LI Village Trustee, Associate Arraigned On More Extortion Charges

A Hempstead Village trustee was indicted for the second time in as many days, this time on charges related to a previous arrest he and an associate faced in July for allegedly extorting local businesses.

Perry Pettus and his associate, William Mendez, were arraigned on additional charges of bribery, larceny, conspiracy and official misconduct, counts that were added to the indictment they already faced in July, after officials say an investigation showed they targeted more local businesses.

Pettus, 62, was arraigned on three counts of second-degree bribe receiving, four counts of second-degree grand larceny, three counts of third-degree bribe receiving, three counts of third-degree grand larceny, two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy, three counts of official misconduct and two counts of fourth-degree tampering with a witness.

Mendez, 48, also known as Jito Malania and Leocadio Molino Rios, was arraigned on two counts of second-degree bribe receiving, three counts of second-degree grand larceny, two counts of third-degree bribe receiving, two counts of third-degree grand larceny, two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy and two counts of official misconduct.

Bail was set at $100,000 bond or $50,000 cash for Pettus and Mendez was remanded. The two are due back in court on Oct. 30. If convicted of the top charge, they could face up to 15 years in prison.

“Hempstead Village Trustee Perry Pettus and his associate William Mendez allegedly threatened to drive half a dozen people out of business unless they paid extortion money,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “As an elected official, Pettus should be held to a high standard, and the widespread greed alleged in this indictment – taking approximately $80,000 in bribes – is a cause for concern. This investigation is ongoing and I encourage anyone with information to contact my office.”

Singas said that the District Attorney’s office started investigating Pettus – a trustee for the Village of Hempstead, former deputy mayor of the village and owner of Hubs Auto Care – in the beginning of this year after receiving credible information about an alleged bribery and extortion scheme.

According to Singas, Pettus used his position in the village to get bribes from local restaurant owners by threatening to issue them with summonses that would jeopardize their business, cabaret and liquor licenses, which would force them out of business.

Singas said that Pettus and Mendez, a local restaurant and bar owner in Hempstead, targeted Hispanic-owned businesses as part of their scheme.

Mendez, who speaks Spanish, aided Pettus by meeting with the victims and demanding money to avoid tickets, fines, license revocations and more that would harm their businesses, Singas said. In exchange, Singas said that Pettus would fast-track certain permits and licenses for Mendez.

The two were arrested in July and charged with multiple crimes related to the extortion of two businesses for more than $25,000. Since then, the investigation has determined that additional Hempstead business owners were targeted by the pair and allegedly shaken down for an additional $80,000.

In one incident, Singas said that Pettus, who was deputy mayor at that time, conducted frequent inspections of a business late at night and complained about the noise. The business owner allegedly paid Pettus, fearing Pettus would not renew the their business license and to stop him from conducting inspections. Intercepted phone calls allegedly recorded Pettus soliciting a birthday gift from the same owner – three weeks after his birthday.

Another owner made extortion payments to Pettus through Mendez, Singas said, after he was told by police to close his business at midnight. Singas said the owner delivered one payment to Mendez at his restaurant when Pettus was there.

Another time, Singas said that Pettus and Mendez visited a business owner together. The owner was told that he was not allowed to be open beyond certain hours, Singas said. Pettus then allegedly instructed the owner to talk to Mendez, who later demanded money.

After the business owner made one payment, Singas said that intercepted phone calls between Mendez and Pettus confirmed Mendez told Pettus about the payment and that Mendez delivered the payment to Pettus. Bank records reveal Pettus deposited $7,920 into his Santander Bank account the next day, Singas said.

Following Pettus’s arrest on July 31, 2018, Singas said that Pettus was captured on video surveillance approaching a business owner. During this conversation, Pettus allegedly asked the victim to give a false statement to Pettus’s attorney claiming the victim never paid Pettus money, Singas said.

Pettus ceased to be deputy mayor of the Village of Hempstead on April 2, however, he remains a trustee.

In July, Pettus was charged with second- and third-degree bribe receiving, second-degree grand larceny, second- and third-degree attempted grand larceny, fourth- and fifth-degree conspiracy and six counts of official misconduct. Mendez was charged with second-degree bribe receiving, second- and third-degree attempted grand larceny, fourth- and fifth-degree conspiracy and official misconduct.

In addition to the extortion scheme, Pettus was arraigned yesterday on charges related to fraudulently attempting to get a mortgage for a home in North Carolina, among other financial crimes. He was charged with second-degree attempted grand larceny, six counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, 12 counts of first-degree falsifying business records, third-degree attempted grand larceny, eight counts of second-degree falsifying business records and making a punishable false written statement.

Perry Pettus, left, and William Mendez. Photos courtesy Nassau County District Attorney's Office.