June 14, 2025 QUEENS, NY – Just days after its founder was indicted on federal fraud charges, the embattled Queens Defenders public defender office is facing fresh turmoil. A staff attorney from the organization was arrested this week for allegedly attempting to smuggle THC-laced paper to an incarcerated client at Rikers Island. This latest incident deepens the crisis for an office already under intense scrutiny.
Bernardo Caceres, a lawyer with Queens Defenders, was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon. He faces a felony charge of promoting prison contraband, which carries a potential sentence of up to seven years in a New York state prison.
According to authorities, Caceres was visiting inmate Luis DeJesus, who is currently held on second-degree burglary charges, when a K-9 unit at Rikers Island detected a suspicious odor emanating from a yellow envelope Caceres had in his possession.
Upon inspection, a corrections officer discovered more than 130 discolored, legal-sized papers inside the envelope. These documents were subsequently seized by the Correctional Intelligence Bureau and tested positive for THC.
This incident comes on the heels of federal charges filed against Lori Zeno, the founder of Queens Defenders, and her husband, Rashad Ruhani, also a lawyer with the group. They were both indicted in federal court on Wednesday, just a day prior to Caceres's arrest.
Benny Boscio, President of the Correctional Officers Benevolent Association, swiftly condemned the alleged act. "The fact that this attorney would brazenly attempt to smuggle in a large quantity of THC into one of our biggest jails is further proof of why paper documents brought by visitors should be scanned and downloaded electronically onto tablets before entering our facilities," Boscio stated.
Sources indicate that Caceres was seen smiling as correctional staff handcuffed and arrested him, an image that further underscores the escalating challenges for the Queens Defenders.
