Rockland County, NY – An embattled councilman for the Town of Ramapo has resigned his position after pleading guilty to a charge of official misconduct.
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Under the terms of the plea bargain agreement accepted this afternoon, 71 year old Shmuel Tress also gave up his seat on the Ramapo Town Board and agreed not to seek any future office or position in the town. The Journal News reported that Tress was fined $500 on the misdemeanor charge.
Tress, who was elected to his position on the town council last winter despite an earlier conviction on charges of federal mail fraud, was arrested last March by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office.
Tress is said to have voted for a zoning change on a housing development on Blauvelt Road in Monsey that he held a financial interest in, even though he had signed an affidavit saying that he would receive no profits from any decisions he made as a member of the town’s zoning board.
While Tress has held elected office only since November, he has been a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals for many years. Tress maintains residences in both Lakewood and Monsey and will be replaced by an as yet unnamed individual to be named by the town board.
What has become of us? This is the son of the legendary Mike ( Elimelech) Tress. He was a man wholly and selflessly dedicated to Klal Yisroel. It seems our generation can’t do any public service without a self serving corrupt scheme. We can pride ourselves in gains in kashrus, tznius, growth of Torah institutes, but we are in shameful neglect of basic ehrlachkeit.. If our yeshiva education system and Gedolei Yisroel don’t come out publicly and address this, we are doomed as the generation of the greatest purveyors of Chillul Hashem r”l.
He made thousands and thousands of dollars and the fine is 500 bucks? This was his second indictment. Which crook will they appoint to replace him?
But continue being self hating maybe the Jews will help you when you get stuck with problems
All the good deeds are not worth it if you make a chilul hashem
Money, sex and kavod are the three biggest yetzer horas.
We pray every day in davening we should not make a chilul hashem I guess he wasn’t zoche
It’s amazing how amazing all of Klal Yisroel is. All everyone cares about here is about the chillul Hashem..such God fearing Jews… The biggest chillul Hashem here is that all of you will judge another Jew without knowing a single fact!! Worry about all your own sins before you start judging someone else.. And yes you all have sins
Money money money
I fully agree with #22 . Without knowing all the facts we should all at least be able to judge favorably. This family has great history and name. I definitely think there was much more involved that we don’t know about. Please Watch what you say as Elul is almost here!
What a shame that most of us cannot fulfill the crucial mitzvah of דן לכף זכות on erev Rosh Chodesh Elul. Why is VIN posting his picture?
He pleaded guilty. They had videos and wire taps. …stop making a tzadic out of him. This is the second time he was indicted. Innocent men are not indicted two times!!
What a shame that most of us cannot fulfill the crucial mitzvah of דן לכף זכות on erev Rosh Chodesh Elul. Why is VIN posting his picture?
From what I understand, in order to get this amazing plea deal, he had to turn in many yids. Does this still make him a good Jew? His father would turn over in his grave.
I would really like to understand how does this work every time a frum person is convicted, I have to be Dan him lekaf zechut that really nothing happened?
Why are
vin posters more concerned about lashon hora as opposed to the fact he was indicted twice and embezzled a lot of gelt? He promised not to run for office after the first conviction and then ran for office. Now he promised again not to run for office. Why believe any promises he makes?