JAMES DICKERSON AKA JAIME
OWNER OF RESOLUTION TRUST REALTY
CLOSE PAL OF MAYOR CLINTON I. YOUNG
MAYOR CLINTON I. YOUNG
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
Just what does it exactly take to become a part of Mayor Young administration? What is Mayor Young’s plan for development in the City of Mount Vernon? Mount Vernon taxpayers are scratching their heads as they try to figure out the answer to these questions. The Mayor has filled his administration and surrounded himself with convicted criminals, unqualified people, and dangerous thugs.
Let’s not forget, Mayor Young hired an Inspector General that conveniently did not disclose on his employment application, his prior affiliation with the law firm Aiello & Cannick and the Mount Vernon Board of Education. Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee Chairman Deveaux Cannick is a partner of Aiello & Cannick. If the Inspector General wanted to truly find put where the missing section 8 money is, he would have to look no further than those currently aligned with Mayor Clinton Young.
There are several players who choose to remain behind the scenes because of their troubled pasts. One creepy fellow, James A. Dickerson hereinafter referred to as “Jamie” or “Dickerson” is frequently seen coming and going from City Hall several times a week. Jamie is an extremely close friend and ally of Mayor Clinton Young. Jamie worked feverishly on Mayor Young’s campaign time even though he was a registered Republican at the time.
Many residents are probably wondering just what does Jamie do? Jamie is a Licensed Real Estate Broker that worked for the Investment Brokerage firm Marcus and Millichap in Manhattan prior to Mayor Young’s candidacy. After Mayor Young announced his candidacy for Mayor, Jamie left his post at Marcus and Millichap. He then began to work full-time for Mayor Young’s campaign.
Prior to working for Marcus and Millichap, Jaime owned a real estate company called Premier Real Estate of Westchester. One of Jamie’s former agents is under federal scrutiny for questionable business activity and suspicious transactions. Premier Real Estate of Westchester is now non-existent. Jamie formed a new company called Resolution Trust Realty.
JAIME DICKERSON’S CREEPY PAST AS A PUBLIC SERVANT
Jamie Dickerson was previously employed several years ago working for the City of Mount Vernon in the Department of Planning. While working for the City of Mount Vernon Dickerson engaged in alleged illegal and unethical activity and was subsequently fired from City Hall by former Mayor Ernie Davis. It has been told to Mount Vernon Exposed™® by a source familiar with Jamie’s past employment with City Hall, which Jamie was one of only two persons fired by Mayor Davis during his 12 year reign as Mayor. The source also gave Mount Vernon Exposed details of the alleged corruption and unethical activity involving Jamie Dickerson.
The source for the purposes of this story will be referred to as “The Informant”. During our interview with the informant we were told that Dickerson was allegedly directly and indirectly involved in the corruption in the Planning Department that resulted in The City of Mount Vernon overbilling The Department of Housing and Urban Development $1.7M dollars.
Here is how the alleged scheme went:
READ THE HUD INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT
READ THE HUD INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT
Jamie Dickerson and others while employed for The Department of Planning allegedly engaged in an elaborate scheme to enrich themselves. The HUD Office of Inspector General released a report on February 16th, 2006 regarding the HUD section 8 program that was being administered in Mount Vernon. The HUD Office of Inspector General discovered severe mismanagement of Federal funds during its findings. The HUD report also states that the auditee (City of Mount Vernon) did not use or maintain Section 8 waiting list in accordance with HUD requirements. The tenants selected by Mount Vernon to receive section 8 assistance were not on the auditee’s Federal mandated waiting list but were selected from The City of Mount Vernon’s own waiting list.
Jamie Dickerson and others working with an Inspector in The Department of Planning allegedly conspired to break Federal law for personal gain. Dickerson and others allegedly engaged in a massive pay to play scheme with the Inspector working for The Department of Planning. The Inspector’s job was to ensure that the federally subsidized units were up to HUD standards. The Inspector had plans of his own to enrich himself courtesy of Mount Vernon taxpayers.
The Inspector would intentionally fail some of the apartment inspections when he was inspecting apartments for other persons and Real Estate Brokers not affiliated with Dickerson and others. The Inspector allegedly would then pass the information about the failed apartment inspection to Dickerson and others. Dickerson and others allegedly would then prepare paperwork and prepare the apartment for inspection for one of their “preferred clients” The Inspector would then go back out and pass the apartment for inspection.
Dickerson would then allegedly submit an invoice to The Westchester Department of Social Services and/or The City of Mount Vernon for payment of a broker fee as if he had done the rental as a person not employed or affiliated with City Hall. Dickerson would then allegedly divide the broker fee that he received from The Westchester County Department of Social Service and/or The City of Mount Vernon with the conspirators including the Inspector.
The informant stated that this scheme went on for several years possibly resulting in Dickerson and others receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments they were not entitled to.
The HUD Inspector General noted in his report that during the on-site inspection of 8 units, it was found that the Inspector working for the City of Mount Vernon did not properly apply HUD’s housing quality standards. Two of the units also failed because of ceiling, wall cracks, and peeling paint; however these conditions did not meet the threshold for failure according to the HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program Guidebook 7420.10(G). The results of the inspections conducted by the HUD Inspector General were discussed with HUD officials who concurred that housing quality standards were incorrectly applied in these two cases. HUD’s review of 30 tenant files disclosed two cases with insufficient documentation that prior conditions that caused the units to fail had been rectified. HUD officials further noted that while there was no evidence that the conditions causing the failure had been rectified, it was noted that the same units passed inspection before the tenant certifications in 2005. The units in questions had failed inspections during the tenant certifications in 2004. The HUD Inspector General subsequently recommended that the City of Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency reimburse HUD $13,779 in housing assistance payments that were improperly paid in 2004 and 2005 for the unit lacking documentation that the housing quality standard violations were corrected, and to ensure that the unit complies with housing quality standards, thus resulting in $5,512 in funds to be put to better use for the remainder of the contract period.
There are still several “persons of interest” still working for the City of Mount Vernon that participated in this elaborate and complex pay-to-play scheme.
JAMIE DICKERSON AND INSPECTOR TERMINATED FROM CITY HALL
The news of the illegal activity that was taking place in The Department of Planning and the Urban Renewal Agency made its way to Mayor Ernie Davis’ office. The informant said Mayor Davis’ was extremely angry that Dickerson and others were allegedly operating a criminal enterprise from City Hall. Mayor Davis terminated Dickerson and the Inspector without hesitation. The informant stated that Dickerson and the Inspector are the only two persons ever fired by Mayor Davis prior to the Mayoral race of 2007. Mount Vernon Exposed™® filed a Freedom of Information request with the City of Mount Vernon seeking personnel records and all payments issued to Jamie Dickerson and the Inspector during his tenure at City Hall. The City of Mount Vernon has not answered the request nor did it provide a date of when the requested information would become available as required by New York State law.
JAMIE DICKERSON JOINS MAYOR YOUNG CAMP
Seeking retribution and an opportunity to avenge his firing, Dickerson did not miss the chance to join forces with Mayor Young to help unseat Dickerson’s former boss, Mayor Davis. Dickerson was very involved in the campaign of Mayor Young, working long hours. The informant revealed that Dickerson was allegedly going around town stating that this was his last opportunity to make it (citing his age of 50+) and was not going to let anyone stand in the way of his success.
During and after the election, upon information and belief, Mayor Young introduced Jamie Dickerson to several union bosses, businessmen, and real estate developers as his real estate guy. Dickerson told several persons that he was the “gatekeeper” and that he was there to protect the Mayor to make sure that developers are financially able to build the projects that they are proposing.
All of this “gatekeeper” talk did not initially sit well with another Mayor Young crony, Kenneth Plummer of Kensworth Consulting. A Real Estate Broker that was interview by Mount Vernon Exposed™® spoke about a telephone call that he received from Kenneth Plummer after Mayor Young was elected to office. The broker stated that Plummer wanted to know if Jamie was going around telling folks if all real estate development has to go through him. Plummer further stated that if in fact Dickerson was engaging in the alleged illegal conduct, Dickerson was engaging in Racketeering.
Mount Vernon Exposed™® expressed these concerns and allegations with dozens of Real Estate Brokers in Mount Vernon.
While Dickerson and Plummer gave the appearance to various real estate brokers in Mount Vernon that they hated each other, this was not the case. These two individuals were far from enemies. Dickerson and Plummer were simply testing the waters and wanted to find out what Mount Vernon real estate brokers new about their newly formed alliance with City Hall and Mayor Young.
Plummer has since reaped huge financial rewards from one developer that gave a substantial contribution to Mayor Young’s campaign for Mayor. Atlantic Development Group aka Blue Rio, LLC has retained Plummer as a lobbyist to seek approvals to build a massive affordable housing complex in downtown Mount Vernon.
JAMIE DICKERSON ENGAGES IN VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AGAINST THOSE THAT OPPOSE MAYOR YOUNG
Jamie Dickerson has displayed a consistent pattern of violent behavior against those that are opposed to Mayor Clinton Young and his administration. Dickerson at times, engaged in physical altercations. On one occasion in The City of Mount Vernon courthouse, Dickerson violently assaulted and harassed a city resident because he was unhappy that the resident openly displayed his dissatisfaction for the administration of Mayor Young.
The resident subsequently filed a police report and wanted to pursue criminal charges, but corrupt Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore’s office chose to look the other way because she was seeking the support of the Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee. In fact, DiFiore has never investigated any allegation of corruption in Mount Vernon. It has been repeatedly said that The United States Attorney’s office does not share intelligence of investigations with DiFiore’s office because of her alleged ties to organized crime.
On December 16th, 2009 there was a public hearing held before the City Council about the proposed Atlantic Development project on Gramatan Avenue. Before the hearing commenced, Dickerson spoke to two residents in the hallway and asked them to not bash and embarrass the developer. The residents stated that it is their constitutional right to redress their grievances and that is what they intended to do.
After one resident spoke out against the proposed Atlantic Development and returned to his seat, Dickerson threatened the individual with bodily harm. It was later learned that Dickerson had assumed the role of enforcer for Mayor Young.
ALLEGATIONS OF INTIMIDATION AND BRIBERY OF MOUNT VERNON CITY OFFICIALS
After Mayor Young won the election in 2007, Dickerson and others met with various holdover officials from Mayor Davis’ administration. One meeting should be of great concern to Mount Vernon taxpayers. It has been alleged that Dickerson and others had a meeting with former Buildings Commissioner Ralph Tedesco. Tedesco already nervous and on edge about becoming unemployed quickly came on board with Mayor Young’s administration. It has been alleged that Dickerson and others told Tedesco if he did what his was told to do, he would be cut in on the action and would be taken care of.
Mayor Young was very well aware of how dysfunctional the buildings department was. This was the key reason if not the only reason he was elected to office. Instead of firing Tedesco, Mayor Young chose to keep him under advice from his henchmen Dickerson and others. Mayor Young had now received word that Tedesco was ready to play ball.
Boykin during his 69 minute tape recorded rant with Mount Vernon Democratic District Leader Samuel L. Rivers stated that Tedesco has found out what it takes to survive from administration to administration. Boykin’s infamous taped recorded conversation is the blue print for corruption among public servants and also the map for investigators seeking to bring these heathens to justice for siphoning and embezzling taxpayer monies.
John Boykin was also going around town bragging that he and Dickerson had dinner with another City official at the Guardia Lombardi club, a private Italian-American club located on Putnam Street in Mount Vernon. Boykin was even bragging that this official was now onboard with Mayor Young and had even invited them to an exclusive Cigar Lounge in NYC that he was a member of.
Mayor Young must have been proud of his henchmen taking the initiative to meet with City officials that posed a threat to his administration. Mayor Young will continue to keep his hands clean and work through his henchmen.
QUESTIONABLE BUSINESS ACTIVITY WITH CITY OFFICIALS
A source familiar with Jamie Dickerson told Mount Vernon Exposed™® that Dickerson and DPW Commissioner Terrence Horton were preparing to go into business together even after Horton was appointed to DPW Commissioner. The first venture that these two scoundrels were embarking on was the famous Quality Ford site that Mount Vernon residents heard Mayor Young speak about during his taped recorded conversation with Westchester Guardian Publisher Sam Zherka. Mayor Young during the conversation, named key players that were going to instrumental in the real estate development process in Mount Vernon.
It is alleged that Horton set up an entity that was going to be used to as the development company while he is employed as DPW Commissioner. Horton allegedly tried to sell Dickerson and others shares in this company upwards of $200K. Horton was to be the developer for the site at Quality Ford. Mount Vernon Exposed™® has learned that there is currently a deal on the table for the construction of a hotel at the Quality Ford site. Dickerson is allegedly the real estate Broker handling this transaction.
JAMIE DICKERSON’S CLOSE ALLIANCE WITH MAYOR YOUNG PAYS OFF
All of Jamie Dickerson’s hard work on Mayor Young campaign did not go in vain. Dickerson was able to secure employment for his longtime girlfriend, Tracy Thompson in Mayor Young’s office. Tracy Thompson is the daughter of NYS Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson. During Mayor Young’s taped conversation with Westchester Guardian publisher Sam Zherka, Mayor Young told Zherka that Jaime didn’t want a job in City Hall, but instead he insisted that Dickerson give his girlfriend a job. Tracy Thompson is Executive Assistant to Mayor Young. Mayor Young described Tracy Thompson as “being loyal as a motherfucker” during the tape recorded conversation.
Does Senator Thompson know of Jaime Dickerson’s creepy past? Does she know about his violent outbursts and threats of bodily harm to those that oppose Mayor Young? If Senator Thompson is aware, then she must not be re-elected to the senate this year.
JAIME DICKERSON’S REPUBLICAN -VS-DEMOCRAT BATTLE
Mount Vernon Exposed™® through a Freedom of Information request obtained all voter registration cards on file with the Westchester County Board of Elections. It appears that Jaime Dickerson has struggled with identifying with the ideals of one particular political party. It would appear Dickerson would seek to join the political party that was “popular” at the time.
· June 19th, 1981- James Dickerson registers to vote as a Republican. 135 Vista Place Mount Vernon, NY 10550 is address provided to BOE.
· May 10th, 1995- James Dickerson changes address on file at BOE to 151 South 7th #104 Mount Vernon, NY 10550. Remains in Republican Party.
· May 19th, 1997-James Dickerson changes address of file at BOE to 531 E. Lincoln Avenue #2B, Mount Vernon, NY 10552. Dickerson switches his enrollment to the Democratic Party.
· October 8th, 2002 James Dickerson switches his enrollment back to the Republican Party. Address on file with BOE remains the same.
· November 29th, 2007- James Dickerson switches his enrollment back to the Democratic Party. Address on file with BOE remains the same
JAMIE DICKERSON ALLEGED CORRUPTION ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL PROSECUTION
In addition to the numerous Federal crimes allegedly committed by Dickerson and others, Dickerson faces several NYS criminal felonies. Mount Vernon Exposed™® though a Freedom of Information request obtained all voter registration cards on file with the Westchester County Board of Elections. James Dickerson has filed several false registrations with the Westchester County Board of Elections. Dickerson affirmed that the information being submitted to the BOE was true and he further understood that if the information in not true he can be convicted and fined up to $5000 and/or jailed for up to four years. If Dickerson did indeed file false registrations with the Westchester BOE he is guilty of a felony.
§175.35 of NYS Penal Law
Offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree
A person is guilty of offering a false instrument for filing in the
first degree when, knowing that a written instrument contains a false
statement or false information, and with intent to defraud the state or
any political subdivision, public authority or public benefit
corporation of the state, he offers or presents it to a public office,
public servant, public authority or public benefit corporation with the
knowledge or belief that it will be filed with, registered or recorded
in or otherwise become a part of the records of such public office,
public servant, public authority or public benefit corporation.
Offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree is a class E felony.
§ 17-104 of NYS Election Law
False Registration
Any person who:
1. Registers or attempts to register as an elector in more than one
election district for the same election, or more than once in the same election
district; or,
2. Registers or attempts to register as an elector, knowing that he will
not be a qualified voter in the district at the election for which such registration
is made; or
3. Registers or attempts to register as an elector under any name but
his own; or
4. Knowingly gives a false residence within the election district when
registering as an elector; or
5. Knowingly permits, aids, assists, abets, procures, commands or
advises another to commit any such act, is guilty of a felony.
But Dickerson did not stop there. Dickerson would continue to vote in a district where he did not reside. The informant told Mount Vernon Exposed™® that Dickerson used to reside in Pelham for several years despite the fact that he continued to vote in Mount Vernon. Dickerson listed a phone number of (914) 664-8449 as his home telephone number on his voter registration card with the Westchester County BOE. A search into this phone number confirmed the information brought forth by the informant. Mount Vernon Exposed™® visited whitepages.com and did a reverse search of Dickerson’s phone number. The search revealed two listings, one of which confirmed the telephone number (914) 664-8449 being linked to the Pelham address; 153 5th Avenue, Pelham, NY 10803. If these allegations are indeed true, James Dickerson is guilty of illegal voting, a felony.
§ 17-132 of NYS Election Law
Illegal Voting
Any person who:
1. Knowingly votes or offers or attempts to vote at any election, when
not qualified; or,
2. Procures, aids, assists, counsels or advises any person to go or
come into any election district, for the purpose of voting at any election,
knowing that such person is not qualified; or,
3. Votes or offers or attempts to vote at an election, more than once;
or votes or offers or attempts to vote at an election under any other name than
his own; or votes or offers or attempts to vote at an election, in an election
district or from a place where he does not reside; or,
4. Procures, aids, assists, commands or advises another to vote or
offer or attempt to vote at an election, knowing that such person is not
qualified to vote thereat; or,
5. Prompts a person, applying to vote, to falsely answer questions put
to him by the inspectors concerning his identity or qualifications for voting; or,
6. Being an applicant for an absentee voter’s ballot, makes a material
false statement in his application, or a person who makes a material false
statement in a medical certificate or an affidavit filed in connection with an
application for an absentee voter’s ballot; or,
7. Not being a qualified absentee voter, and having knowledge or
being chargeable with knowledge of that fact, votes or attempts to vote as an
absentee voter; or,
8. Fraudulently signs the name of another upon an absentee voter’s
envelope or aids in doing or attempting to do a fraudulent act in connection
with an absentee vote cast or attempted to be cast; or,
9. Falsely pretends or represents to the inspectors of election or any of
them that he is incapacitated to mark his ballot, for the purpose of obtaining
assistance in voting under the provisions of this chapter, is guilty of a felony.
Any offer or attempt under this section shall be deemed to be the
doing of any act made necessary by this chapter preliminary to the delivery of
a ballot to an elector or the deposit of the ballot in the ballot box or his
admission to the booth or voting machine enclosure.
The same phone number is also linked to several other addresses in Mount Vernon. A search was also done with The New York State Department of State, the licensing agency for Dickerson’s real estate license. Dickerson listed an address of 164 Oakland Avenue Mount Vernon, NY and P.O. Box 212 Pelham, NY 10803 as the address of his company Resolution Trust Realty. P.O. Box 212 is Dickerson’s mailing address. It is NYS law that Real Estate Broker firms maintain a physical location.
The property located at 164 Oakland Avenue is currently in foreclosure. No sale date has been set for the property. Dickerson moved into the property in February 2008 and has been aggressively seeking to purchase the distressed property. The property sold for over $600K less than 5 years ago and Dickerson was attempting to purchase the property at $371K. The $371K price being offered to the bank was inclusive of a $21,000 seller’s concession. A seller’s concession is when the bank allows the borrower to finance their closing costs into the mortgage. A search with the Westchester County Clerk’s office has revealed that Dickerson is not the owner of the property even though he occupies the property as his office. Dickerson has even turned on utilities in his name at 164 Oakland Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10552
Mount Vernon Exposed™® obtained a copy of the sales contract executed by James A. Dickerson. The contract is dated February 29th, 2008. On the contract Dickerson lists his address c/o Hannah Gross, ESQ at 9 W. Prospect Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10550. Hannah Gross is the wife of Mount Vernon City Court Judge Mark Gross. Judge Gross has come under fire recently for being improperly listed as an employee with The City of Mount Vernon while being of counsel to The City of Mount Vernon Water Department. A complaint has since been filed with The NYS Attorney General’s office and the NYS Comptroller’s office. Hannah Gross is a politically connected attorney that was appointed by Devereaux Cannick to the Executive Committee of The Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee. Hannah Gross was also appointed to the law committee by Westchester Democratic Committee Chairman and Election Commissioner Reginald Lafayette.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Mayor Clinton Young has missed his opportunity to repair the negative image of Mount Vernon. Instead of filling City Hall with bright and articulate professionals, Mayor Young chose to travel down cronyism and nepotism highway. Mayor Young stated last month in an article that appeared in The Journal News that the onus is on the Federal Government to investigate, prosecute and recover the $1.7 M was mismanaged in City Hall. Mayor Young made it crystal clear that he had no interest in pursuing the missing loot. Any investigation into the missing funds would send his pal Jamie Dickerson away for a long, long time.
Mount Vernon Exposed™® rarely agrees with Mayor Young, however we agree with his statement. That is why Mount Vernon Exposed™® forwarded a copy of this report to Federal authorities for an immediate investigation into the missing funds. Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore cannot be trusted to investigate anyone that is politically connected to her office. Janet DiFiore now has the opportunity to prove many wrong and defend her office. Janet DiFiore must investigate and prosecute Mount Vernon Officials. Not now, but right now.
The allegations presented herein warrant further investigation. The findings of any such investigation must be immediately reported to Mount Vernon taxpayers.
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