Pubdate: Thu, 15 Oct 1998
Source: Montreal Gazette (Canada)
Section: A1 / FRONT
Copyright: 1998 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.montrealgazette.com/
Author: Mike King

RABBI ACCUSED OF DRUG RUNNING

A 73-year-old rabbi with strong Montreal ties, who serves as chaplain
for upper New York state penitentiaries, is to appear in a U.S.
federal court today accused of smuggling drugs to inmates.

Eli Gottesman is to appear before U.S. Magistrate David Homer in
Albany, N.Y., at 2 p.m. to learn the bail conditions he must adhere to
until a preliminary hearing is held.

Gottesman was arrested Oct. 7 at a federal medium-security prison in
Ray Brook, N.Y., where he has been a chaplain on contract since June
1991.

He was taken into custody after a search found him in possession of a
large bottle of Pert Plus shampoo containing sealed balloons of
cocaine and marijuana.

The Orthodox rabbi was arraigned the next day in Rouses Point, N.Y.,
on a charge of ``providing or attempting to provide to inmates of a
prison prohibited objects, in this case cocaine and marijuana,''
federal prosecutor Richard Hartunian said from Albany.

Zushe Silberstein, a Montreal rabbi who occasionally accompanied
Gottesman in conducting religious services at the New York prisons,
was shocked to learn yesterday of the arrest.

``I'm having difficulty believing it,'' said Silberstein, who received
a phone call from Gottesman ``just before the high holiday to wish me
a happy new year.

``I know the man,'' he added. ``He's an extremely devoted, kind
person.''

Silberstein said he is convinced that Gottesman must have been set up
by someone.

Gottesman was released on his own recognizance following a hearing in
Albany on Tuesday, then was ordered back to court today.

Several Agencies Involved

Michael Lamitie, executive assistant to the warden at Ray Brook
prison, said the rabbi had been the focus of an internal investigation
for several months.

The U.S. Justice Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and
New York state police also got involved in the case.

The quantity of illicit drugs seized isn't being divulged yet because
the evidence is being tested, Lamitie said.

He also couldn't reveal whether other people besides Gottesman were
suspected of being involved in the alleged trafficking at the
institution, about 175 kilometres south of Montreal.

Gottesman's principal residence is in Ogdensburg, N.Y., but he told
authorities that he also maintains a home in Montreal, Hartunian said.

For many years, he commuted from Montreal to the New York prisons to
act as their chaplain.

He is paid nearly $53,000 annually by the state and another $3,400 a
year by the federal government to minister to the prisoners.

A former chairman of the editorial board of Who's Who in Canadian
Jewry, Gottesman in 1988 became the first Canadian named chaplain of
the year by the New York Board of Rabbis.

Hartunian said the maximum penalty Gottesman would face if convicted
is 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

Brian Premo, Gottesman's defence lawyer in Albany, didn't return
repeated telephone calls to his office yesterday.
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Checked-by: Patrick Henry