The owner of a swath of Greenpoint that hugs the Newtown Creek was indicted Wednesday for allegedly dumping raw sewage directly into Brooklyn’s fragile waterway.
Officials from the Kings County District Attorney’s office said that 53-year-old Jose Torres, principal owner of Norman Holding, LLC, is now facing an 81-count indictment after it was learned that waste flushed from toilets in three of his commercial buildings at 251, 257 and 259 North Henry Street was being pumped into the creek instead of the sewer system. Pipes from sinks also led directly to the creek, officials allege.
While storm water can be drained into the creek, water from toilets and sinks must go to the sewer, so the water can be treated.
The city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) investigation was sparked when Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers noticed “dry-weather discharge from the storm drains into the creek.”
Investigators inspected the three buildings, detecting sewage in the storm drains, officials said.
“The inspectors then performed tests using dyes to confirm that the sewage had originated in the plumbing of Norman Holding’s buildings,” according to the indictment.
Charges against Norman Holding and Torres relate to Oct. 1, through Oct. 9, 2009, when DEC inspectors ordered the buildings’ plumbing systems repaired.
Torres is charged with 27 Counts of Discharging Sewage Without a State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit, a Class-E Felony, 27 Counts of Prohibited Discharges, also a Class-E Felony, and General Prohibition Against Pollution, a Misdemeanor.
If found guilty, he faces a fine of $75,000 per property, per day in violation — which will amount to more than $2 million, officials said.
Graham goon
A 39-year-old gunman allegedly responsible for robbing a Graham Avenue store back in November was arrested last week after he was tracked down to Canarsie — but he didn’t give up without a fight.
Police said that Sean Pearson was taken into custody on January 7 for the November 2 heist in which he and an accomplice allegedly swiped $29,000 from a travel agency near Manhattan Avenue at gunpoint. He also robbed a worker of his gold chain before running off.
After a prolonged investigation, cops identified Pearson as one of the alleged thieves. His partner had been arrested shortly after the theft.
But when cops went to Canarsie to arrest him, he didn’t give up easily.
Police said when Pearson was being escorted into a police car, he allegedly head butted the cop arresting him, causing the officer to fall to the ground. The cop suffered a cut to the head and a broken wrist as a result.
Car conundrum
Is possession nine-tenths of the law if someone else has the title to a car?
That’s the question a bone-headed car owner was probably wondering after his car was taken away from him twice in two days.
According to published reports, the victim freely admitted to police that he had left his Mazda unlocked and the keys inside when he parked it for the night on South 9th Street between Driggs Avenue and Roebling Street on the night of January 3.
When he woke up — surprise, surprise — the car was gone.
The victim said that he searched the area for his car, ultimately finding it on South 10th Street.
But whoever took the car was a bit more careful than its owner. He had locked it before going home, police said.
The victim called 911 and a tow truck, but the would-be thief got back into the car and drove off with his wheels — again — following a brief confrontation.
Arson clean-up
A man tending to his clothes at a late-night laundry may be able to help cops in their search for the two arsonists who lit up a Harrison Place apartment building on December 29 where a 17-year-old girl was killed.
Police said that five people were also injured in the 4:30 a.m. blaze between Porter and Knickerbocker avenues that killed Grover Cleaveland High School student Sofia Olivo.
The fire, it’s believed, was started when two men poured gas in the vestibule of the three story building. A gas can was reportedly found a short distance away.
Horrified witnesses said that Olivo had a chance to follow her relatives out an open window, but ended up getting trapped by the flames. At least one of her relatives, a cousin, was still hospitalized for injuries she suffered trying to pull Olivo out.
Cops said that they have video footage of two men dousing the vestibule with gasoline. The faces of the two men are obscured, however.
Yet there is a possible witness, police said. A man doing his laundry may have seen the suspects as they entered the building at that late hour.
Cops are distributing a photo of the witness in the hopes that he comes forward and tells investigators what he knows.
No motives behind the arson were forthcoming as this paper went to press.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to come forward.
Calls can be made to either the 90th Precinct at (718) 963-5311 or the NYPD CrimeStoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.