BRONX PROSECUTOR TO RECEIVE THOMAS E. DEWEY MEDAL

ADA Rene Aponte To Be Honored By New York City Bar Association

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that Assistant District Attorney Rene Aponte is a recipient of the Thomas E. Dewey Medal from the New York City Bar Association.

          District Attorney Clark said, “Rene, the Chief of the Complaint Room/Arraignments/DAT Bureau and a lifelong Bronxite, has been completely committed to the people of this borough both as prosecutor and community leader. His dedication to justice was exemplified during the pandemic as the complaint room continued to operate 24 hours, 7 days a week, ensuring cases were processed. He is a mentor to many ADAs as well as youth programs. Rene rightfully deserves this important award.”

         ADA Aponte began his legal career at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office Criminal Court Bureau in 1992. In 1994, he was assigned to the Trial Division, handling felony offenses. From 1998-2002, ADA Aponte was assigned to the Housing Task Force Major Case Bureau, which investigated and prosecuted narcotics and violent crimes in NYC public housing. Rene participated in the “Weed and Seed” initiative, a federally funded program that involved the targeted prosecution of narcotics and violence in high crime areas as well as community based prevention solutions for teens and young adults.  He served as Supervisor in the Criminal Court Bureau from 2002-2010, and Deputy Bureau Chief of the Complaint Room/Arraignments/DAT Bureau from 2010 to 2016, when he was promoted to Chief. He implemented new policies and procedures in arrest processing and arraignments. Last year, the Bureau screened 31,478 NYPD arrests. ADA Aponte’s dedication to the Bronx community has extended to mentoring youths in summer camps, play streets, the Bronx DA’s Youth Trial Advocacy Program and NYC Board of Education Mock Trial Competition. He also served as a liaison to the 41^st Precinct Council and initiated an anti-gun/anti-gang program for middle school students.

The Dewey award is given annually to an outstanding prosecutor in each of the city’s five District Attorney’s Offices and in the Office of the City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor. It is named for Thomas E. Dewey, the gang-busting prosecutor who was elected District Attorney of New York County in 1937 and later became governor of New York. ADA Aponte will be honored during a ceremony this evening at the New York City Bar Association.