Governor David Paterson's son was taken into police custody on the Upper West Side Tuesday for allegedly gambling on a public street. When asked for id, investigators said he was carrying a bank card that did not belong to him. NYPD officials were not saying if they believe the card was lost, stolen or thrown away by the original owner.
Alex Paterson was initially taken into custody because police said he was playing dice. When officers asked for identification, they apparently discovered a woman's card. An NYPD spokesman declined to comment. The Manhattan D.A.'s office said it has no case involving Paterson's son.
A law enforcement source said Alex Paterson received a "juvenile report" for his alleged public dice playing or gambling with friends. The source added while he was found with a woman's credit card, there is nothing at this time to show it was stolen, or if he ever improperly used it.
Paterson issued a brief statement requesting privacy during what he called a "personal time."
A spokesman for the Department of Probation said he can not comment on any specific juvenile case. But he said generally "there are some cases we can adjust and keep them from going to the family court."
The seriousness of the offense and meeting with the juvenile and the parents among the factors that are considered as well as whether there was a victim, the spokesman said.
