A quiet New Rochelle City Council vote last fall is now stirring debate, after residents learned the city placed a convicted federal felon on its seven-member Veterans Advisory Committee without any background check requirement.
The council appointed John Earvin, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud in 2015, to the advisory panel in October. Veterans and residents say the move has cracked open broader questions about how City Hall vets people for influential volunteer posts and how transparent that process really is.
Council appointment and vote
City records from the Oct. 21, 2025 council meeting show the adoption of Resolution 2025-163, which approved seven appointees to three-year terms on the Veterans Advisory Committee, according to the agenda and meeting video posted by the City of New Rochelle. The resolution lists the appointees as recommended by City Manager Wilfredo Melendez.
The measure, which Talk of the Sound reports was adopted by a 7-0 vote, appeared on the docket as a “Proposed appointment of members to Veterans Advisory Committee.”
Federal conviction and sentence
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, SDNY, Earvin pleaded guilty on June 19, 2015 to one count of wire fraud in the Southern District of New York. Prosecutors said he diverted roughly $28,012 in union dues for his own use, defrauding the United Federation of Law Enforcement Officers.
Earvin was sentenced to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement and 600 hours of community service.
Ordinance changes and vetting rules
Months before Earvin’s appointment, the council reshaped the Veterans Advisory Committee in June 2025, trimming its membership and setting three-year terms. The ordinance spells out the committee’s duties but does not require background checks for members, according to the city code published on eCode360.
The City’s official committees page now lists Earvin as a member of the Veterans Advisory Committee, per the City of New Rochelle.
Why it's getting attention now
The appointment drew little public notice at the time, but it resurfaced after Talk of the Sound ran a May 31, 2026 story highlighting Earvin’s role on the panel.
The outlet noted that the Oct. 21 resolution stated the appointees had been discussed in executive session and did not specify which council member nominated Earvin. Talk of the Sound also reported that it had requested comment from council members and city officials but had not received responses before publication.
Legal and policy context
Under the Veterans Advisory Committee ordinance, the panel advises the city on veterans’ programs, assists with official observances, and must report to the council at least once a year. Nominations are left to the mayor and council members, and the code does not set out any specific vetting standards for appointees.
Any move to add requirements, such as formal disclosures or criminal-history screening, would require council action or the adoption of a new local law. So far, the council has not announced plans to change the vetting rules for advisory committees.
This article will be updated if city officials provide comment.
