Nassau Village Trustee, Associate Extorted Businesses: DA

A Hempstead Village trustee and his associate were indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday and charged with bribery, larceny, conspiracy and more in connection with a scheme to extort local restaurant owners of more than $25,000, prosecutors say.

Trustee Perry Pettus, 62, 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.

William Mendez, 47, also known as Jito Malania and Leocadio Molino Rios, was charged with second-degree bribe receiving, second- and third-degree attempted grand larceny, fourth- and fifth-degree conspiracy and official misconduct.

Bail was set at $10,000 for Mendez, and Pettus was released on his own recognizance. The two are due back in court on Sept. 5. If convicted of the top charge, they face up to 15 years in prison.

“We allege that Hempstead Village Trustee Perry Pettus, a former Hempstead deputy mayor, threatened Hispanic-owned local businesses with summons, fines, and operating restrictions that would could drive them out of business – unless they paid him tens of thousands in bribes, though his associate and intermediary, William Mendez,” Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said. “The conduct charged in this indictment – taking bribes, ordering police and enforcement agencies to target some businesses and protect others – is truly despicable.”

Singas said that the district attorney’s office initiated an investigation into Pettus in the beginning of this year after receiving credible information about an alleged bribery and extortion scheme. According to the indictment, Pettus used his position and authority as a deputy mayor and trustee of the village to solicit bribes from local restaurateurs by threatening to have summonses issued that would jeopardize the restaurants’ business, cabaret and liquor licenses, which would force the restaurants out of business.

Singas said that Pettus and Mendez, a restaurant and bar owner in the Village of Hempstead, targeted Hispanic-owned businesses as part of their extortion scheme. Mendez, who speaks Spanish, helped Pettus by meeting with business owners and demanding money to avoid tickets, fines, license revocations and other actions that could jeopardize their businesses, Singas said.

In exchange for his help, Singas said that Pettus would fast-track certain business permits and licenses for Mendez. Using Village of Hempstead employees, Pettus helped Mendez increase the occupancy of one his restaurants – El Pacifico – and had village employees assist Mendez with architectural plans for a new business, Singas said.

Mendez has acquired a new restaurant and renovated others that he owns since his affiliation with Pettus, Singas said. Pettus also allegedly disclosed confidential police investigation information to Mendez on more than one occasion to benefit Mendez.

Singas said that Mendez received more than $25,000 in bribe money from business owners between February and May 2018.

After each time a bribe was paid, Mendez would meet Pettus at various locations, Singas said, including Pettus’ home, business and inside Pettus’ car. On at least one occasion, Singas said that Mendez got into Pettus’ car with a package and left without it.

Pettus and Mendez discussed payments in coded language and specifically used the word “cookies” to refer to money, said Singas. After his meetings with Mendez, Singas said that Pettus made cash deposits into various bank accounts.

The investigation is ongoing and the district attorney's office encourages anyone with information to contact the Public Corruption Bureau at 516-571-2100.

Photo: Perry Pettus, left, and William Mendez. Courtesy Nassau County District Attorney's office.