West New York Mayor Felix Roque was indicted by the state Attorney General’s Office 15 months ago for allegedly accepting $250,000 in a bribery and kickback scheme, but a trial date is still nowhere in sight as a pre-trial conference has been postponed.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Roque was scheduled to appear in front of Bergen County Superior Court Judge Christopher Kazlau on Tuesday, September 6 for a pre-trial conference, but that was postponed until October 3, a clerk from Kazlau’s chambers confirmed with Hudson County View yesterday.
The retired U.S. Army colonel has not had many court appearances relating to his latest indictment (he beat federal hacking charges in October 2013) first pleading not guilty to the charges in July 2015.
His attorneys, Christopher Adams and John MacDonald – the latter who previously represented the mayor – filed a motion to dismiss in February.
Roque’s team had some success when the motion was finally heard in July, where two of the three charges – second degree health care claims fraud and a third degree runners charge – were tossed by the judge.
However, Roque must still answer a second degree commercial bribery charge.
Specifically, the pain management specialist is accused of participating in a scheme to refer patients needing MRI and CT scans to medical diagnostic imaging centers controlled by Rehan Zuberi in exchange for cash and election campaign contributions.
Zuberi previously pleaded guilty to charges that he led a criminal enterprise that paid several million dollars of bribes and kickbacks to dozens of doctors from 2008 to 2014.
Adams has previously dismissed the indictment as “ridiculously false charges” that “rests entirely on the word of a convicted liar and cheat.”
As it stands today, Roque’s case will likely not involve more than a handful of witnesses, with the government expected to lean heavily on the testimony of Zuberi and Anthony Correll, a detective for the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Medicaid Fraud Control Unit – the main investigator in the case.
NO JUSTICE..
Always postponements.. ENOUGH..Menendez/Albio Judge playing for Roque must stop…!
Roque and WNY have gotten a lot of name recognition with the Mayor’s two indictments The whole state knows who we both are. The next WNY crook we’ll be reading about is former Commissionier Rubon Vargus and the current security chief at the WNY Parking Authority who pleaded guilty to stealing from HUD . He is being sentenced next week
Roque was a lieutenant colonel, not a full colonel, and he was in the army reserves, not regular army.
As someone with a medical degree – such as it is – he entered the army reserves as an officer, so his rank of lieutenant colonel is hardly impressive. It probably reflects only one promotion in the 37 years he was in the reserves.
People should stop painting him as some kind of military hero or bigwig by referring to him as a “retired U.S. Army colonel”. I doubt he made any sacrifices or endured any hardships while in the army reserves.
He is a corrupt, incompetent, vindictive individual who has no business being mayor.
I mean that’s one of his titles, like it or not. The distinction between Army Reserves and Army is worth knowing, but not really relevant to the subject matter here and it’s purely speculation as to how he obtained his rank.
Well, his rank in the army reserves is not really relevant to the subject matter either, but people seem to love exaggerating his military record and mentioning his title when it has nothing to do with the topic. Besides, that’s in the past. What he is now is a corrupt, dishonest, vindictive little man who has no business being in a position of any authority.
You are wrong on at least two of your points, Watchdog. Mayor Roque did enlist in the U.S. Army. Enlisted soldiers range from Private to Command Sergeant Major(one of which is selected as Sergeant Major of The Army.)You are also wrong about COL(R) Roque’s highest rank, as per:
http://www.drroque.net/blog/254-dr-felix-roque-is-successful-in-helping-solve-the-cuban-refugee-crisis-in-central-america
Veteran , you must be on the town payroll the way you come to Roque’s defense . Tell the truth now Veteran do you have a town job ? Are you a Combat Veteran or a weekend warrior ? Be honest
Just for the record, Veteran, the site you provided is a Roque website.
And your point is, Watchdog?
Questionable reliability?
That is even more the reason why it is reliable. No doubt COL(R) Roque is well aware of the wording or spirit of Article 134 of the UCMJ.
Veteran aka Patrick Cullen Aka library job.
Cullen , a weekend warrior who’s never been Combat and ran for commissioner as a reformer , then took the first lacky job Roque offered him . Another POS on the town payroll.
‘WNY Dude” (aka Coward) Thank you for proving my point by using a pseudonym, attacking me, and hiding behind it like a COWARD.Before serving in the National Guard, I served in the Army for two tours. I served at Ground Zero/WTC Site for nearly three months
George Martinez,
You are correct. You deserve the courtesy of my reply because you are using your real name. For the longest time, I also used my real name, until cowards, using pseudonyms, thought it was gentlemanly or ladylike to attack and then retreat behind their pseudonyms. I salute you for using your real name.
Patrick Cullen , is he the guy who wears a yellow construction safety helmet with Army BDU’S on Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day, No Veteran would be seen out of uniform like that except a weekend warrior, they don’t know any better..
‘Vinnie Gumbotz”:Thanks for proving my point. You are a coward. You attack me with a pseudonym and hide behind that pseudonym. My helmet, which I was issued to wear for nearly three months National Guard State Active Duty service at Ground Zero/WTC Revovery Site is indeed yellow. However your moral character is yellow to attack from the shadows and slither back to that shadow because you don’t have the intestinal fortitude or moral courage to verbally joust under your own identity.
” Patrick Cullen” BlahBlahBlah wow three months national guard duty , you were hiding under the website of Veteran until you were exposed by George Martinez . Your kissing Roque’s butt because he gave you the library job but Everybody in town has your number , try and run for something in town again . You say you served two tours before the National Guard duty , where and how long were your active duty enlistments, I think your a fraud.
“Vinnie Gumbotz”, it is you who are the fraud. As “Veteran” I never attacked another poster unless it was a pseudonym attacking me. I have reasonable certainty of who you are. I do not believe you live in WNY. You trully have chutzpah to ask me about my military service when you remain hidden behind your yellow name, yellow character, and yellow journalism.
Watchdog , WNY Dude , George. Martinez , and Vinnie Gumbotz all can’t be wrong Patrick . You have realize maybe it’s you.
“Vinnie Gumbotz” even your non-slick attempt to associate others with your unfounded assertions is inherently false, as I did not deny the accurate assertion made by George Martinez of September 9 at 9:23 p.m.
Pain management specialist. He is not exactly brain surgeon, mr Heines? Do you need a degree to be such specialist?
I don’t claim to know who Veteran is, and my only exchange with him was about Roque’s rank, not about his true identity. If someone chooses to post anonymously, his privacy should be respected. There can be many reasons for posting anonymously, especially in this town. Everybody knows that.
As far as I know, the poster known as Veteran has always been courteous towards others and in his posts and I think it’s wrong for someone to criticize him for using a screen name, especially someone who uses a screen name himself and is a lot less courteous than Veteran.
Thanks, Watchdog.
Veteran
Watchdog , thank you for your comment defending an individual’s right to post anonymously