Federal sting operation nets Dominican in NY State Assembly

NEW YORK.- The Bronx’s only Dominican legislator in the New York State Assembly, Nelson Castro, got caught in a sweeping federal sting operation in which prominent Democratic and Republican leaders have been arrested and charge with corruption.

The Assemblyman, a native of Santiago province, represents District 86 in the State Assembly in Albany, was the target of an investigation launched in 2012, but negotiated with prosecutors in exchange for information obtained by infiltrating and being “wired” to tape conversations of his corrupt colleagues, arrested and charged in federal court this week.

Castro, 42, and who was seeking reelection in the September Democrat primaries became a major collaborator in the investigation and the prosecution’s star witness.

He implicated Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, also of the Bronx and other elected officials involved in the scandal and together with former NYC Councilman Miguel Martinez, is the second Dominican politician charged with corruption in recent years, Martinez was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty.

Castro told collaborators that in negotiation with prosecutors, pledged to resign his seat by Monday next week, sources close to his office confirmed to elnuevodiairo.com.do.

Stevenson was arrested through Castro’s cooperation with federal prosecutors, and is accused of taking more than US$20,000 in bribes and other gifts.