A key confidential witness in the federal bribery case filed today against Bronx Assemblyman Eric Stevenson is Sigfredo Gonzalez, who in 2008 unsuccessfully sought the statehouse seat that Stevenson now holds, The Post has learned.
Gonzalez, 44, is a health care supplies salesman who long had worked for two of Stevenson’s co-defendants, Igor Belyanksy and Rostislav Belyanksy, who are accused of bribing Stevenson to obtain favors and legislation helpful to their Bronx adult day care centers.
A Manhattan federal court complaint unsealed today — without identifying Gonzalez by name — says that he used both audio and video recording gear to capture the defendants making payoffs and discussing their corrupt scheme.
A source said Gonzalez is the person identified in the complaint as “the cooperating witness.” The complaint notes that the witness, or CW, is both a former candidate for the state Assembly and works for both the Belyanksy’s.
“The has plead guilty to a sealed [case] in” Manhattan federal court “charging the CW with, among other things, a scheme to bribe Assemblyman-1” the complaint said.
Assembly-1 has been identified by sources as Bronx Assemblyman Nelson Castro, who also cooperated in the case against Stevenson, and who resigned in disgrace today.
Records show that Gonzalez also once worked doing community affairs outreach for former state Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. of The Bronx, who last year was convicted on federal charges of looting a Bronx health-care non-profit that his family controlled.
Former Bronx Assemblyman Michael Benjamin, who defeated Gonzalez in the 2008 Democratic primary for the South Bronx Assembly seat that Stevenson now occupies, called Gonzalez today “a crook.”
“He doesn’t belong in public office,” said Benjamin, who left his Assembly seat in 2010, and was succeeded by Stevenson.
Benjamin said, referring to both Stevenson and Gonzalez, “These are stupid people in office trying to enrich themselves.”
“It’s another black eye for the Bronx and the Democratic Party.”