DISTRICT ATTORNEY ROCAH ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF DA’S OFFICE INAUGURAL AWARDS RECOGNIZING ACHIEVEMENT AMONG PROSECUTORS, INVESTIGATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF.
Prosecution and investigation teams behind the People v. Jason Ricketts, in which the Office secured felony convictions and a 21-year prison sentence of a New Rochelle child sex offender, and a longtime staffer named recipients of awards memorializing former DA’s Office colleagues.
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah announced the winners of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office Annual Awards, which she instituted to recognize professional excellence among assistant district attorneys, criminal investigators, crime analysts, and support staff serving the county.
Recipients of the 2023 inaugural awards, held May 14 at the District Attorney’s Office in White Plains, include an 18-year administrative staffer and the prosecution and investigation teams behind the People v. Jason Ricketts, a child sex abuse case that the Office secured felony convictions for, which led to the 21-year prison sentence of the defendant in April.
DA Rocah said: “The people of Westchester County should be proud to know that some of the most dedicated, hard working and committed public servants are fighting every day on behalf of victims and ensuring justice is served. By instituting these awards, we have an opportunity as an office of more than 250 people to celebrate the remarkable achievement of our prosecutors, investigators, analysts, aides and support staff.”
The prosecution team of Laura Forbes, Cyber Crimes Bureau Chief; Janelle Armentano, Domestic Violence Deputy Bureau Chief; Mollie O’Rourke, Sex Crimes Bureau Senior Assistant District Attorney; Christine Hatfield, Child and Elder Abuse Bureau Chief; Melissa Sheeley, Investigations Information Coordinator; and Stacey Nolan-Meaney, Clinical Trauma Therapist were named the recipients of the 2023 Patrick P. Moore Award for Excellence in Prosecution.
Named in honor of Moore, the retired Assistant District Attorney and 35-year veteran of the DA’s Office who passed away in 2023, the award recognizes an ADA or prosecution team that has demonstrated the highest level of ethical and professional conduct, embodied a true team player mentality, enhanced relationships between prosecutors and police, and sought to help others.
The investigations team of Thomas Woodburn, Criminal Investigator, Marecia Baltimore, Criminal Investigator, Latheia Smith, Senior Criminal Investigator, and Chloe McSwiney, Crime Analyst, were named the 2023 The Stuart Cohen Award for Investigative Excellence.
The investigator’s award recognizes a criminal investigator, analyst, or a team on an operation or investigation for distinguished achievement and is named in honor of former Senior Criminal Investigator Cohen. Cohen’s 11-year career with the Office’s then Narcotics Initiative (WC-DANI) Task Force ended in 2007 when he died in the line of duty at the age of 38 after a fatal narcotics exposure during a search and seizure operation.
Addressing the recipients of the prosecution and investigation awards, the District Attorney noted the excellent inter-division collaboration between the Trials & Investigation Division, Special Prosecutions Division and the Criminal Investigators Squad that led to the favorable disposition in the People v. Jason Ricketts, which the DA announced the conclusion of in April.
Olivia Kelly, Coordinator of Administration, who has served under three District Attorneys since 2006, was named the recipient of the 2023 The Priscilla Patrinos Staffer of the Year Award.
Named in honor of Patrinos, a 31-year administrative staffer who served under three District Attorneys until her retirement in 2010, the award recognizes an individual among the DA’s Office administrative and support personnel for outstanding professionalism and service.
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