Another SHFD black eye

[Truck4 48]

Sleepy Hollow firefighter accused of kissing girl, 14

By SHAWN COHEN

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: December 2, 2004)

A Sleepy Hollow firefighter has been charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse, accused of kissing a 14-year-old girl on the lips at the firehouse as they worked together on a benefit to collect supplies for troops in Iraq, authorities announced yesterday.

Paolo Teixeira, 26, of 52 Holland Ave., Sleepy Hollow, is accused of kissing the girl — the relative of another firefighter there — in the bathroom and a meeting room during a Nov. 20 charity drive, Police Chief Jimmy Warren said.

Teixeira, a volunteer firefighter for three years whose regular job is as a housecleaner, was suspended from the Fire Department, pending the outcome of the criminal case.

His arrest represents just the latest blow this year to the volunteer fire department. The Westchester District Attorney's Office is investigating an explosion in May caused by petroleum being poured down a firehouse sink, and an assistant fire chief pleaded guilty in June to disciplinary charges after he refused a police lieutenant's order to move his chief's vehicle from an accident scene.

Teixeira and the girl were at the fire headquarters on Beekman Avenue, participating in a benefit run by Deputy Chief John Korzelius. They were collecting recordings, phone calling cards, toiletries, food and other gifts from the public to be sent to soldiers serving with Gabriel Hayes Jr., a village firefighter stationed in Iraq.

Teixeira is accused of kissing the 14-year-old twice, once in the meeting room and once in the bathroom, police said. He did not fondle her and is not accused of any other sexual contact, Warren said. The next day, the teen reported the incident to Fire Department personnel, who alerted police. Officers made the arrest later that day on charges of sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child, both misdemeanors, and harassment, a violation. Teixira was released on $750 bail and ordered to return to Village Court on Dec. 13.

Mayor Philip Zegarelli met with the fire chief and deputy chiefs to express his concerns.

"When you see things like this, it hurts the people who are volunteers and it hurts the village as a whole," Zegarelli said. "I told them they need to review this security-wise and take disciplinary action against the individual for the good order of the department. There's a tendency in our type of a municipality for the Fire Department to monitor their own things, but, obviously, as I've stated before with other things that happened, if action doesn't occur, or if things aren't done properly, I will step in. We're going to make sure these types of things don't happen again."

In the spring, 2nd Assistant Fire Chief Paul Cappello was suspended from his regular job as a village police officer after he was brought up on a series of disciplinary charges, including an allegation that he refused a superior officer's order while responding to an off-duty fire call. When asked to move his vehicle, it was alleged, he mockingly saluted the lieutenant with his left hand. He pleaded guilty to two disciplinary charges, paid a fine and returned to work.

Cappello also was questioned, along with fellow firefighter Miguel Valle, in connection with the May explosion, which injured two maintenance workers downhill from the firehouse. They were at fire headquarters the morning the petroluem was dumped there. They have not been named as suspects, and the investigation is continuing.

Firefighters have expressed frustration that the cases and the resulting uproar have detracted from other good work that the department is doing fighting fires and supporting the community.

"When we do something good, that really doesn't get the attention," Fire Chief Jose Ojito said. "For one thing, it's all volunteer, and everyone's dedicating their time, doing the best they can. With this incident, they were doing a collection drive to assist troops in Iraq. They had a good turnout. It was a job well done."

[RWC130 594]

Bad blow for Sleepy Hollow FD, Not good!

I know a bunch of SHFD members and they are good guys.

Unfortunately every agency experiences some bad apples

from time to time... Fire, EMS, and Police all included.

It's important we DO NOT judge an agency by one of it's members.

Enough said! 8-[

[RWC130 594]

On News12 today 12/3 ANOTHER Sleepy Hollow Firefighter was charged with the same kinda crime on a different occasion. This

time the girl was only 13.

BIG OUCH! [-X

[RBFD4 0]

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: December 4, 2004)

SLEEPY HOLLOW — A second Sleepy Hollow firefighter in two weeks has been charged with sexually abusing a teenage girl, prompting an outraged village mayor to order an investigation of the department and to consider professionalizing the volunteer force.

"I believe in lead, follow or get out of the way," Mayor Phillip Zegarelli said yesterday, joined by the police and fire chiefs and village trustees at a news conference he arranged at Village Hall.

David Russell, 23, was arrested Thursday and accused of kissing and fondling a 13-year-old girl last month in Douglas Park the night of Nov. 11, Police Chief Jimmy Warren said.

"They went to the park together," Warren said. "She refused his touching and left the park."

His arrest came as a result of police investigating the other case, in which fellow firefighter Paolo Teixeira, 26, was accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl by kissing her on the lips at the firehouse Nov. 20. He and the girl — the relative of another firefighter — had been working on a charity drive to collect supplies for troops in Iraq when he kissed and groped her in the bathroom and a meeting room, police said.

The two firefighters and the girls all knew one another and have hung out together in the past, authorities said.

In pursuing the Teixeira case, police developed leads that prompted them to question the 13-year-old. They spoke with her Thursday and arrested Russell that night. He was charged with second-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child, misdemeanors.

He was being held without bail at the Westchester County jail in Valhalla pending a court appearance Monday.

In recent weeks, Russell has been living with a 16-year-old friend — a junior firefighter — and the friend's family on Kendall Avenue. He works odd jobs painting houses, and his father served in Iraq last year with the Air Force Reserve, the friend said.

Warren said he didn't expect any more arrests.

The cases have sparked calls for change, coming at the end of a year in which the department sustained several hits. The Westchester District Attorney's Office is investigating an explosion in May caused by petroleum poured down a firehouse sink, and an assistant fire chief pleaded guilty in June to disciplinary charges after he refused a police lieutenant's order to move his chief's vehicle from an accident scene.

The sexual abuse charges have resulted in a new rule banning underage girls and boys from the firehouse without a legal guardian or adult relative present. Zegarelli, meanwhile, has ordered that all 120 firefighters be subjected to criminal background checks.

He also announced plans to establish two committees — one a panel of ex-fire chiefs and the other consisting of outside experts — to review department procedures and recommend improvements. One proposal he is considering, he said, is a professional Fire Department, or a combination of paid and volunteer firefighters.

"These types of events and the decline in volunteerism warrant this massive relook," he said. "I intend to have a heavy hand in restructuring the Fire Department."

[firecapt32 282]

the situation in sleepy hollow is serious and should be looked into very carefuly.

The public has to have a trust in the Fire department, career or volunteer it dosent matter.

These firefighter are going into homes and business of the public. Useing public monies and fund raising, pepole should be held accountable.

A serious trust has been broken there. I just hope it can be repaired.

[DMA327 12]

DIRT!

[RWC130 594]

I think all FIRE and EMS personnel should go thru criminal background checks. Volunteer and Paid! We deal with the public and are in the eyes of the public 24/7.

If you apply for a job at McDonalds they do a check. Most jobs do a criminal background check, credit, contact previous employers, and check references. Why should we be any different?

The days of "I know him, he's a good guy" are over.

I have nothing to hide, Do you?

It's my understanding (I hope) the Sleepy Hollow FD members are 1st time offenders. If they did a background check it presumably would have come up clean.

The incident(s) are bad for everyone. The victims, victim's family, the community, the Sleepy Hollow Fire Department, and surrounding Fire Departments.

We are ALL effected by something like this!