community outreach and from helping our young people stay in school to finding ways to do our collective jobs better since before I became the District Attorney. I’ve come to rely on his advice and will continue to benefit from his experience and energy.

“And, like I said when Commissioner Charles Ramsey announced his retirement, the City of Philadelphia, its law enforcement community and its citizens are safer and better off today because of the courage and leadership of Commissioner Charles Ramsey. Thank you Commissioner Ramsey for your service, and soon to be Commissioner Ross, the men and women of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office look forward to continuing to work with you.”

###

MAN ARRESTED FOR RECEIVING WORKER’S COMPENSATION BENEFITS WHILE WORKING AT ANOTHER LOCATION

 

 

Philadelphia – Detectives from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Insurance Fraud Unit investigated Aadvon Pollitt for working while receiving worker’s compensation benefits after receiving a referral from the Delaware Department of Insurance Fraud. In November of 2013, Pollitt was injured while working as a maintenance mechanic at Cushman and Wakefield. Pollitt then stopped working and began to receive worker’s compensation benefits through AIG Property Insurance. Pollitt received in excess of fifteen thousand dollars in medical and lost wage benefits from AIG for the period of November of 2013 until April of 2014. However, the investigation revealed that two weeks after his injury at Cushman and Wakefield, Pollitt began to work as a maintenance clerk at the Sheraton Suites Hotel. Detectives spoke to supervisors at both Cushman and Wakefield and the Sheraton Suites Hotel and learned that Pollitt’s job responsibilities at both places of employment were identical. Pollitt therefore fraudulently received over ten thousand dollars in worker’s compensation benefits while he was simultaneously working full-time at a new place of employment. Pollitt was arrested on November 2, 2015 for receiving worker’s compensation benefits while working as a janitor at Sheraton Suites Hotel. He was charged with Insurance Fraud, Theft by Deception and a Violation of Worker’s Compensation Act and is next scheduled to appeal in the Philadelphia Municipal Court on November 10, 2015.

PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S ELECTION FRAUD TASK FORCE IS PREPARED FOR TOMORROW’S ELECTION

PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 2, 2015) – Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams today reminded voters to call the District Attorney’s Election Fraud Task Force if they experience any difficulty casting their ballot. The office’s hotline numbers are 215-686-9641, 9643 and 9644. And, while joined by President and CEO of the Committee of Seventy David Thornburgh, he reminded all Philadelphians that they need to vote tomorrow.

“When the polls open tomorrow my Election Day Fraud Task Force will be ready to answer your calls, so we want to hear from you,” said District Attorney Seth Williams. “And, thanks to the hard work and dedication of The Committee of Seventy and the men and women of the Election Fraud Task Force, I’m hopeful that we will have a smooth election as Philadelphians head to the polls to elect our next mayor, city council and judges.”

The Task Force has more than 60 Assistant District Attorneys and several dozen Detectives who are available to address any Election Day concerns. Typically, the Task Force is asked to respond to allegations of illegal voting, candidate write in issues, refusal of election boards to recognize poll watcher certificates and illegal electioneering.

Over the past twenty years, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and the Committee of Seventy have partnered to protect each Philadelphian’s vote and to monitor Election Day complaints.

“There’s nothing more important in our democracy than voters’ confidence in the integrity of the election process,” said Committee of Seventy CEO David Thornburgh. “The continued vigilance of the DA’s office in responding to complaints is critical to sustaining that confidence.”

The Committee of Seventy will be complementing the efforts of the District Attorney and the City Commissioners with its 1-855-SEVENTY Election Hotline and 300 high school students assisting voters at the polls as Election Ambassador Corps members. Seventy will also be distributing an online voter survey to gauge voters’ experience with the voting process and confidence in the system.

In 2014, Williams created the Election Fraud Task Force to investigate and prosecute allegations of Election Day criminal activity. The Task Force continues to be part of the District Attorney’s Special Investigations Unit and is staffed by Assistant District Attorneys and Detectives. The DAO will also issue Election Day updates via its Twitter account while the polls are open.

###

WOMAN FRAUDULENTLY REPORTS CAR STOLEN TO THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE AND GEICO INSURANCE COMPANY

Philadelphia – Detectives from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Insurance Fraud Unit investigated Jessica Santiago after receiving a referral from GEICO Insurance Company. On December 8, 2012, Santiago reported to both the Philadelphia Police Department and GEICO Insurance Company that her 2011 Dodge Charger had been stolen from the 2700 block of N. Orianna Street in Philadelphia. Insurance Fraud Unit Detectives retrieved the Philadelphia Police Department Investigation Report which stated that Santiago’s 2011 Dodge Charger had been stolen around three-thirty in the morning of December 8, 2012. Detectives also retrieved Philadelphia Police Non-Reportable Accident Report which stated that the same vehicle owned by Santiago was involved in an accident three hours after it had been reported stolen. The investigation revealed that GEICO Insurance Company paid thirteen thousand dollars to Santiago for the loss of her Dodge Charger; however, Santiago later gave the company a second recorded statement in which she admitted that her vehicle had been in an accident but was never stolen. Santiago was arrested on October 26, 2015 for Insurance Fraud, Theft by Deception and False Reports. She is next scheduled to appear in Philadelphia Municipal Court for a status listing on November 2, 2015.

BODY SHOP MANAGER DEFRAUDS FARMERS INSURANCE COMPANY OF TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS

Philadelphia – Detectives from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Insurance Fraud Unit investigated Jeffrey Freni after receiving a referral from Farmers Insurance Company. Insurance Fraud Unit detectives learned that Alex’s Auto Body, a South Philadelphia body shop managed by Freni, repetitively received payment from Farmers Insurance Company for repairs which they never completed. Detectives met with special investigators from Farmers Insurance Company who related that they had recently examined twelve of their customers’ vehicles after the cars were allegedly repaired at Alex’s Auto Body. These investigators found multiple instances of fraudulent activity: parts the insurance company paid for were never installed, some damaged parts had never been effectively repaired, and filler was used to make damaged areas appear as though they had been sufficiently fixed. Detectives examined these reports and found that Alex’s Auto Body had received in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars for parts they never installed and labor they never performed. Freni was arrested on October 20, 2015 for twelve counts of Insurance Fraud and twelve counts of Theft by Deception. He is next scheduled for a status listing on November 3, 2015 in Philadelphia Municipal Court.

MAN FILES FRAUDULENT PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM AGAINST SEPTA

Philadelphia – Detectives from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Insurance Fraud Unit investigated Joseph Powell after receiving a fraud referral from SEPTA. On May 1, 2014, Powell was riding on the SEPTA Route 84 bus when a ceiling panel popped open and swung down over the rear seat of the bus. Surveillance footage from the Route 84 bus shows that Powell was seated in front of where the panel came down; however, he was at no point struck by the panel. Despite his lack of injuries, Powell claimed that the panel had struck his head and injured his neck. Paramedics were called to the scene and although the paramedics reported that they observed no obvious signs of trauma, Powell was still transported to the hospital. Powell hired a personal injury attorney to represent him in his claim and the attorney submitted a SEPTA claim form on Powell’s behalf. The claim form indicated that Powell had been speaking to another passenger when an air conditioner suddenly dropped out of the back of the bus and struck him on the head. Powell continued to seek medical treatment on twenty-three separate occasions between October 2014 and January 2015 and incurred medical bills in excess of sixteen thousand dollars. Powell’s medical records reflect the same account of injuries sustained by a falling air conditioner while he was a passenger on the Route 84 bus. Powell was arrested on October 7, 2015 for Theft by Deception, Insurance Fraud and False Alarms. He is next scheduled to appear in Philadelphia Municipal Court on October 16, 2015 for a status listing.

 

WOMAN FRAUDULENTLY REPORTS CAR STOLEN TO THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE AND NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COMPANY

Philadelphia – Detectives from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Insurance Fraud Unit investigated Jackqueline Tolbert after receiving a fraud referral from Nationwide Insurance Company. On May 11, 2014, Tolbert reported her 2013 Mitsubishi stolen to the Philadelphia Police Department. Detectives retrieved the Philadelphia Police Stolen Auto Report which stated that the Tolbert’s 2013 Mitsubishi had been stolen between the dates of May 10, 2014 and May 11, 2014 from Wheeler Street in Philadelphia. The investigation revealed that Tolbert and her boyfriend reported the car stolen to both the Philadelphia Police and Nationwide Insurance Company because the payments for the car were too expensive to maintain. In an attempt to rid herself of the car payments, Tolbert gave the car to acquaintances and then filed a fraudulent theft claim with both the Philadelphia Police and Nationwide Insurance Company. In spite of admitting to the Philadelphia Police that the claim was fraudulent, Tolbert still gave a recorded statement to Nationwide Insurance Company in which she denied any knowledge of planning to report her car stolen. Tolbert was arrested on October 12, 2015 for Insurance Fraud, Attempted Theft by Deception, Criminal Conspiracy, Unsworn Falsifying and False Reports. She is next scheduled to appear in Philadelphia Municipal Court for a status listing on October 19, 2015.

 

PHILADELPHIA’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT CELEBRATES 20 MONTH ANNIVERSARY DURING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 26, 2015) – In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams today shared the success of the city’s Domestic Violence Diversion Court (DV Court) which has now been aiding Philadelphians for the last 20 months. To date, the program has helped approximately 225 participants successfully complete the program.

The DV Court’s success is due to its holistic offender focused approach and a unique partnership between the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO), First Judicial District of Philadelphia and domestic violence prevention professionals.

“A domestic violence program had been in existence for about a decade in Philadelphia, but advocates, staff and I wanted it to do more when it came to monitoring, effective case management and addressing the underlying issues that cause an offender’s acts of domestic violence,” said Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams. “So, in 2011, all of the partners came together to rebuild the program to make it accountable and offender focused. In 2014, after much research and preparation, the program was launched.”

The DV Court is overseen by Assistant District Attorney Marian Braccia in the DAO and President Judge Marsha Neifield of the Philadelphia Municipal Court for consistency and accountability. The Defender Association of Philadelphia also has an attorney dedicated to staffing the DV Court and representing its clients; which is an effort to monitor participants more closely and consistently to ensure a more personalized approach to their treatment supervision needs. Eligible candidates are first time domestic violence offenders charged with a misdemeanor where no weapon was used and no serious injury or sexual abuse was inflected.

The treatment component is delivered by licensed therapists who are specially trained to target the problem of domestic abuse and reduce the chances that the participant will re-offend by addressing the underlying causes of his or her violence. Some examples include drug abuse, mental illness and their prior experiences of abuse. About 230 offenders have already gone through the program. Those who successfully complete the terms of their program and incur no new arrests one year after they graduate, can file to have their record expunged.

“Domestic violence has a devastating impact on hundreds of families in Philadelphia every year. With its focus on diversion and counseling as an alternative to incarceration, Domestic Violence Court is an innovative and proactive initiative to keep families together with the necessary counseling and support services, while reducing our prison population,” added President Judge Marsha Neifield. “With our attention to both the defendants and the survivors involved with domestic violence, we have taken a holistic approach to tackling this concern by treating the root causes of this problem, including teaching the skills necessary to develop and maintain healthy relationships. Our court coordinator as well as the relationships with PHMC and all social service agencies have been invaluable resources, which have contributed to the success of the program.”

Another purpose behind the DV Court is to increase victim safety by eliminating violence in intimate and familial relationships. The DV Court holds offenders accountable for their behavior by stipulating treatments that introduce them to new skills as the program closely monitors their behavior in order to avoid a criminal conviction.

“From the viewpoint of a treatment program, we’re delighted to partner with the DV Court. The court and everyone involved are certainly concerned with enforcing the law, but we are also very concerned about what is going in the lives of the people we are working with; especially when it comes to safety and treatment,” said Tony Lapp, LCSW, Associate Director of Menergy. “As a community we want people to be able to ask for help when they need it, but sometimes the impetus for change is a crisis. If a person behaves badly, but is genuinely remorseful and committed to acting better in the future, DV Court can be an opportunity to do something more than just having a person simply suffer through an incident’s consequences.”

In addition to Menergy, Inc., who handles the majority of DV Court’s cases for intimate partner offenders, the Public Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia Department of Behavioral and Intellectual Disabilities Services, Men’s Resource Center and Joseph J. Peters Institute also provide services.

Domestic violence impacts families of every race, geography and economic status. In the U.S., one in four women and one in seven men experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime. Two to four million women are physically abused each year. In Philadelphia, the police department receives more than 100,000 reports of domestic violence each year and about 2,000 people go to Philadelphia’s emergency rooms because of a domestic violence assault annually.

The DAO’s Pre-Trial Division, which houses the Domestic Violence Diversion Court, is made up of several units that include the Charging Unit, Diversion Courts Unit, Pre-Trial Unit and Private Criminal Complaints Unit. Together, these units form a continuum that holds non-violent offenders accountable for their actions while providing them with help to prevent future crime through supervision and treatment services. Annually the office diverts about 40 percent of its misdemeanor cases to significantly reduce the court’s yearly caseload.

###

GRIFFIN CAMPBELL FOUND GUILTY OF SIX COUNTS OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN SALVATION ARMY BUILDING COLLAPSE CASE

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 19, 2015) – The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office today announced that Griffin Campbell has been found guilty by a jury of his peers of six counts of Involuntary Manslaughter, 13 counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, one count of Causing a Catastrophe and one count of Aggravated Assault for his role in the June 5, 2013, collapse of the Market St. Salvation Army Building.

“No verdict can replace the lives that were lost on that June morning, but I hope today’s verdict brings more closure and healing to the friends and families of those who were injured and lost their lives,” said Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams. “On behalf of the men and women of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, we offer our heartfelt condolences with the hopes that today’s verdict will be a powerful reminder that jobsite safety is paramount and if someone breaks the law like Griffin Campbell and Sean Benschop did, they will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

Campbell was responsible for the demolition of the property that was located at 2140 Market St. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations at the site, Campbell put in place a demolition plan that left a four-story masonry wall unsupported above the Salvation Army Building.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2016.

“This was a very complicated and unique case that was full of expert testimony, engineering concepts and powerful witness testimony. I’d like to thank the grand jury, today’s jury and all of the staff for working so hard on the case. Additionally, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Selber who is the Chief of our Homicide Unit and Assistant District Attorney Edward Cameron who is the Assistant Chief of our Homicide Unit deserve special congratulations for leading our prosecution team today – great job,” added Williams.

In July, Sean Benschop plead guilty to six counts of Involuntary Manslaughter and the additional charges of Aggravated Assault, Conspiracy, Causing a Catastrophe and thirteen Counts of Reckless Endangerment. He could be sentenced to a maximum of 10-20 years in prison on October 23, 2015.

Benschop was the operator of an excavator that was used to demolish the building next to the Salvation Army building when it collapsed killing Juanita Harmon, Roseline Conteh, Mary Simpson, Kimberly Finnegan, Anne Bryan and Borbor Davis. Mariya Plekan suffered serious and permanent injury.

###