Nassau County Criminal Defense Attorneys

Cops: Commercial driver on parkway was high

2012-01-23T10:48:00.002-05:00

A Huntington man who was pulled over because he was driving a commercial vehicle on the Northern State Parkway in Westbury faces of charge of driving while impaired by drugs, State Police said.

The 42 year old male was driving a gray Ford pickup with commercial license plates east on the parkway near Exit 32, Post Avenue, police said.

A trooper detected a strong odor of marijuana as he interviewed the driver. He then failed sobriety tests and was arrested.

Police said a "pill bottle containing marijuana and a pipe with marijuana" were found in the truck.

Bank teller accused of stealing

2012-01-23T10:35:00.002-05:00

A teller at Farmingdale bank faces a grand larceny charge for allegedly stealing more than $9,000 in cash, said Nassau County police.

The 23 year old teller, of Benjoe Dr., Amityville, twice took several thousand dollars from her teller's drawer where she worked at the New York Community Bank on Conklin Street, detectives from the Crimes Against Property Squad said.

The bank noticed the losses, in excess of $9,000, after routine daily audits of the tellers' cash drawers, a police spokesman said. The spokesman could not say why the woman allegedly took the money

4 sought in Hempstead GameStop heist

2012-01-23T10:16:00.001-05:00

Armed men broke into a video game store in Hempstead robbing the store and its employees before fleeing, Nassau police said.

Two men entered GameStop on Fulton Avenue, displayed handguns, and ordered one of the two male employees to lie on the floor while the other was ordered to open the cash register, police said.

One of the suspects opened the back door of the store, allowing two more men to enter, police said.

The suspects took cash from the register, and then ordered the employees to an employee rest area, where they were told to lie down before the suspects took their personal property.

The four suspects, who wore black half-masks and dark clothing, then fled through the back door. The employees were not injured.

Cops: Army veteran's wheelchair missing

2012-01-23T10:09:00.003-05:00

A custom wheelchair with a large embroidered Purple Heart on the back was taken from the driveway of the Holbrook home of an Army veteran who lost both legs in Iraq.

While police searched for the wheelchair, the 28 year old veteran was already doing his best to move on -- emotionally. The veteran, who was nearly killed in the 2008 roadside bomb blast that cost him his legs, depends on the aluminum wheelchair to get around when he's not wearing his prosthetic limbs.

Besides the Purple Heart, the blue wheelchair is decorated with a U.S. Army seal and military stickers. It was specially made for the man at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., said Suffolk Police Det. Lt. Edward Reilly, commander of the Fifth Squad detectives.

Riot reported at Seaford High School

2012-01-23T10:02:00.009-05:00

Several patrol cars responded to a report of a "riot" at a Seaford High School basketball game, Nassau police said. At least five patrol cars were headed to the school at Seamans Neck Road, police said, but an officer shortly afterward advised incoming cars that the situation was being brought under control.

The Seaford school district's athletics calendar shows the local team playing against Island Trees High School.

Cops probe armed robbery at Mineola store

2012-01-09T15:15:00.004-05:00

Detectives are investigating the robbery of a Mineola store in which the victim was taped to a chair and managed to free himself and call police.

The victim, 65, had just opened Convenient Kitchen and Bath, 321 Willis Ave., when the robber entered the store and displayed a handgun and demanded cash, Suffolk County police said in a news release.

The robber took money from the man's wallet and a gold ring before taping him to a chair and fleeing, police said. The robber also took a computer monitor and tower, computer programs and a laptop, police said.

The victim, who was not hurt, freed himself and called police.

Cops: Boy, 14, shot in wrist in Hempstead

2012-01-09T14:12:00.003-05:00

Nassau County police are looking for a man who shot a teenager in the wrist in Hempstead, according to Third Squad detectives.

Detectives said a 14-year-old boy was walking on Polk Avenue, north of Peninsula Boulevard, when a dark-colored BMW drove up behind him.

A man with a handgun got out on the passenger side and fired several shots at the boy, who ran away southbound on Polk Avenue.The boy sustained a gunshot wound to his left wrist, police said. He was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for nonlife threatening injuries.

Uniondale man arrested on drug, gun charges

2012-01-09T14:07:00.007-05:00

A Uniondale man was found with a crack cocaine and a handgun after Nassau County police foiled a drug deal in Hempstead, police said.

Third Squad detectives said that police officers followed a 2000 Nissan driving erratically on Hempstead Turnpike.

The officers said a man got out of the back of the vehicle at Devon Road and Hendrickson Avenue and approached another man on the corner.

Police believed a drug transaction was being made, and when they got out of their patrol car the two men ran off, police said.

The driver of the Nissan then tried to flee, but he backed into a street sign, disabling the car, police said. The driver also ran off, but officers were able to arrest a 23 year old passenger in the car, of Northern Pkwy., police said.

Police were unable to find the other three suspects. When they searched the car they found three bags of a substance believed to be crack cocaine and a .22 caliber handgun.

Cops: Syosset man arrested in car break-in

2012-01-09T14:02:00.002-05:00

A Syosset man faces charges of grand larceny and petty larceny after he was caught with stolen GPS units, credit cards and a check card in Carle Place, Nassau County police said.

Third Squad detectives said the 19 year old, of Convent Rd., was seen breaking into a 2004 Honda.The woman called her neighbor, the owner of the car, and police.

The man had fled the scene on foot when police arrived, but they found him later in possession of several stolen items, including global positioning systems, credit cards and a check card, police said in a news release.

Feds make arrest in high-tech ATM 'skimming' scam

2012-01-08T21:00:00.004-05:00

Federal officials have arrested a Romanian citizen who they say used high-tech "skimming" devices to steal at least $1.5 million from bank customers.

According to investigators, the man installed the devices on at least 40 ATMs at HSBC banks on the Island, in New York City and in Westchester County.

Court documents state that the man used compromised card readers and "pinhole" cameras to read the information on debit cards and watch customers enter their pin numbers on the machine. According to the FBI, the man was part of an organized crime ring involving 15-20 people. If convicted, he could face 60 years in prison.

Cops: Swastika scrawled on Sea Cliff home

2012-01-08T20:43:00.000-05:00

A swastika was found scrawled on the garage of a Sea Cliff woman's home, Nassau police said.

The symbol was drawn in black permanent marker on a panel of the garage door and measures 5 inches by 5 inches, police said.

The woman, 63, who is Jewish and lives on Glen Avenue, was not identified by police.

A police spokesman said it is too soon to tell whether the incident, which was categorized as aggravated harassment and is being investigated by Sixth Squad detectives, is related to a rash of racist graffiti discovered nearby in recent weeks.

Two weeks ago, swastikas and the words "White Knight" were found in Sea Cliff on St. Boniface School and homes on Main Avenue, Littleworth Lane and Arlington Place, according to police.

In another incident, the vehicle of a man parked for Sabbath services at a Great Neck synagogue was scratched with swastikas, police said.

The most recent aggravated harassment incident has not yet been referred to the Nassau County Bias Crime Unit, police said.

Cops: Drunken driver slams into Central Islip Home

2012-01-08T20:25:00.000-05:00

Police arrested a man after they say he crashed his SUV into a home in Central Islip

Officials say the 30-year-old man was driving with a blood-alcohol content three times over the legal limit when he crashed into a home on Lowell Avenue.

Fortunately, the home that the vehicle crashed into was unoccupied.

The homeowner says he had the home up for sale but now must make major repairs before he can place the home back on the market.

The driver was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and has been charged with DWI, according to investigators.

Man arrested for crack possession with child in his car

2012-01-08T20:20:00.000-05:00

Police say they have arrested a man for possession of crack cocaine with his young daughter in the car.

Authorities say an officer pulled over a 41-year-old on Violet Street in Massapequa early this morning because of a broken tail light.

Officials say the officer saw what he believed to be crack cocaine in a bag sticking out of a pack of cigarettes on the passengers seat while his 8-year-old daughter sat in the back seat.

Neighbors say they were stunned to hear of the arrest and call him a good man and devoted father.

The girl was released unharmed to the custody of her mother, according to police.

The man is facing charges including criminal possession of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child.

Farmingville man faces drug charge

2011-12-21T20:33:00.001-05:00

A Farmingville man, already under surveillance for alleged drug offenses was arrested with more than $10,000 worth of heroin in his car, law enforcement officials said.

A spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney said the 29 year old was out on bond related to a prior arrest when he was re-arrested by the Suffolk Sheriff's Department and detectives from the District Attorney's Heroin Task Force following a brief chase on the Long Island Expressway. The man was arrested while in possession of 12 sleeves of heroin -- 1,246 bags -- with a street value of more than $10,000.

Cops: In DWI arrest, woman was texting, too

2011-12-15T19:59:00.000-05:00

A Commack woman accused of drunken driving on the Southern State Parkway was also speeding and texting while driving, the State Police said.

The 21 year old was found to be in possession of marijuana and unprescribed medication, police said.

She was charged with driving while intoxicated, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana and traffic violations.

She was stopped on the westbound Southern State, east of Route 231, Deer Park Avenue by a trooper who spotted her texting while driving. Her vehicle was speeding and failed to maintain its travel lane, police said.

The woman failed a field sobriety test and provided a breath sample that indicated a blood-alcohol content of .12 percent, police said. The legal limit is .08 percent.

DA: Driver in child fatal had drug stash

2011-12-14T21:42:00.002-05:00

Bail was sharply increased for a Ronkonkoma man after prosecutors told a judge he had two partly full bottles of the prescription painkiller oxycodone in his car when he struck another car and fatally injured a 5-year-old boy.

Prosecutors also said a search of the home of the 30 year old suspect revealed several other prescription controlled substances, including Xanax; an anti-anxiety drug, Soma; a muscle relaxant; and Adderall, an amphetamine.

A 36 of West Islip was driving with his family in their Dodge dual-cab pickup truck on Sunrise Highway in Shirley when it was hit from behind by a Toyota Scion driven by the defendant.

A 5 year old boy was airlifted to Stony Brook University Medical Center in critical condition but died of his injuries.

NYPD officer pleads not guilty in alleged wrong-way DWI

2011-12-14T21:31:00.002-05:00

A NYPD officer accused of driving drunk in the wrong direction on the Sagtikos Parkway pleaded not guilty in a Central Islip court.

Investigators say the 26-year-old officer, of Valley Stream, registered a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit when she was arrested. When a local resident saw the officer driving on the wrong side of the Sagtikos Parkway, he followed her for 8 miles and then blocked the off-duty officer's car until police arrived and arrested her.

Cops: Man charged in fatal DWI crash

2011-12-14T17:31:00.002-05:00

A Central Islip man is facing child endangerment and felony drunken driving charges after he struck and killed a pedestrian with his kid brother in the car.

Suffolk County police are still trying to identify the victim, who died at the scene of the crash near the intersection of Cordello Avenue and Clayton Street in Central Islip.

The 20 year old man, of Brightside Avenue, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, aggravated DWI under Leandra's Law and endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

His younger brother was released to the custody of a family member, police said.

Cops: Deer Park woman shot outside home

2011-12-09T19:08:00.002-05:00

A Deer Park woman was shot by one of two men waiting inside her apartment on Washington Avenue, Suffolk County police said.

The 21 year old woman and her 26 year old boyfriend drove up to her apartment building and she went inside while he remained in the car.

On finding the two men, she returned to the car, police said. One of the suspects opened fire, hitting the woman while she sat in the vehicle. Police said she was shot in the chest.

The boyfriend drove the victim to the Deer Park Firehouse, and Deer Park Rescue took her to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, where she was treated for a gunshot wound that was not life-threatening, police said.

Wrong-way driver, speeder charged with DWI

2011-12-09T18:51:00.002-05:00

A wrong-way driver and another driver who said he fell asleep with his car going 110 mph were arrested overnight in separate drunken driving cases within hours of each other on the Long Island Expressway, Suffolk County sheriffs said.

In the first case, a 33 year old woman of New Jersey went eastbound in the westbound lanes by exit 48, near the Nassau border before a pickup driver intervened. He caught her attention, she slowed down and he blocked her in. She had a blood alcohol level of .20. The legal limit is .08.

In another case, a 34 year old male of Farmingville was speeding east on the expressway when he crashed into another car by exit 58, sheriffs said. A breath analysis revealed he had a .17 blood alcohol level, the sheriffs said.

Cops: Toddler killed in Suffolk crash, grandma may be charged

2011-12-08T12:56:00.001-05:00

Cops say a toddler was killed in a horrific accident in Suffolk County and the toddler's grandmother, who was driving the vehicle, may be charged.

The incident happened at County Road 83 and Granny Road in Farmingville.

Police say the 15-month-old was thrown from the SUV and may not have been properly restrained.

Police say the girl's grandmother was issued summonses for driving without a license and for a suspended registration.

Criminal charges could be filed.

Pt. Jefferson Sta. doctor's office raided

2011-12-08T12:31:00.002-05:00

Federal agents raided the office of a Port Jefferson Station doctor as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal diversion and sale of prescription painkillers, authorities said.

Six agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration carried out several boxes of records from the doctor's Route 112 practice, called Integrative Neurology.

"The doctor's records were seized as part of an ongoing investigation into physicians who may have illegally diverted drugs," said a DEA spokeswoman. The DEA spokeswoman stressed that the doctor has not been arrested or charged with a crime.

The Pt. Jefferson doctor is the third known Long Island doctor to face scrutiny in a DEA prescription drug-abuse probe that began last spring.

Last week, a doctor in Baldwin Harbor was arrested on charges of selling painkiller prescriptions, including those for oxycodone, from his front porch and his car to drug abusers and sellers.

DEA agents seized records from a doctor in Great Neck who had prescribed thousands of pain pills to Medford pharmacy killer David Laffer,

Macy's clerk charged in gift card scam

2011-12-08T12:07:00.002-05:00

A sales clerk for Macy's in Hicksville was arrested after she validated gift cards without paying for them and then fraudulently purchased almost $2,000 worth of items, police said.

The 20 year old woman, of Walnut Lane, Hicksville, was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and second-degree falsifying of business records.Nassau County police said that the clerk was employed as a sales clerk at the Broadway Mall and validated "numerous" Macy's gift cards worth $2,150 -- all without payment. She then purchased $1,950 worth of goods at various Macy's department stores using those cards.

Police: Teen hit, left for dead in Greenvale

2011-12-07T20:09:00.001-05:00

Police are searching for the driver who hit an 18-year-old girl in Greenvale and took off from the scene, leaving her for dead.

According to detectives, the incident occurred at the busy intersection of Glen Cove Road and Northern Boulevard.

Cops say the victim was on her way to Nassau Community College when she was struck by a black-colored four-door car with tinted windows. At the time of the accident, the car was traveling eastbound on Northern Boulevard, making a left turn onto northbound Glen Cove Road. The vehicle continued north on Glen Cove Road without stopping.

The victim was transported to a hospital and is listed in critical but stable condition.

Police say the driver may have been speeding. They're hoping eyewitnesses, as well as video from red light cameras at the intersection, will help them locate the driver.

Man shot in leg in Wyandanch

2011-12-07T19:48:00.001-05:00

A man suffered a bullet wound to his leg in a drive-by shooting in Wyandanch, Suffolk County police said.

The incident occurred on Main Street, a police spokesman said.

The victim was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip. The wound was not life-threatening, police said.

NYC Schoolteacher Charged With Loan-Sharking

2011-12-07T19:38:00.003-05:00

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that a New York City schoolteacher has been charged with loan-sharking after he lent a third party $40,000 at an annual interest rate more than four times the legal limit.

The 36 year old teacher, of East Meadow, was arrested by members of the Nassau County Police Department’s DA Squad and charged with Criminal Usury in the Second Degree, a Class E felony.

Rice said that the teacher agreed to lend $40,000 to a third party at an interest rate of 2% per week, amounting to an annual interest rate of 104%. Any loan with an annual interest rate of more than 25% is considered criminal.

The man, a physical education teacher at I.S. 141 in Astoria, Queens and a professional bodybuilder, has a pending case in Nassau County after being arrested for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree for steroid possession.

Sands Point art dealer eyed in FBI probe

2011-12-05T20:05:00.002-05:00

A longtime art dealer from Sands Point is "dazed" and "devastated" by a federal probe into whether she marketed forgeries of high-profile works, her attorney said.

The dealer is "a subject" -- not the sole target -- of an ongoing investigation by the FBI and U.S. attorney's office, said her lawyer.. He declined specifics, but said that his client never knowingly sold fake paintings.

The New York Times, who first reported the investigation, said authorities were examining numerous pieces sold by the dealer over several years and described as the works of modern art legends such as Jackson Pollock and Robert Motherwell, but suspected of being sophisticated forgeries.

The 55 year old art dealer used prestigious Manhattan brokers and galleries to sell many of the pieces in question, the Times reported. A London collector purchased one, sold as Pollock's "Untitled 1950," for $17 million.

Earlier this year, another collector sued one of the woman's brokers over the $650,000 sale of a purported Motherwell painting. According to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, the broker then sued the dealer saying she provided the painting without revealing its owner, and shared liability.

A settlement was reached in October, with the dealer agreeing to pay a combined total of $765,221 to various parties, according to court documents. The painting was placed in escrow, to be returned to the broker with an "unalterable stamp" marking it "Not an authentic work by Robert Motherwell but a forgery," court papers said.

Police looking for suspects in kidnapping, robbery

2011-12-05T19:49:00.003-05:00

Police are searching for four people they said used a handgun and a submachine gun to kidnap and rob a 40-year-old Lynbrook man.

The incident began after the man, whose identity has not been released, pulled into the driveway of his home on Peninsula Boulevard and exited his vehicle.

Nassau County police said two men then approached the victim ordering him back into his vehicle -- and forcing him to drive to a nearby bank.

The man drove to a Citibank location near the intersection of Merrick Road and Broadway, police said, making a $200 withdrawal from the ATM.

Police said the gunmen then ordered the man to drive to Concord Street and Dawes Avenue, where they abandoned the vehicle -- and then directed him to a gray Nissan sedan, which was parked near Concord and North Prospect Avenue.

A woman and another man were waiting in that car, police said, and the four suspects then drove the victim to a Chase Bank location on Merrick Road in Valley Stream, where they ordered him to withdraw more cash from the ATM.

But, police said, the man had reached his withdrawal limit -- and was unable to get more cash. The suspects then took the victim to Roosevelt Avenue and Mill Road, where, police said, they took his wallet, keys and cellphone. They returned his SIM cards, police said, but ordered the man from the car -- and left him at the scene.

The victim then contacted police to report the incident.

Cops: Ex-BK employee arrested for scam

2011-12-05T19:43:00.003-05:00

A Bellport man was being held without bail, charged with grand larceny after, police said, he took an advance payment of $15,000 for work at a local residence, and then never did the work.

Southampton Town police said the man was arrested after he claimed he was a service technician for Burner King Inc. of Ronkonkoma.

However, police said, it turned out that the 42 year old had not been employed for the company for seven months before the deal -- and had falsified the paperwork used to broker the deal.

Police said the defendant had negotiated the deal, estimating the home needed about $22,000 worth of work. Police said he then had the family sign "a Burner King proposal" and had them sign checks over to him for a deposit on supplies for the job. Those checks totaled about $15,000.

Police said that after receiving the deposits, he ceased all contact with the victim.

Cops: High school teacher charged with DWI

2011-12-05T19:28:00.002-05:00

A high school teacher and former Stony Brook University star quarterback pleaded not guilty to charges that he drove drunk and led police on a high-speed chase in Long Beach this summer.

The 38 year old male, who has been suspended from his job teaching social studies at Eastport-South Manor Junior-Senior High School in Manorville, was indicted on charges of felony driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, fleeing from police, reckless driving and other offenses after police said he fled from them during a traffic stop. He is free on bail.

Long Beach police said it was the man's third drunken driving arrest. In 2008, the teacher pleaded guilty to felony drunken driving charges in Suffolk County after fleeing police there, police said.

In Long Beach, during the current incident, police said the man ran from his car on foot. They said it took four police officers and a Good Samaritan to catch him.

West Hempstead man arrested on drug charges

2011-12-02T11:39:00.002-05:00

A 24-year-old West Hempstead man was arrested on drug charges after Nassau County police narcotics-vice squad officers witnessed what police described as "a hand-to-hand drug transaction" with a person in a car on a residential street.

The man was arrested outside his home on Madison Avenue. He was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of criminal possession of marijuana and criminal sale of marijuana.

Police said the man was arrested after he was seen leaving his home, approaching a waiting vehicle -- and dropping eight bags of heroin into that vehicle. Police said officers recovered "multiple bags" of marijuana, psilocybin (mushrooms), Zanax pills, Clonzepam pills, Suboxone, MDMA and LSD.

Cops: Baldwin Harbor doctor busted for peddling pills

2011-12-02T11:31:00.002-05:00

Police say a Baldwin Harbor doctor is in custody for allegedly selling prescriptions for powerful pain medications.

Police arrested a 60-year-old Baldwin Harbor doctor of internal medicine for selling oxycodone prescriptions from his car, outside his home and on street corners. DEA agents say the doctor didn't have a medical office, but frequently made house calls.

Cops: Officer shot in Hempstead

2011-12-02T11:26:00.001-05:00

Police say a Hempstead officer was shot near the corner of Washington Street and Cooper Place.

Investigators said three officers were investigating robberies in the area when they spotted the two suspects.

One of the suspects, a masked man, opened fire on officers.

According to Hempstead police, the three officers were transported to the hospital. One officer was shot in the arm and in the back but the bullet was stopped by his bullet proof vest.

The unidentified officer suffered non-life threatening injuries.

The other two officers were taken to the hospital to be evaluated.

Man Arrested for DWI After Fleeing Scene of Crash with Serious Injury

2011-12-01T21:34:00.002-05:00

Suffolk County Police arrested an East Patchogue man for driving while intoxicated after fleeing the scene of a crash that seriously injured his passenger. The 21 year old male from Donegan Ave., East Patchogue, was driving a 1997 Nissan Pathfinder westbound on Montauk Highway in Patchogue when his vehicle crossed over the double yellow line and struck an eastbound Suffolk County Transit bus, just west of Waterworks Road. A 25 year old passenger in the Pathfinder, of Arbor Drive, Patchogue, was transported to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue where he was admitted with a serious head injury. Two passengers on the bus were treated for minor injuries.

Following the crash, the driver fled the scene on foot and was later located on South Fairview Avenue in Bayport. Fifth Squad detectives charged him with Driving While Intoxicated and Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting Involving Physical Injury.

The Pathfinder was impounded and the bus was inspected at the scene by officers from the Motor Carrier Safety Section.

Attempted Armored Car Robbery

2011-12-01T21:28:00.001-05:00

Suffolk County Police Major Case detectives are investigating the attempted robbery of an armored car at a Chase Bank branch in Islandia.

A Garda armored car was servicing a Chase Bank outdoor ATM, located at 1455 Veterans Memorial Highway when a man approached one of the guards and demanded the canisters containing cash. The guard complied, and the suspect attempted to flee with the canisters. When the second guard approached, the suspect pointed what appeared to be a gun at him and the guard fired his weapon. The suspect dropped the canisters and fled on foot in an eastbound direction.

Smithtown Man Arrested for Damaging Cell Tower

2011-12-01T21:15:00.002-05:00

Suffolk County Police arrested a Smithtown man after an investigation revealed he had damaged a cell tower that was being built in Nesconset.

Police were called to the Smithtown Highway Department, located at 758 Nesconset Highway, after workers at the site reported that someone had cut the feeder cables to the 210-foot tower. Metro PCS is constructing the tower on Smithtown Highway Department property. Representatives from the company told police the damage would cost more than $100,000 to repair.

Following an investigation by Fourth Squad detectives, using evidence recovered at the scene, police arrested a 67 year old male from Chelsea Drive, Smithtown, and charged him with Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree and Tampering 1st Degree.

Man Critically Injured in Shooting Outside Bar

2011-11-28T20:37:00.002-05:00

Suffolk County Police Fifth Squad detectives are investigating a shooting that critically injured a Central Islip man.

The man became involved in an altercation with other individuals and was shot in the torso while standing outside of Attitudes Bar and Grill, located at 485 Waverly Ave., in Patchogue. He was transported in a private vehicle to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue where he underwent emergency surgery and was listed in critical condition.

Brentwood Man Shot, Woman Arrested for DWI after Crash on the way to Hospital

2011-11-28T19:48:00.002-05:00

Suffolk County Police arrested a woman for driving while intoxicated after she crashed her vehicle when she was transporting a shooting victim to the hospital.

A group of people became involved in an altercation outside of Norton’s Bar and Grill, located at 270 Connetquot Ave. in East Islip, when shots were fired and a 24 year old male was struck multiple times. The victim was being transported to the hospital by a 21 year old female when she crashed her car on the westbound side of Sunrise Service Road at Saxon Avenue in Islip.

The female driver, who was charged with DWI, and two other passengers were transported by ambulance to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore for minor injuries. The gun shot victim, also transported to Southside Hospital, was listed in serious condition.

Man accused of beating elderly shopping center security guard

2011-11-21T20:45:00.002-05:00

Cops say a Greenport man lost his keys, his temper and then allegedly beat a 74-year-old security guard.

According to investigators, the man lost his keys while shopping at the Five Towns Shopping Center on Rockaway Turnpike in North Woodmere.

The security guard tried to help the man open his car but when the security guard couldn't find the keys, the man allegedly pulled the security guard out of his car.

The defendant is charged with assault but the security guard is expected to be OK.

Police continue investigation into murder of Islip teen

2011-11-21T20:39:00.002-05:00

Suffolk police are continuing to investigate the murder of an Islip teen found dead in a wooded area after being missing for two days.

The 18 year old was found in a marshy area behind Commack Road Elementary School. Police quickly ruled the death a homicide after they had been searching for him for the previous two days.

Investigators say the medical examiner has yet to determine the cause of death.

Police say they are looking into a quote that he wrote in a yearbook while attending Islip High School.

"To all my friends, I'm so glad for the times we had together. If we never see each other again, I'll miss you dearly. To everyone else, I hate you all. The best part of graduating is knowing I'll never have to see any of you again. I don't think I've ever known so many people I hated so much all at once," he wrote.

So far, police say they have no suspects in the death.

Police hunt for gunman in Baldwin shooting

2011-11-21T20:34:00.001-05:00

Police say a shooting at a Baldwin bar that left one man in critical condition was preceded by an accidental bump.

The shooting happened at the Love Jones Bar on Grand Avenue when a 36-year-old man bumped into another customer, who exited the bar after being asked to leave and returned with a gun, police say.

The 36-year-old victim is critical condition. Authorities are looking for the gunman.

Police probe East Farmingdale cemetery vase thefts

2011-11-21T20:28:00.001-05:00

Police are investigating thefts of pricey vases from St. Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale.

38 bronze vases have been stolen from St. Charles in recent months, but only nine of the thefts were officially reported to the Suffolk Police Department. Another 150 vases made of the valuable metal have also been stolen from nearby Pinelawn Cemetery.

The Brooklyn Diocese, which owns St. Charles Cemetery, wouldn't comment when asked if insurance would cover the thefts.

Nassau cop critical after pursuit crash on Southern State Parkway

2011-11-21T20:21:00.001-05:00

The eastbound Southern State Parkway was closed for hours near exit 32 due to an accident following a police pursuit in Amityville.

State police say a Nassau County cop crashed on the border of Nassau and Suffolk counties under the Route 110 bridge.

The female officer is in critical but stable condition after pursuing two suspects, who are still at large. She was airlifted to Nassau University Medical Center.

Police say the chase began in Massapequa, after a resident there reported seeing two men acting suspiciously.

Nassau Det. Lt. Kevin Smith says the two men were seen "actually changing plates on the car - I believe from Pennsylvania to possibly Florida plates."

Cops say the two male suspects may be in a gray Honda, possibly with Florida license plates.

Cops: Driver went 140 mph during pursuit

2011-11-21T20:03:00.004-05:00

A driver and his passenger, both from Glen Cove, were arrested after a pursuit that, police said, reached "in excess" of 140 mph.

The incident occurred on the Wantagh Parkway, Ocean Parkway and northbound Meadowbrook Parkway, state police said.

It ended after the 23 year old male crashed his Mazda RX-7 into the back of another car as he attempted a U-turn on Merrick Road in Merrick in an attempt to elude the state troopers pursuing him, police said.

The male was charged with third-degree fleeing a police officer in a vehicle, second-degree reckless endangerment and several violations, including speeding -- for driving 140 mph in a 55 mph zone, police said.

Police said troopers responding to a call reporting "cars racing" on Wantagh State Parkway near Ocean Parkway saw the gray Mazda driven by the male "traveling at a high rate of speed" on the westbound Ocean Parkway around the Jones Beach traffic circle and attempted to make a traffic stop.

The Mazda sped off and the troopers followed.

On the northbound Meadowbrook, speeds reached in excess of 140 mph.

Massapequa Park Man Gets 2 to 4 Years in Prison for Drugged Driving Crash That Injured 80-Year-Old Woman

2011-11-17T17:46:00.002-05:00

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced that a Massapequa Park man has been sentenced to two to four years in prison, the maximum allowable sentence, after crashing into two cars and severely injuring an 80-year-old woman while high on drugs.

The 35 year old man was convicted of Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree, Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, and Reckless Driving after a bench trial.

Rice said that on the day in question, the defendant left a suicide note, took 60 Xanax pills, and then drove away. He was speeding on Carman’s Road in Massapequa when he crossed the center median and three lanes of westbound traffic on Sunrise Highway, and crashed into two cars in the eastbound lanes that were turning left into Sunrise Mall.

The driver of the first vehicle, an 80-year-old woman, suffered several fractured ribs, a ruptured spleen, and diminished mental capacity as a result of the crash. The woman spent about three months in medical and rehabilitation facilities. The driver and passenger in the other vehicle were uninjured.

“An innocent woman’s life and health have been irreparably damaged because of [the defendant's] reckless decision to flood his system with drugs and then get behind the wheel,” Rice said. “This defendant didn’t care who was in his path when he careened through a crowded intersection, and I am glad that the judge sentenced him to the maximum prison term.”

Garden City church donation boxes robbed

2011-11-17T17:42:00.002-05:00

Garden City Police said they are looking for two men who stole cash from donation boxes at a Roman Catholic church. Two men entered the Church of St. Anne at 35 Dartmouth St. and took about $150 in cash, police said.

The two suspects were captured on video surveillance cameras inside the church.

Arrest in attempted robbery at E. Rockaway store

2011-11-17T17:34:00.002-05:00

A 37 year old regular customer at the Village Convenience Store on Centre Avenue in East Rockaway apparently never noticed the surveillance cameras. Those cameras caught the customer, of Scranton Avenue, East Rockaway, attempting to rob the store by breaking the front glass door to the store, Nassau County police said. Later in the same evening, the defendant returned to the scene and again attempted break the glass door to enter. The defendant was identified because he was "recognized to be a regular customer" at the store.

Boy, 6, pistol-whipped in Island Park robbery

2011-11-17T17:29:00.001-05:00

Three people, including a 6-year-old boy, were pistol-whipped in a home invasion in Island Park, Nassau County police said.

Police said in a news release that the boy, who was inside the home on Kildare Road, was struck once on the head with a gun, but did not require medical attention. A woman, 25, suffered abrasions to the head and wrist and was taken to a hospital for evaluation, police said. One of the home invaders also struck a 17-year-old boy several times on the head, but he refused medical attention. A fourth person in the home, identified only as a 29-year-old woman, was not injured, according to the report.

Police said four men dressed in black, wearing black masks and armed with handguns rushed into the house after the 25-year-old woman opened a side door to the home. She was struck on the head with a gun when she tried to run up a flight of stairs, police said. Police said the 17-year-old was then forced to the ground and struck several times in the head with a gun.

The robbers then rifled through the teen's pockets, taking a cellphone, police said. Police said the foursome then broke down the door to a bedroom where the 29-year-old woman and 6-year-old boy were hiding and struck the boy in the head with a gun. The robbers then fled, taking two rings and the cellphone.

Woman charged with posing as psychologist

2011-11-17T17:09:00.002-05:00

An Atlantic Beach woman has been arrested and charged with posing as a psychologist, in one case "treating" a car accident victim and charging the insurance company Geico more than $3,400 for her services.

The 35 year old woman, who recently moved to Los Angeles, was arrested in Westbury by investigators for Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice and charged with third-degree grand larceny, first-degree falsifying business records, first-degree scheme to defraud, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and unauthorized practice, prosecutors said.

"The real victims in this case are [the] unsuspecting patients who thought they were being treated by a licensed professional," Rice said. "Unfortunately, they were being strung along by a con artist who built her medical practice on lies and greed."

Rice said that between 2008 and 2010, the woman treated patients in her home even though she didn't have a license to do so.

In addition, in February 2009, Rachelle, who then had a limited permit and was qualified only to practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist, lied to the New York State Courts on an unsuccessful application for a position on a panel of court-appointed psychologists, prosecutors said.

She continued to illegally treat patients in December 2009 after being denied a full license by the New York State Department of Education, Office of the Professions, prosecutors said.

After she had treated patients for three months, the woman refused to give the patients the needed diagnostic codes so that they could get reimbursement from their insurance companies, causing the patients to pay more than $8,000 out of pocket, prosecutors said.

The New York State Education Department, Office of Professional Discipline, referred the case to Rice after conducting its own investigation, prosecutors said.

Coram Man Arrested for DWI After Crashing into Patrol Car

2011-11-17T17:02:00.002-05:00

Suffolk County Police arrested a Coram man for driving while intoxicated after his vehicle collided with a patrol car in Mount Sinai.

The 22 year old man from Montana Court, Coram, was driving a 2000 Saturn on County Road 83 when he attempted to turn east onto Route 25A and struck an officer’s vehicle. The officer, who is assigned to the Suffolk County Police Department’s SAFE-T (Selective Alcohol Fatality Enforcement Team) Section, was treated for minor injuries at Stony Brook University Medical Center and released.

The Suffolk County Police Department’s SAFE-T Section is dedicated to DWI enforcement and has made more than 830 arrests this year for Driving While Intoxicated.

Cops: 4 officers hurt while trying to arrest man in Central Islip

2011-11-16T21:18:00.001-05:00

Police say at least four Suffolk County officers were hurt trying to arrest a man who fired a gun in his house.

The incident happened on Hickory Street in Central Islip.

Cops say the man fired the gun in his house and the bullet went into another living unit.

According to investigators, there was a struggle when police tried to arrest the man and four officers suffered minor injuries.

The man is expected to face a variety of charges once he is released from the hospital.

Garbage truck driver gets probation in fatal crash

2011-11-16T20:51:00.004-05:00

A garbage truck driver involved in a deadly accident in Fort Salonga was sentenced to three years probation.

The driver, of Ridge, was behind the wheel of a Jet Sanitation truck when its brakes failed, causing the vehicle to flip over on Bread and Cheese Hollow Road. The truck crushed the car of a 56-year-old Northport woman as she was waiting at a traffic light.

The driver and his employer were originally charged with criminally negligent homicide, alleging the truck had 28 safety violations. However, questions arose about a possible factory defect in the truck, and why the driver didn't lower his extra axle for better control. The judge accepted a guilty plea from Jet Sanitation and the driver to criminally negligent assault, a lesser charge.

The lawyers for the woman's family say they will proceed with a civil lawsuit against Jet Sanitation.

Man Arrested for Attempted Robbery of Pharmacy

2011-11-16T20:38:00.002-05:00

Suffolk County Police have arrested an undomiciled man for attempting to rob a pharmacy in Shirley.

The 25 year old male entered the Rite Aid, located at 803 Montauk Highway. The defendant approached the pharmacy service counter and handed an employee a note containing a threat and demanding prescription drugs. He fled the store on foot before the employee could comply.

Seventh Precinct patrol officers located the defendant at a nearby motel a short time later. Seventh Squad detectives charged him with Attempted Robbery 3^rd Degree.

Flasher warning for students in South Huntington

2011-11-15T19:39:00.003-05:00

Police are searching for a man who they say exposed himself to two girls near Saint Anthony's High School in South Huntington.

Officials say the suspect approached the two 11th-grade students as they were walking from the Walt Whitman Mall to school.

The principal says the girls ran away and called police. He adds that it is possible that the same man is responsible for a prior similar incident when two students reported being followed by a man on Wolf Hill.

An email was sent to parents informing them of the incident and reminding students that they are not allowed to leave school property to go to the mall or to a nearby park before or after school.

Cops probe Elmont carjacking outside deli

2011-11-14T12:15:00.002-05:00

Police are looking for a gunman who ordered a driver out of his car at an Elmont deli and then drove away with the vehicle, Nassau police said.

In addition to stealing a 2004 Honda, the gunman also made off with a BlackBerry that was left in the vehicle, police said.

The driver, 19, and his 17-year-old friend, also a male, drove to the Elmont Delicatessen at 237-01 Linden Blvd., police said.

The passenger went into the deli as the driver waited in the car. Police said an unknown man with a handgun then approached the car, ordered the driver to get out and drove away.

No injuries were reported.

Recaptured drug suspect pleads not guilty

2011-11-14T11:46:00.002-05:00

A major figure in a prominent Mexican drug cartel has pleaded not guilty to charges that he helped import tons of marijuana onto Long Island and fled to Mexico in 2003 after he was released on bail on the drug charges, according to officials.

The 53 year old defendant was recaptured in Mexico recently by Mexican marines working with the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey fugitive task force and extradited back to Long Island, officials said.

The U.S. marshal for the Eastern District said the following in a statement: "The United States marshals, working with our law enforcement partners at home and abroad, never stopped looking for [the defendant] for eight years. This case illustrates that once the United States marshals start looking for you there really is nowhere you can hide."

The defendant, a Mexican national, was arrested in Las Vegas in 2003 for his alleged role in supplying marijuana to Long Island, but fled back to Mexico after he was released on $20,000 bail by a judge in Nevada over the objections of federal prosecutors, according to a letter filed in court by an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

The letter, seeking to bar the defendant from being released on bail again, said he had been "identified by the Mexican government as a high-ranking member" of the Sinaloa cartel.

That cartel is "considered by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to be 'the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world,' " the letter said.

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Platt held the defendant without bail after his arraignment in federal court in Central Islip. If convicted, he faces 10 years to life in prison.

Statement of Nassau County District Attorney Regarding the Inspector General’s Investigation Into the Nassau County Forensic Evidence Bureau

2011-11-10T20:24:00.006-05:00

“Last December, I first learned of serious problems at the Nassau County Police Department’s crime lab. In February, after a review of the circumstances, I requested the closure of the lab to ensure the integrity of evidence my office relies upon to prosecute accused defendants. I called for an independent investigation into the lab, and Governor Cuomo appointed New York State Inspector General Ellen Biben to lead that probe. Inspector General Biben’s independent, painstaking investigation was both comprehensive and appropriately swift. This report highlights the need for an independent civilian-run crime lab, state accreditation agency reform, and offers a welcome blueprint for returning the necessary credibility to our county’s testing of forensic evidence.

“The Inspector General’s report today details troubling failures in the lab and with the regulatory system that allowed these problems to persist for years with no notice to my office or the public. In the wake of the lab’s closure, I requested extensive retesting to ensure the integrity of convictions which relied upon evidence tested in the lab, and that process remains ongoing.

“I thank the Inspector General for her comprehensive investigation and insightful recommendations. To ensure my office remains informed about the accreditation process, I have appointed my Chief Assistant District Attorney as liaison to the New York State Forensic Science Commission. I stand ready to work with County Executive Mangano and the Office of the Medical Examiner as we move forward toward a new, state of the art, independent, civilian-run crime lab.”

Kathleen Rice

State: More hospital Rx forms missing

2011-11-10T20:06:00.002-05:00

The state Department of Health announced it was investigating the "reported theft" of some 14,000 blank prescription forms from a "downstate hospital."

The latest loss comes after reports that an unknown number of blank prescription forms had been stolen from New York City hospitals and were being trafficked by criminal gangs to drug users seeking prescription painkillers.

An internal department memo put the total loss from city hospitals as high as 1.4 million forms. However, a spokesman later said at most several thousand appeared to be missing.

"Crimes involving the illegal use and distribution of prescription drugs are a public health threat, and we will use all the resources at our disposal to combat the illegal diversion of prescriptions," the state health commissioner said in a release.

Thieves with a laser printer and laptop can use the state-issued forms to forge prescriptions for controlled substances like oxycodone, a powerful opiate linked to more deaths on Long Island than heroin.

The blank forms can fetch between $100 and $300 each on the street, according to health department documents.

Starting in 2008, the blank forms starting disappearing from New York City hospitals, according to department documents. At the time, department officials thought the losses were isolated incidents.

The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement -- the health department's drug watchdog -- realized recently that the thefts were more widespread.

"BNE has identified a large nationwide organized crime gang known to traffic in illicit and legal drugs as being involved in the distribution of stolen prescription forms," according to a health department memo. One source suggested that the Latin Kings gang, which operates nationwide, is involved in trafficking these forms.

Police: Woman drove drunk with kids in car

2011-11-10T19:35:00.002-05:00

A Garden City woman faces a felony drunken driving charge under Leandra's Law after rear-ending another car on the Meadowbrook State Parkway in Carle Place, State Police said.

The 48 year old woman was driving a Chevrolet north on the parkway with her two children, ages 9 and 11, when she hit a Mercedes, police said.

Troopers dispatched to the accident, near the Northern State Parkway exit, said the woman had "a strong odor of alcoholic beverage."

Cops search for gunman in Great Neck shooting

2011-11-10T19:31:00.001-05:00

Cops are searching for a gunman who opened fire in a driveway in Nassau County.

Police say a 23-year-old man was working on his truck in his driveway on Pembroke Avenue in Great Neck when it happened.

Cops say the gunman walked up to the man and began shooting.

The victim was hit once in the shoulder as he ran down the street.

The man is expected to be OK.

Nassau County SAT cheating probe expanded to ACT

2011-11-10T19:18:00.001-05:00

The Nassau County District Attorney's Office is now investigating at least 35 students from five different schools for allegedly cheating not only on the SATs, but the ACTs as well.

The scandal started in September with the arrest of several students from the Great Neck North High School who allegedly paid a former student thousands of dollars to take the SATs for them.

"This case has always been about leveling the playing field for the millions of students who don't cheat and who do play by the rules," says Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice.

Rice has declined to name the 35 students who are potentially facing arrest because the investigation is still ongoing.

Officials say because of a two-year statute of limitations on certain misdemeanors, some of the students who allegedly paid others to take the test for them may not be prosecuted. However, those who accepted payments could still be prosecuted because of the specific felony charges they might face.

Probe finds systemic failures at Nassau crime lab

2011-11-10T19:15:00.002-05:00

A report released by the New York State Inspector General found that systemic problems at the Nassau County Crime Lab went largely undetected and ignored because of failures at nearly all levels of management and oversight.

The probe found that there were inconsistencies in at least 10 percent of drug tests, an amount considered unacceptable for a forensic lab.

Some of the problems at the lab uncovered so far have already impacted charges in criminal cases and cost Nassau millions of dollars to retest evidence.

According to the report, since its creation in 2003, the lab suffered from weak leadership, hired unqualified analysts and used outdated testing equipment and procedures. As a result, in a four-year period, the lab was twice placed on probation.

The crime lab was shut down earlier this year.

The report goes on to say that former County Executive Tom Suozzi deferred oversight of the lab to the police department itself, which proved unreliable, while Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice was uninformed about the lab's problems.

Driver admits killing bicyclist while high

2011-11-07T21:15:00.002-05:00

A Lake Grove woman admitted that she was impaired by a combination of prescription drugs when she hit a bicyclist from behind and killed her in Miller Place.

The 33 year old pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter and other charges in the death of a 45 year old Lake Grove woman. In return for her plea, Suffolk County Court Judge Martin Efman promised to sentence the defendant to 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 years in prison.

Efman said he was going to give her 2 to 6 years, but he was impressed that she completed a nine-month and reduced his offer.

Woman Arrested for Stabbing Boyfriend to Death

2011-11-07T21:06:00.002-05:00

Suffolk County Police arrested a Medford woman for stabbing her boyfriend to death in their home.

Sixth Precinct police officers were called to 643 Granny Road in Medford after a 48 year old male was stabbed by his girlfriend during an altercation. The male was transported by Gordon Heights Rescue to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue where he was pronounced dead.

Homicide Squad detectives charged the girlfriend with Manslaughter 1st Degree.

Police: Serial burglars stole Purple Heart medal

2011-11-07T17:58:00.002-05:00

Police say drugs may have fueled a burglary spree that led to a veteran's Purple Heart being ripped off.

A 33 year old man and a 29 year old woman are accused of at least six break-ins during the past two weeks in West Babylon, North Babylon and Deer Park.

Police say they stole the Purple Heart medal from a World War II veteran. The veteran was given the medal for an injury, an award his family says he cherished. But last week, while the 87-year-old man was staying in an assisted-living facility, his West Babylon home was burglarized and the robbers grabbed his medal.

Investigators say the defendants had crack cocaine in their possession when they were arrested at the Deer Park Motor Inn.

Teen charged in string of break-ins

2011-11-04T17:06:00.002-04:00

A 16-year-old from Syosset is under arrest -- and police are searching for his accomplices -- for his alleged role in a string of burglaries in the Lakeview area.

The teen, of Convent Road, was arrested after the burglary of a home on Orlando Avenue in Lakeview Nassau County police said. Police said the teen and three others -- none of whom have been arrested yet -- entered the house after forcing open a bathroom window, then stole a television and an iPod from inside the home.

Police said the teen and the others were confronted by a witness as they left the house. The foursome dropped the TV and fled, police said. Police located the teen near Glen Road and Coventry Road North in Lakeview.

Man Shot to Death on Bay Shore Street

2011-11-04T17:01:00.001-04:00

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the shooting death of a man that occurred last night on a Bay Shore street.

A man was sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle that was stopped in front of 1060 Reilly Street when he was shot by an unknown person or persons, who then fled on foot. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by a member of the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. No one else was injured in the shooting.

Cop: Medford murder suspect changed story

2011-11-02T21:13:00.002-04:00

At first, a Medford man stuck to his story during police questioning that he had dropped off a missing woman in Bay Shore, telling investigators that his brother would vouch for him, a detective testified in Suffolk County Court.

But that changed when detectives picked up the brother. After that, the defendant told a new story about what happened to the 26 year old North Patchogue prostitute who disappeared after meeting him. Ultimately, he led detectives to a wooded area in Medford off the Long Island Expressway where he buried her body, not far from where he lived.

Police had zeroed in on the defendant when the woman's cellphone records showed he was the last person to contact her. Records also showed her phone was active near the defendant's house, even after she disappeared.

The defendant told detectives he found the woman advertising herself on Craigslist while using a computer at Briarcliffe College, where he was a criminal justice student.

Cops: Speeding driver faces DWI charge

2011-11-02T21:09:00.002-04:00

A Hempstead man stopped for speeding on the Southern State Parkway in North Valley Stream faces a drunken driving charge, State Police said.

The 36 year old man was driving a gray Nissan at 81 mph east on the parkway near Fletcher Avenue, Exit 14 police said.

When troopers interviewed the man they "detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage," according to a news release. He failed sobriety tests and was arrested. He produced a breath-analyzer reading of .10 percent, police said.

Cops: WWII vet's Purple Heart stolen

2011-11-01T21:27:00.002-04:00

The treasured World War II memorabilia of a decorated D-Day veteran who died in 2002 were the only items stolen during a burglary of his grandson's machine shop in Bohemia, Suffolk County police said.

The stolen items included the dog tags and a Purple Heart awarded to a U.S. Army Ranger who was part of the first wave of troops to land on D-Day. The items were stolen during a burglary at Concept Components, a precision machine shop on Knickerbocker Avenue.

The grandson said his grandfather was one of only six men in his 60-man unit who survived a D-Day assault on the cliffs overlooking an invasion beach as they took out the large enemy guns that were shelling Allied landing ships. He was wounded later in the Battle of the Bulge.

North Babylon Man Arrested for Attempted Burglary

2011-11-01T21:20:00.002-04:00

Suffolk County police arrested a North Babylon man for attempting to break into a North Babylon business.

First Squad detectives observed the man attempting to break into The Barn, a drive-through store, located at 1287 Deer Park Ave., by cutting a plexi-glass sliding door with a torch. The man attempted to flee but was apprehended a short distance from the scene by First Precinct police officers.

First Squad detectives charged the 40 year old of North Babylon with Attempted Burglary 3^rd Degree, Arson 3^rd Degree and Possession of Burglar Tools.

Prosecutors fight Nassau crime lab case decision

2011-11-01T21:00:00.002-04:00

A Nassau prosecutor challenging a judge's decision to throw out the guilty verdict against an accused drunken driver because of problems at the Nassau Police Crime Laboratory was pummeled with questions by a panel of state appellate judges.

A prosecutor for Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice argued to a panel of four appellate judges in Brooklyn that lapses at the crime lab did not affect the outcome of the case.

Last year a Nassau County judge found the driver guilty of aggravated vehicular assault in a non-jury trial for slamming into a minivan while driving drunk, injuring three people.

In February, the judge tossed the verdict, saying it might have been more favorable to the defendant if problems at the lab had come to light before she went to trial.

Prosecutors appealed. The Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department's decision in the case will likely be announced within the next few months.

If the lower court's order is upheld, some lawyers and experts have said it could lead to a flood of challenges to other drunken driving convictions based on lab evidence.

Level 3 Sex Offender Charged With Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography

2011-10-25T22:04:00.003-04:00

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced that a Level 3 registered sex offender has been arrested and charged with possessing and distributing images and videos of child pornography on the Internet.

The 54 year old from Baldwin was arrested by DA Investigators and charged with 5 counts each of Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child, Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child, and Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child as a sexually motivated felony. The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He has been remanded to the Nassau County Correctional Center.

Rice said that during an investigation by DA Investigators into the exchange of child pornography online, it was determined that the accused had downloaded images and at least 70 videos of child pornography onto his home computer. A search warrant executed at his apartment by DA Investigators confirmed that his computer contained numerous child pornography files. The investigation is ongoing.

The accused is a Level 3 registered sex offender stemming from a 1990 conviction for sodomizing a 10-year-old girl in Staten Island. He served ten years in prison and was released in 2000. The defendant also pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender in 2009 and served a year in jail.

Woman sought in Melville music store theft

2011-10-25T21:45:00.002-04:00

Suffolk County police are asking for the public's help in finding a woman suspected in the theft of a compact amplifier valued at $819 from a Melville music shop.

The Terror Bass Amp weighs about 11 pounds, fits in a backpack and is known for its robust bass sound.

Police said that the woman, with close-cropped hair and a long-sleeved V-neck sweater, entered Murphy's Music on Route 110 with a man, who may have been working with her.

Store surveillance video shows the woman taking the amp and then leaving without paying, police said.

Cops search for 2 men involved in Great Neck area home invasion

2011-10-25T21:39:00.000-04:00

Police are searching for two men wanted for a home invasion in the Great Neck area.

Cops say the two men were wearing ski masks and forced open the back door of a home on Dorset Road in University Gardens.

According to investigators, the two men took off.

The homeowner was not hurt during the incident.

Man Robs South Huntington Bank

2011-10-25T21:35:00.001-04:00

Suffolk County Police Major Case Investigations Unit detectives are investigating a bank robbery that occurred at the TD Bank branch in South Huntington.

A man entered the bank, located at 1040 Jericho Turnpike and handed the teller a note demanding cash and threatening use of a gun. The teller complied with the demands and the man fled the scene on foot south on Dix Hills Road.

The subject is described as a white male, 6 feet tall and was wearing a dark-colored long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans, white sneakers, dark sunglasses and a white Nike hat.

Man Arrested for DWI with 2-Year-Old in Car

2011-10-25T21:20:00.002-04:00

Suffolk County Police arrested a Nesconset man for driving while intoxicated with his two-year-old child in the car.

Suffolk County Police received a 911 call from a motorist who stated that he was following a 2002 black Ford Focus hatchback which was missing a front tire and was traveling eastbound on Route 25 in Huntington. With the caller’s assistance, Second Precinct Patrol officers located the Ford southbound on Commack Road near Vanderbilt Parkway in Commack.

The officer determined the driver of the Ford was intoxicated. The drivers' two-year-old son who was in the backseat, was unharmed and was released to a family member.

The 29 year old driver from Freeman Ave., Nesconset, was charged with Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child, a felony under Leandra’s Law and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

Imprisoned Former Attorney Convicted of Attempting to Steal House From Dead Parents’ Estate

2011-10-17T14:59:00.002-04:00

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced that a jury has convicted a man of multiple felonies connected to his attempt to obtain a mortgage on the home he was living in, but was owned by a trust set up by his parents.

It took a jury less than an hour to convict the 43 year old of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, two counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, six counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, Identity Theft in the First Degree, six counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, and misdemeanor Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree. He faces up to 18 years in prison, but this prison term will merge with the sentence he is currently serving.

Rice said that in December 2008, the defendant was living in a Roslyn property that was owned by a trust set up by his parents before their death. He was to receive the property in 2012, but attempted to obtain a $300,000 mortgage on the home.

Since only the trustee could obtain the mortgage, the defendant, a former attorney, stole the trustee’s identity by forging a driver’s license and a Social Security card in the trustee’s name, and impersonated him over the phone to deceive various business people into believing that the trustee was giving him permission to obtain the mortgage. The defendant nearly obtained the money after forging the trustee’s signature on various financial documents, but was caught when a title agent asked him for additional identifying information.

When he could not provide the additional information, the agent contacted the Nassau County Police Department Crimes Against Property Squad and arranged a closing. The defendant was arrested by detectives after handing over the forged documents and reaffirming that he was acting with the trustee’s permission.

Previously, the defendant was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison after promising more than a dozen families that he could arrange adoptions for them. In reality, the babies never existed and he stole more than $300,000 from them. The defendant went so far as to create fictitious medical records, sonograms, and personal information of birth mothers who never existed.

Man Arrested for DWI with Two Children in Car

2011-10-17T14:44:00.002-04:00

Suffolk County Police arrested a Copiague man for driving while intoxicated with two children in the car.

The 46 year old was driving a 1996 Nissan Maxima southbound on Deer Park Avenue at the intersection of Simon Street in Babylon, when he rear-ended a 2011 Mazda that was stopped at a light. The Mazda then struck a 1997 Jeep.

The man's 12-year-old son, and 2-year-old grandson were in the car and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, in West Islip to be checked out. No one else was treated. Upon interviewing the driver, a First Precinct officer determined his ability to drive was impaired by drugs and placed him under arrest.

First Squad detectives charged the driver, of 44 th St., Copiague, with Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child, a felony under Leandra’s Law, Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, as well as two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child

Cops: Woman involved in chase had 4 kilos of cocaine in car

2011-10-14T10:21:00.002-04:00

A Lindenhurst woman now faces federal drug charges after police say she was caught picking up packages filled with cocaine from a UPS store before leading them on a chase.

According to the U.S. Postal Service, the chase began as federal agents were following up on a tip that cocaine was being sent to the Lindenhurst UPS site from Phoenix, Ariz.

Police say the 24 year old woman was picking the packages up. Agents say they waited for her to collect the parcels, and when she did, they followed her.

The chase lasted about 5 miles along Sunrise Highway from North Lindenhurst to Bay Shore, where the woman crashed into a parked car. Federal agents then swarmed her BMW.

According to postal service officials, the packages that she picked up contained 4 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $100,000.

Investigators say they've been monitoring the woman since May as part of a larger drug investigation. Officers say she was already on probation for two prior drug convictions.

Two Arrested Following State Liquor Authority Inspection

2011-10-14T10:06:00.002-04:00

Suffolk County Police today arrested two men after they sold alcohol to an underage volunteer during a State Liquor Authority (SLA) inspection.

In response to complaints from the community, officers from the First Precinct Crime Section, assisted by an SLA investigator conducted an SLA inspection at nine business in the First Precinct area.

An underage volunteer acting as an agent of the Suffolk County Police Department entered the establishments with the intent to purchase alcohol. Seven of the business were compliant and two others sold alcohol to the underage agent.

A 76 year old from Lincoln Street, Jersey City, an employee at Lindenhurst Wine and Liquor Store, located at 469 Park Ave., Lindenhurst, and a 46 year old from Main Street in Center Moriches, working at the Getty Gas Mini Mart, located at 687 Rt. 109, West Babylon were both charged with Unlawfully Dealing with a Child 1st Degree for serving alcohol to a minor.

The operation was part of an ongoing effort by the Suffolk County Police Department to ensure compliance of existing statutes regarding the sale of alcohol products from local businesses

Huntington man shot and killed

2011-10-14T08:14:00.003-04:00

A Huntington man was shot and killed, police said.

The 21 year old victim was pronounced dead at Huntington Hospital after police said he was shot in the torso at a residence on Cutting Road in Huntington.

Firefighters from the Greenlawn Fire Department responded to the emergency call and took the victim to the hospital, police said.

Traffic stop leads to drug, DWI charges

2011-10-13T13:03:00.003-04:00

A Florida man faces a DWI charge after a trooper stopped him for an unsafe lane change in Southampton, State Police said.

The driver, a 61 year old man from Clearwater, Fla., was driving a white GMC Jimmy east on Montauk Highway near Ponquogue Avenue when he was pulled over for moving from his lane unsafely.

As the driver was being interviewed, troopers said they "detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath as well as a strong odor of marijuana emanating from his vehicle," according to a news release.

Troopers searched the vehicle and found a plastic bag containing 8 grams of marijuana, police said.

The driver failed sobriety tests and was arrested, police said. He also provided a breath-analyzer reading of .15 percent, according to police.

He was charged with DWI, unlawful possession of marijuana and traffic violations and is due to appear in Southampton Town Court.