By: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer

NEW YORK, NY — The NYPD has arrested a disturbed 26-year-old man who allegedly threatened to rape City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-District 8) and kill her family. He also allegedly threatened to kill all the city’s gay and lesbian police officers.

Arraigned in Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday August 15, defendant Daniel Silvera faces multiple charges including aggravated harassment as a hate crime.

According to the criminal complaint, Silvera allegedly sent the City Council speaker e-mails indicating that he knew where her home was located and that he would “knock down the door” – followed by saying that he would repeatedly rape her before killing her and her family.

The threats were sent on July 28 from a gmail account and according to prosecutors, Silvera told cops that the gmail account was his. The note notes also threatened to attack the City Council speaker at the City Council, according to the complaint.

“These violent, dangerous threats against the Speaker and the NYPD are deeply disturbing and we thank the DA’s office for pursuing this matter,” said Robin Levine, a spokeswoman for Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.

During the investigation prosecutors say that Silvera also was allegedly behind the anonymous threatening e-mails sent to two police officers who served in LGBT outreach positions on the same day the speaker received her death threats. Silvera’s threatening e-mails to “kill every gay and lesbian police officer,” are sure to add to the hate crime charges.

The judge ordered Silvera’s Bail to be set at $50,000 cash or bond. No word yet as of this posting from Silvera’s lawyer but should he respond, we will update this article accordingly.