NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – A top former advisor to Mayor Eric Adams physically assaulted security staff at a city-run migrant shelter, misused his authority, and provided false information leading to wrongful arrests, according to a new report from the Department of Investigation (DOI).
The investigation, based on witness interviews and body-worn and surveillance footage, details an incident in which Timothy Pearson, Adams’ former senior advisor for public safety, arrived unannounced at the Touro College Respite Center in Manhattan in October 2023.
When security staff requested identification, a standard protocol for all visitors, Pearson refused, became physically aggressive, and ultimately had two security guards arrested based on what DOI determined were false allegations.
“It should go without saying that Senior City officials, like all City employees, must follow City rules, conduct themselves professionally, and treat others with courtesy and respect," DOI Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber said in a statement. "But Timothy Pearson, the Mayor’s former Senior Advisor for Public Safety, became verbally abusive and physically aggressive when asked to provide his identification at the entrance to the Touro shelter, and used physical force against staff who tried to prevent him from entering without it. His conduct, as evidenced by witness statements and Body Worn Camera footage that DOI reviewed, fell far below our most basic expectations for public servants.”
The report states that Pearson first pushed a male security guard out of his way to gain entry without identification. Then when a female security guard attempted to intervene, he cursed at her and shoved her backward, causing her to fall. Shortly after, Pearson told the NYPD that he had been assaulted by the security staff. The DOI investigation found the claims to be false.
According to the DOI, he also instructed police officers at the scene to issue a “10-85” distress call, typically used when an officer requires immediate backup, resulting in the deployment of seven NYPD units and 19 officers. Once officers arrived, Pearson “mischaracterized” both the events that occurred inside the Touro Facility and his duty status with the NYPD. Pearson also later appeared at the Midtown South Precinct, where the two guards were detained.
Based on Pearson’s report, officers arrested the two security guards. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office later declined to pursue charges against them.
The investigation concluded that Pearson had abused his power and determined that he had “acted unprofessionally."
1010 WINS reached out to Pearson’s attorney, Hugh H. Mo, but did not receive a response.
The fallout from the incident has led to legal action. Attorney Jason Steinberger filed a civil suit on behalf of three guards. “I trust that the city will enforce strict measures to hold Timothy Pearson accountable,” he told 1010 WINS.
At the time of the incident, Adams had defended his longtime ally, stating he had “never witnessed him displaying a violent action” in their 30 years of knowing each other. The mayor also justified Pearson’s unannounced visits to migrant shelters, arguing that planned inspections would allow facilities to prepare and obscure potential issues.
Pearson, a former NYPD inspector, had been deeply involved in the city’s response to the migrant crisis and oversaw shelter security measures. However, he resigned from his role in September 2024 amid mounting scrutiny over his conduct and a broader corruption probe into the Adams administration.
His departure came just as Adams was federally indicted and as Gov.Kathy Hochul reportedly urged the mayor to overhaul his administration. Pearson was among several city officials whose electronic devices were seized in a series of federal raids investigating alleged misconduct within City Hall.
The report also raises concerns about the city’s ability to enforce security protocols at migrant shelters, particularly when senior officials defy established procedures.
DOI’s investigation found that the Touro Facility lacked working security cameras inside the shelter or at the entrance, leaving witness testimony and external surveillance footage as the primary sources of evidence.