Opinion ID: 6337967
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Events Leading to Entry of the 2001 Order

Text: The 2001 protection order here at issue was entered following Alvarez’s guilty plea and conviction that year for first-degree contempt of court. See N.Y. Penal L. § 215.51.3 That contempt was 3 New York first-degree contempt is a divisible crime, subdivision (b) of which makes a person guilty when, “in violation of . . . an order of protection issued by a court of competent jurisdiction in this or another state,” the person (i) intentionally places or attempts to place a person for whose protection such order was issued in reasonable fear of physical injury, serious physical injury or death by displaying a deadly weapon, dangerous instrument or what appears to be a pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or other firearm or by means of a threat or threats; or (ii) intentionally places or attempts to place a person for whose protection such order was issued in reasonable fear of physical injury, serious physical injury or death by repeatedly following such person or engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts over a period of time; or (iii) intentionally places or attempts to place a person for whose protection such order was issued in reasonable fear of physical injury, serious physical injury or death when he or she communicates or causes a communication to be initiated with such person by mechanical or electronic means or otherwise, anonymously or otherwise, by telephone, or by telegraph, mail or any other form of written communication; or (iv) with intent to harass, annoy, threaten or alarm a person for whose protection such order was issued, repeatedly makes telephone calls to such person, whether or not a 5 evidenced by Alvarez’s 2001 violation of an earlier, 1999 protection order that had required Alvarez to refrain from, inter alia, assaulting Ms. Escolastico. 4 In a sworn affidavit to support Alvarez’s 2001 arrest for assault, a New York City police officer stated that Ms. Escolastico had reported that, on May 19, 2001, Alvarez came to her apartment, “(i) punched [her] numerous times on the head and arm, (ii) grabbed [her] and slammed her on the floor, (iii) . . . threatened to throw her out of the window, (iv) . . . put a cable cord around [her] neck and choked her,” and (v) threatened to kill her. Admin. R. 833–34. Ms. Escolastico further told the officer that, on May 25, 2001, Alvarez had “forced his way” into her apartment and threatened “to kill her if she called the police.” Id. conversation ensues, with no purpose of legitimate communication; or (v) with intent to harass, annoy, threaten or alarm a person for whose protection such order was issued, strikes, shoves, kicks or otherwise subjects such other person to physical contact or attempts or threatens to do the same; or (vi) by physical menace, intentionally places or attempts to place a person for whose protection such order was issued in reasonable fear of death, imminent serious physical injury or physical injury. N.Y. Penal L. § 215.51(b). 4 The 1999 protection order was entered after Alvarez’s arrest that year for thirddegree assault of Ms. Escolastico. See N.Y. Penal L. § 120.00. The record does not contain the 1999 protection order. What it does show is that Alvarez’s 1999 assault charge, and an unrelated 1999 charge for third-degree possession of a forged instrument, see id. § 170.20, were dismissed on October 17, 2001, following his 2001 contempt conviction. 6 When interviewed about these events in 2001 for a pre-sentence report, Alvarez claimed that his actions had been “misrepresented” and that he had only tried “to speak” with Ms. Escolastico “in order to reconcile.” Id. at 1471–72. 5 The state probation department nevertheless reported “a severe case of domestic violence,” in which Alvarez failed to “take full responsibility for his actions,” and recommended some term of incarceration. Id. at 1476. On September 20, 2001, a New York State court sentenced Alvarez to six months’ imprisonment and five years’ probation for his contempt of the 1999 protection order. Two weeks later, on October 5, 2001, the court issued another protection order, to remain in effect for five years, i.e., until October 4, 2006. See N.Y. Crim. Proc. § 530.12. That 2001 order, which is here at issue, prohibited Alvarez, directly or through any third party, from having “contact of any kind whatsoever” with Ms. Escolastico. Admin. R. 134. Specifically, Alvarez was ordered (1) to “[s]tay away” from Ms. Escolastico’s person, as well as from her home, school, business, or place of employment; (2) to “[r]efrain from communication” with Ms. Escolastico, whether “by mail or by telephone, e-mail, voice-mail or other electronic means”; and (3) to “[r]efrain from assault, stalking, harassment, menacing, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, intimidation, threats, or any criminal offense against” Ms. Escolastico. Id. 5In testifying before the IJ about his 2001 arrest, Alvarez acknowledged having “hit [Ms. Escolastico] with [his] hand on her face” and having pushed or shaken her, id. at 445–46, though elsewhere he would characterize his conduct as “verbal violence,” id. at 727–28. 7 B. Alvarez’s Contempt Conviction for Violating the 2001