Mayor Jenkins gets indicted

By Dan Hust
MONTICELLO — May 28, 2010 — Monticello Mayor Gordon Jenkins and his partner, Rochelle Massey, were indicted Wednesday by a Sullivan County grand jury, according to District Attorney Jim Farrell.
Both were charged with two felony counts of trademark counterfeiting in the second degree, eight misdemeanor counts of trademark counterfeiting in the third degree, five misdemeanor counts of failure to collect sales tax, and one count (a violation) of unlawful possession of marijuana.
Jenkins, 50, and Massey, 49, run G-Men Beauty Supplies on Broadway, where investigators found 300 pairs of allegedly counterfeit Nike sneakers and movies, valued at more than $1,000. Marijuana was also allegedly found in the home they share on Clinton Avenue in the village.
The indictment charges the duo with selling counterfeit Nikes five different times from September 2009 through February 2010, whilst failing to collect county sales taxes on each sale. The grand jury has also charged the couple with offering for sale counterfeit movies, CDs and Timberland boots.
Jenkins and Massey were arrested by the State Police in February, after which police and the DA’s Office executed a search warrant on their home and business.
Both are currently free on $2,500 bail and are due for arraignment in Sullivan County Court on June 1 (Massey) and June 9 (Jenkins).
Farrell said the two each face up to four years in state prison on each of the felony counts and up to a year in prison on each of the misdemeanor counts.
If convicted of a felony, Jenkins could lose his mayoralty as well.
Massey declined to comment on Wednesday, but Jenkins told the Democrat he’ll continue serving the public.
“I’ve been doing that all my life,” he stated. “I have an agenda to help all the people in the community.”
As for the charges, he remarked, “I’m not guilty, and I’ll have my day in court.”