Marshall Irving poses with a clock that belonged to his grandfather. Photo by Susan Risoli
By Susan Risoli
You don’t reach the age of 90 without learning a thing or two about living. For Setauket resident Marshall Irving, life is a bit like his favorite pastime of fixing antique clocks: value teamwork, be willing to listen and don’t forget to apply critical thinking when difficulties arise.
“Figure out what is going on and what you can do about it to make it better,” Irving said recently in an interview at his home. “And whether it’s a mechanical issue or something to do with people, bring an open mind about the problem you’re working on.”
Marshall Irving with his wife, Arline, recently celebrated his 90th birthday. Photo by Susan Risoli
Irving is an antiquarian horologist — someone who restores and maintains antique timekeeping devices. The Ward Melville Heritage Organization relies on his skills to keep its tower clock and landmark eagle in good running order. WMHO president, Gloria Rocchio, called Irving “one of the Three Village area treasures, just like the eagle.”
Irving has always been fascinated by the carved wooden eagle, which since 1941 has flapped its 10-foot wingspan from a vantage point atop the Stony Brook post office.
“The Stony Brook eagle is the only one we know of in the world,” Irving said.
He started working on the clock and the eagle 20 years ago.
“When I first got involved, the eagle was in such bad shape, it was shaking the building,” he recalled. “I put in a chain drive and a new gearbox to drive its wings.”
Back then he would climb up four flights of stairs to get to the big bird. “Then I made it, so we could work it out of a closet in the office by pushing buttons, rather than physically going up there,” he said.
“When I first got involved, the eagle was in such bad shape, it was shaking the building.”
— Marshall Irving
Irving was trained as a steamboat engineer at the Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy. He and his wife, Arline, moved to the Three Villages when he went to work at the Dayton T. Brown company. He also served as a naval intelligence officer, which he said “was kind of fun.” The Irvings have four children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren with a third great-grandchild on the way.
The Irvings’ home is filled with clocks, each playing a soft chorus of chimes that sound at different times with different notes. Hanging on the wall is “the first clock I got serious about fixing,” an 1860s Seth Thomas clock that was in Irving’s grandfather’s office at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
The Mather House Museum in Port Jefferson has an antique clock collection that Irving restores and maintains. He runs a “clock school” there, where he teaches people how to restore antique clock mechanisms and finishes, and how to make the clocks look their best for public display. Irving said he teaches his students that patience and teamwork are essential to diagnosing and treating the problems of these delicate clocks.
“We have people come into our clock school and run out screaming because it doesn’t fit their mindset,” he said. “They don’t realize it takes years to learn these things.”
He added, “I’ve been doing this for 50 years, and there are still things I’m learning, every day.”
Irving said he will continue being an antiquarian horologist for his own pleasure and to spread the word about the beauty of aging clocks.
“I enjoy talking to people about it, because the ability to do this is starting to die out,” he said. “A sad thing for me is that we don’t teach children how to tell time anymore from an analog dial on a clock.”
A Coast Guard Auxiliary boat. Photo Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard
By Herb Herman
The Port Jefferson flotilla of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary has been designated flotilla of the year. This is an award presented to the flotilla by the auxiliary’s 22nd Division of the 1st Southern Region of the Auxiliary. The 22 Division includes the auxiliary’s seven flotillas on Long Island, all of which report to the Coast Guard station at Eaton’s Neck.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, created by an act of Congress in 1939, is an all-volunteer civilian branch of the Coast Guard, acting as a “force multiplier,” where auxiliary members, both men and women, frequently aid the Coast Guard in wide-ranging activities. At Coast Guard stations around the country, auxiliary members carry out watch standing, that is, they will engage in communication management for a Coast Guard station. Frequently, they work in the stations’ kitchens, helping in food preparation and service.
Many auxiliary members are talented craftspeople and will frequently work to support and improve Coast Guard station facilities.
Some 28,000 auxiliary members contribute more than 4.5 million hours of service each year and complete nearly 500,000 boating safety patrol missions to support the Coast Guard. Every year auxiliarists help to save some 500 lives, assist 15,000 distressed boaters, and provide boater safety instruction to more than 500,000 students, adults and children alike. In total, the Coast Guard Auxiliary saves taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
The Port Jefferson USCG Auxiliary Flotilla, 1st Southern District 14, Division 22, Flotilla 06, was founded in 2003 and now has 29 members. Since its founding, the flotilla has been active in boater education and in patrols within the Long Island Sound and in the Port Jefferson Harbor and Mount Sinai areas. Additionally, in this era of deep concern about terrorism, the flotilla engages in a program to inspect the marine-related facilities and the Port Jefferson Harbor infrastructure in order to discover and to report to the Coast Guard any vulnerability in the marine area. The Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry is of particular interest to the Coast Guard and to the auxiliary.
The Port Jefferson flotilla, as well as the other six flotillas in Division 22 on Long Island, is actively recruiting men and women of all ages who want to serve their community and country in this unique way. Interested parties are invited to attend meetings, which are held on the second Wednesday of each month at the Port Jefferson Yacht Club on Surf Road at Port Jefferson Harbor. Doors open at 7 p.m. and call to order is at 7:30 p.m. For more information on the activities of the Port Jefferson Flotilla visit www.cgapj.org, email [email protected] or call 631-938-1705.
Herb Herman is the flotilla staff officer for public affairs, Port Jefferson Auxiliary Flotilla 14-22-06.
Suffolk County Police have arrested a Medford man for allegedly committing four armed robberies this month.
A man allegedly entered four businesses between April 5 and April 21, displayed what appeared to be a handgun, demanded cash and fled with proceeds. Following an investigation, police determined the robberies were committed by Eric Wright, 31.
Major Case Section detectives charged Wright with four counts of robbery in the first degree for the following robberies:
• Subway, located at 18 Woods Corner Road in Setauket, April 15 at approximately 7:15 p.m.
• 7-Eleven, located at 811 Waverly Ave. in Holtsville, April 21 at approximately 7:30 a.m.
• Aura Vape Store, located at 1110 Middle Country Road in Selden, April 11 at 9:07 p.m.
• Conoco Gas Station, located at 626 Old Medford Ave. in Patchogue, April 5 at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Additionally, 6th Squad detectives charged Wright with grand larceny third degree and criminal possession of stolen property third degree for pawning jewelry he allegedly stole from a Setauket home.
Coram woman looks to face Bonner in November election
Sarah Deonarine, who is planning to run for the Town of Brookhaven Council District 2 seat on the Democratic ticket, said she believes there’s a way to balance the environmental and economic needs of the North Shore.
“Nationwide, there’s a feeling of participating in the democracy, and I just couldn’t sit by anymore,” Deonarine said. “I realized somebody strong had to stand up, and it was either going to be me or nobody was going to do it.”
In the upcoming weeks, Deonarine is looking for the petition application to run for councilwoman to come through, and she will run for the district seat against 12-year incumbent Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point).
Deonarine said she decided to jump into the race because of Proposition One, a back-of-the-ballot proposition that extended officials’ terms in office from two years to four, and limited officeholders to three terms. A total of 58 percent voted in favor of that measure with 42 percent opposing last November.
Sarah Deonarine and her family. Photo from campaign website
The Democratic contender said the proposition was a backwards means of extending the council members’ time in office, since each elected official would no longer have to run every two years, and the term limits weren’t retroactive.
“It was like they hoodwinked the voters by not giving them the right information,” she said.
The contender for the council seat has been a resident in Brookhaven for 11 years, and in Coram for four along with her husband and three young children. A Pennsylvania native, she holds a masters degree from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University. She has worked for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for seven years, and has spent the past four years as the executive director of the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, which serves to protect the water quality of North Hempstead. She is a member of the Town of Brookhaven Democratic Committee, as well as a member of the Mothers of Twins Club of Suffolk County, the Coram Civic Association, Mommy and Me and Science Advocacy of Long Island.
Deonarine already has the nod of the town Democratic Committee as well as the Working Families Party, and she said she has sent in the petitions she needs to run for town council, though she has yet to receive confirmation back as of press time.
She is running on numerous issues, including reforming the town’s meeting schedule, and focusing new developments around sustaining the environment.
“A lot of what I want to do gets back to the quality of life,” she said. “People are happier surrounded by nature.”
She said that while it’s all well and good the town has meetings at 2 p.m. for those who can’t drive at night, having the nightly meetings at 5 p.m. means most people who are out working cannot attend. She said she would like to move those meetings past 6 p.m., and potentially move the meeting location occasionally to different parts in the town, giving more people availability to attend.
She also called attention to the issues of derelict housing, otherwise known as zombie homes. The biggest barrier to people making use of this property, she said, was the liens Suffolk County puts on the property after it is razed by the town. She said she would use the strong connection she said she has with Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) and other county and state lawmakers to see if there could be any program of lien forgiveness, or otherwise a program that would give developers the opportunity to revitalize the destroyed parcels.
Developments and their consequences are on the minds of many North Shore residents, and with new developments coming up in the town’s agenda, including the Mount Sinai Meadows millennial housing project and the Echo Run senior living project in Miller Place, Deonarine said there needs to be attention paid to making sure these developments do not affect the local wildlife, impact the below- ground drinking water or increase traffic.
“We need to protect all our water beneath our feet — you build more development, you have more waste running off into our local waterways,” she said. “More housing means more traffic, but we also need the tax base. The cost of living is really high, people living here, more industries, it’s a Catch-22.”
“More housing means more traffic, but we also need the tax base. The cost of living is really high, people living here, more industries, it’s a Catch-22.”
— Sarah Deonarine
She said she would take a close look at the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency, especially in terms of the tax breaks it gives to developments such as the Engel Burman senior living facilities currently under construction in Mount Sinai. The development was given a 13-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement that would see the developer continue to pay $46,000 in property taxes for the first three years while the two projects are under construction.
She said there needs to be more public transparency with IDA meetings and decisions, along with a closer look at their decision- making process.
“Local politics matter a lot. This is our everyday lives,” she said. “We really need to pay attention and consider a new way, a new approach.”
Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner and State Sen. Ken LaValle join the community in the annual sarcoidosis walk. Photo from Town of Brookhaven
Community leaders and residents came out despite the weather April 20 for the 5th annual Sarcoidosis of Long Island Awareness Walk at Heritage Park.
Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point), State Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson), along with residents, community leaders, friends and families all participated in the day’s events.
Sarcoidosis of Long Island has grown into an organization to fight for the rights of people who have sarcoidosis, a rare disease characterized by the formation of tiny clumps of inflammatory cells in one or more organs of the body. These clumps can interfere with an organ’s structure and function. Symptoms could include chest pain, seizures, meningitis, swelling of the joints, hearing loss and blurred vision.
Frank Rivera founded Sarcoidosis of Long Island in 2012 after being diagnosed with the disease in 2011. He has been a local, state and federal advocate for sarcoidosis awareness and has spoken at two congressional briefings. He is a national ambassador for the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, a Global Genes RARE Foundation Alliance member and advocate, an ambassador for the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases and a working group member.
“Frank and Diana Rivera have dedicated their lives to helping the Sarcoidosis of Long Island families,” Bonner said. “I am proud to do whatever I can to help them raise awareness and find a cure for those who suffer from this debilitating disease.”
For more information about Sarcoidosis of Long Island, go to www.sarcoidosisofli.org. Readers can learn more about sarcoidosis by watching “In the Spotlight … Sarcoidosis Awareness” on Channel 18 On Demand at www.BrookhavenNY.gov.
‘Jeopardy!’ host Alex Trebek, left, pictured with former contestant Kevin Foley of Mount Sinai, has been diagnosed recently with pancreatic cancer. Photo from Alex Foley
By Anthony Frasca
After multiple Emmy award-winning “Jeopardy!” host, Alex Trebek, announced that he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer, the news has drawn attention to the disease and raised questions related to the latest advances in diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Aaron Sasson, director of the Pancreatic Cancer Center at Stony Brook University and chief of the Surgical Oncology Division, said little has changed when it comes to a doctor’s ability to diagnose the cancer any earlier.
“But we have made improvements in imaging of pancreatic cancer,” he said. “That is, the quality of CT scans and MRIs has improved over the years.”
Kerri Kaplan, president and CEO of the Lustgarten Foundation, said the disease has been “notoriously difficult” to detect and treat. The organization is dedicated to pancreatic cancer research.
“Although great strides are being made to detect pancreatic cancer earlier, this disease has few warning signs and vague symptoms that may range from back pain, fatigue and loss of appetite, amongst others,” she said in an email.
Kaplan added, “Even when there are early signs and symptoms, they may easily be attributed to other illnesses. Because of this, patients are often diagnosed when the cancer is at an advanced stage or has spread to other organs — making them ineligible to undergo surgery, which is the best chance at long-term survival.”
According to the foundation, pancreatic cancer research is moving faster than ever before. The nonprofit is funding a range of innovative projects including artificial intelligence in a partnership with Pancreatic Cancer Collective to use computational approaches to identifying high-risk pancreatic cancer populations, and CancerSEEK, which is an early detection initiative that uses blood testing to identify eight different types of cancer including pancreatic cancer.
Other Lustgarten projects include Dr. David Tuveson of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory leading a personalized approach to medicine called organoids for personalized therapy — a three-dimensional cell culture system which reproduces a patient’s tumor to test it repeatedly with different drugs. This approach will enable researchers to determine how a pancreatic cancer patient will respond to various treatments. And with an improved imaging and early detection project, scientists from a broad range of disciplines focus on the use of computers to recognize patterns in medical imaging with the goal of finding tumors when they are otherwise undetectable by the human eye.
Also, as a result of Lustgarten-funded research, the U.S. Food & Drug Association recently approved Keytruda as the first immunotherapy treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer patients whose tumors have a unique genetic mutation.
“In the last 10 years our understanding of pancreatic cancer has significantly improved,” Sasson said. “I think we are on the cusp of something remarkable in the next couple of years coming out with regards to treatment. Our understanding of the genetics the biology and immunotherapy of pancreatic cancer, all those things are going to be realized, I’m hopeful, in the next couple of years.”
The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 9 percent according to the American Cancer Society. Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Improvements in survival rates for pancreatic cancer are challenging because nearly half of the cancers are not detected until they are in advanced stages.
Edith Petersen of Stony Brook died quietly in her home March 30. Her son Raymond, granddaughter Emily and friend Denise were with her. Edith was 94 years young.
Edith was predeceased by her loving husband Howard M. and is survived by her beloved children Lynn Kauffman (Nicholas), Raymond Petersen, Nancy Petersen (Brian Baker) and Ronald Petersen (Victoria). She is a cherished grandmother to Bonnie, Paul, Meridena, Keara, Kimberly, Emily and the late Christopher. She also leaves behind four great-grandchildren.
Edith grew up in a Scandinavian neighborhood in Brooklyn where she met her husband at a roller skating rink. Living through the Great Depression and World War II had a lasting impression on her, but she never lost her zest for life and enjoyed cooking and baking. She was game for the many family activities initiated by her children and grandchildren, including skiing for the first time at age 50.
When they moved to Stony Brook, she and Howard operated the Petersen Marine Towing and Tugboat Corporation and the Mattituck Marina and Fishing Station, which was later acquired by New York State for a public access marine park.
Edith was a constant reader and always ready for political discussion, especially in support of women’s rights. She was interred next to her husband, a World War II veteran, at the Calverton Cemetery.
In celebration of her life, donations can be made to Visiting Nurse Service, Hospice of Suffolk County and Emily’s List.
Constance Kohlmeyer
Constance Kohlmeyer
Constance “Connie” Kohlmeyer, of Port Jefferson, died April 22. She was 82.
Kohlmeyer was born May 26, 1936, and in life her hobbies included birdwatching, gardening and bowling.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughters Carolyn and Kristie; son Kenneth; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; along with many other family and friends.
People may call at the Bryant Funeral Home, located at 411 Old Town Road in East Setauket for more information: 631-473-0082.
Visiting hours will be hosted April 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Prayer service will be held that day at 8 p.m. at Bryant Funeral Home. A private cremation will follow.
Arrangements were entrusted to the Bryant Funeral Home of Setauket. People can visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guest book.
John Lopez
John D. Lopez
John D. Lopez of Smithtown died on April 6 at the age of 87. He was the beloved husband of the late Marjorie, loving father of John Jr. (Kathryn) and cherished grandfather of Natasha and Kayla. John was a proud member of the FDNY, where he last served as captain at Engine 62 in the Bronx. John also was a proud Army veteran and served during the Korean War. Services were held April 10.
William Michael Amatucci
William Michael Amatucci of East Northport died on April 9 at the age of 64. He was the beloved son of Catherine and the late Silvio, and loving brother of Rick and John. Bill was a longtime maintenance worker at Sunken Meadow State Park. Services were held April 13 with burial at Commack Cemetery.
Richard Tartaglia
Richard Tartaglia
Richard Tartaglia of Centerport died on April 14 at the age of 80. He was the beloved husband of Joan; loving father of Thomas (Suzanne), Debra Caporusso (Philip), Joanne Brieva (Art) and the late Elizabeth; cherished grandfather of Olivia and Jack Tartaglia, Philip and Richard Caporusso and Nicole and Frank Brieva; dear brother of Robert (Barbara) and brother-in-law of Jane Berman (Andy); and his beloved niece and nephews. Services were held April 24 with burial at St. John of God Cemetery in Central Islip.
Rose Mary Prestia
Rose Mary Prestia
Rose Mary Prestia of Kew Gardens died on March 31 at the age of 93. She was loved by her many nieces and nephews. Services were held April 3 at Nolan Funeral Home in Northport with a funeral Mass at St. Joseph’s Church in Kings Park. Burial followed at St. John’s Cemetery in Middle Village.
Deborah Pecchia
Deborah Pecchia
Deborah Pecchia of East Northport died on March 28. She was 63 years old. Loving wife of Anthony. Caring mother of Lauren Pesce (Alphonse), Stephen (Amy)and Dan. Fond grandma “Bubba” of Stefano, Giuliana, Gabriella, Mikaela, Thomas and Brandon. Beloved daughter of Harriet and the late Henry Yost. Caring sister of Kenneth Yost and Cathy Goldfarb. Cremation was private.
Mark Schneider
Mark Schneider
Mark Schneider of Northport died on April 1. Born in 1958, he was the loving and devoted son of Mary Anne and the late Deacon Andrew and dear brother of the late Kenneth. Services were held April 6 at St. Philip Neri Church in Northport. Interment followed at the parish cemetery. Donations to the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry, 330 Main Street, Northport, NY 11768, in Mark’s memory, would be appreciated.
Stephen Scola
Stephen Scola
Stephen Scola of Fort Salonga died peacefully at age 84 on March 30. He was the devoted husband of Amanda; loving father of John (Stephanie)and Loren Kobus (Theodore); proud and caring grandfather of Owen, Greta, Luca, Audra, Ethan and Theo; and fond brother of Peter.
Stephen loved his chosen professional path as an accomplished orthodontist. After 39 years in practice, he continued working as an attending professor at St. Barnabas University in the Bronx. He truly loved working with the students and sharing his experience and love for orthodontics, which he did until his passing.
Stephen loved vacationing with family, biking, kayaking, swimming and experiencing all that New York City has to offer with his wife, Amanda. He was a true gentleman and loved talking about the economy/financial markets and family.
Services were held April 4 with interment of ashes at Locust Valley Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to MDS Foundation or Huntington YMCA in his memory would be appreciated.
Joseph Krupowicz
Joseph J. Krupowicz
Joseph J. Krupowicz of Centerport died on April 2 at 81 years of age. Retired from the FDNY, he was the loving father of son Joseph Jr. and daugher, the late JoAnn Schafer (Ken); beloved grandfather of Gina Krupowicz and Andrew Schafer; dear brother of Barry (Theresa), Fred (Joann), Vivian, and the late Loretta Janus. Joseph was also loved by his many nieces and nephews. A memorial Mass at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church was held on April 16. Interment of ashes followed at Pinelawn Memorial Park.
Gayle Tugendaft
Gayle Tugendhaft
Gayle Tugendhaft of Huntington Station died on April 5 at 82 years of age. She was the beloved mother of Ann (Vincent) Gagliano, Michael (Mary) Margulies, Lynn (Michael) Meyer, Joan (Bill) Muller and Margie (Michael) Bachner; loving grandmother of Eli, Gabriella, Julianna, Michael, Naomi, Olivia, Travis, Lowell, Ashley, Jillian, Stefan, Jenny, Ali and Brianna. Cherished great-grandmother of nine. Memorial services were held at Nolan Funeral Home in Northport on April 11.
Ellen Duffy
Ellen Regina Duffy
Ellen R. Duffy of Centerport died on Easter Sunday, April 21 at 81 years of age. She was the beloved wife of Gene; loving mother of Stacy Dougal (Cliff), Thomas, Jennifer Blue (Craig) and Eileen Pitfick; cherished grandmother of Jake and Sean Dougal, Connor and Waylon Blue and John, Thomas and Kate Pitfick; and dear sister of Jean Schneider. A funeral Mass will be held April 25 at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Centerport with burial to follow at Northport Rural Cemetery. Donations to Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Ellen’s memory would be appreciated.
Joseph Riccobono
Joseph Riccobono
Joseph Robert Riccobano, known as “Joe R.,” of East Northport died on March 31 at 68 years of age. He was the loving husband of Joan M. Convery and the late Donna Marie Riccobono; beloved father of Loretta (Dan) Hickman and Jodie (Bryan) Boccard; cherished grandfather of Aidan Daniel Hickman, Austin Joseph Hickman, Isla Donna Boccard and Leo Andrew Boccard; dear brother of the late Angela Wills; fond brother-in-law of Katie Gelormino, John Convery, Timothy Convery, Patrick Convery, Joni Michelis, Linda Liebl; and son-in-law of Joan B. Farrell. A funeral Mass was held on April 5 at St. Philip Neri Church with burial at Northport Rural Cemetery.
Times Beacon Record News Media publishes free obituaries as a service to our readers. Announcements may be emailed to [email protected]. For further information, please call 631-751-7744, ext. 138.
A musketball found in Fort Salonga. Photo from Lamar Institute
Archaeologists from the Lamar Institute began a month-long search April 15 for local artifacts from the Revolutionary War. Their investigation covers three known battlefields in Fort Salonga, Setauket and Lloyd’s Neck and has so far turned up a musket ball.
Daniel Elliott, an archeologist from the Lamar Institute, uses ground-penetrating radar to see under the earth at Fort Slongo. Photo Lamar Institute
“All three battlefields are poorly understood in history,” said Daniel Elliott, president of the Lamar Institute. “This project seeks to locate and delineate the three battlefields and to interpret their findings, advancing our understanding of Long Island’s important role in the American Revolution.”
Their “dig” includes extensive research with ground-penetrating radar, systematic controlled metal detection survey, small excavations of key targets, laser transit mapping, drone-assisted aerial videography, laboratory analysis and public presentations.
The work is funded by a $60,000 grant from the National Park Services’ American Battlefield Protection Program and a $5,200 contribution from the Lamar Institute.
Local historian David M. Griffin, author of “Lost British Forts of Long Island,” is a major project collaborator.
The Lamar Institute is a nonprofit organization established in 1982 with the mission to conduct archaeological research and advance public archaeological education.
Barbara Russell, Town of Brookhaven historian, was involved in coordinating access to the Setauket site.
“This is quite exciting to have respected and qualified researchers from the Lamar Institute in and around our [Setauket] Green.”
The research team will be exploring the Lloyd Neck’s Fort Franklin April 29.
The public can see the resulting interpretations when completed by September 2020 on the Lamar Institute’s website at www.thelamarinstitute.org.
Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini (D). File photo
A Sound Beach man was indicted for allegedly conducting a human trafficking ring out of his parents’ house since at least 2014.
Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini (D) and the Suffolk County Police Department said Raymond Rodio III, 47, allegedly operated a sex trafficking ring of over 20 women by luring them with the promise of crack cocaine and heroin, and then using that addiction as leverage against them. The man also allegedly kept the women in horrible conditions in his parents’ basement for long stretches of time.
“This is a dangerous and depraved individual,” Sini said in a release. “He kept women locked up in the basement of his parents’ house, using the basement as a dungeon. He preyed on women using their vulnerabilities and their drug dependencies to maintain his control over them. With this indictment, we are putting an end to his criminal operation and his victimization of over 20 women.”
In August 2018, the Suffolk County Police Department identified a suspected victim of human trafficking during a routine traffic stop. An investigation by the Police Department’s Human Trafficking Investigations Unit revealed evidence that the victim had allegedly been forced into sex trafficking by Rodio in the spring of 2018.
Further investigation by county police and the DA’s human trafficking sections revealed Rodio was allegedly trafficking women out of the basement of his parents’ residence, located on Lower Rocky Point Road in Sound Beach, since 2014. The investigation identified more than 20 victims of Rodio’s alleged sex trafficking operation. Rodio was arrested March 18.
Rodio would allegedly post advertisements on websites, including Backpage and Craigslist, promoting prostitution by the victims and would keep either a large percentage or all of the profits of their prostitution, according to the district attorney’s office.
“This man preyed on vulnerable women, using threats and drugs to manipulate them for his own financial gain,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said.
The district attorney’s office said the investigation also revealed evidence Rodio would allegedly occasionally keep victims in the basement for extended periods of time and force them to use a bucket as a toilet because the basement does not have a bathroom. The door to the basement has an exterior lock to which Rodio had the only key. In addition to the house, Rodio also allegedly forced the victims to perform prostitution at various motels throughout Suffolk County.
Rodio is alleged to have used threats of violence to force victims to continue engaging in prostitution on his behalf. He also allegedly provided his victims with heroin and crack cocaine before prostituting them to impair their judgment.
“This creates a vicious cycle that is extremely difficult for victims to break,” Sini said. “That is precisely why my office and the Suffolk County Police Department have shifted the paradigm in how we deal with these cases. We treat the women as victims, because they are.”
Rodio has been charged with seven counts of sex trafficking, a B felony, one count of sex trafficking, a B violent felony, one count of promoting prostitution in the second degree, a C felony, one count of promoting prostitution in the thirddDegree, a D felony, and four counts of promoting prostitution in the fourth degree, an A misdemeanor. If convicted of the top count, Rodio faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
In addition to the sex trafficking charges, the Suffolk County Police Department’s Narcotics Section, in conjunction with the Human Trafficking Investigations Unit, began a subsequent investigation into alleged drug dealing by Rodio. The investigation resulted in Rodio being indicted by the District Attorney’s Office on March 22 and charged with five counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a B felony.
Rodio was arraigned on the indictment in connection with the alleged human trafficking operation today by Suffolk County Acting Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho. Bail was set at $1 million cash or $2 million bond. He is due back in court May 21.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Daniel Cronin, of the Enhanced Prosecution Bureau’s Human Trafficking Team.
Richard Dormer served the people of Suffolk County for for 38 years. Photo from Suffolk County Police Department
By Donna Deedy
Former Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer died at age 79 Sunday, April 21 after a three-year battle with cancer.
Dormer, an Irish immigrant, became a police officer in 1963 and was among the first 800 officers in the department’s history. He climbed the department’s ranks and retired after 30 years of service as chief. Dormer was then appointed in 2004 Suffolk County Police Commissioner and served in that post until he retired in 2011.
“Commissioner Dormer dedicated his life to public service, and he should be remembered for his commitment to public safety,” said current Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart. “I extend my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time to his family, including his children, two of whom are continuing his legacy as members of the Suffolk County Police Department, and to the men and women in the department who are mourning his loss.”
While serving as commissioner, Dormer oversaw the department’s anti-gang policies and was involved in investigating a string of unsolved homicides, after the dismembered bodies of 10 people were found in bushes near Gilgo Beach. In 2006, Dormer implemented a novel approach to disposing of its confiscated gun arsenal: the department shredded the firearms it collected.
“They’re going to go in a shredder and never harm another person in Suffolk County again,” he said after highlighting the new policy as a cost saving measure at a press conference. The department’s old system required transporting twice a year its seized weapons to a foundry in Pennsylvania, where the firearms were melted down.
“During the tenure of former Commissioner Dormer, our department made great advances, including the creation of our Homeland Security Bureau, attaining New York State accreditation and incorporating modern concepts to respond to active shooter incidents,” said Suffolk County Police Chief Stuart Cameron.
Dormer is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughters Kathleen Brady and Bridget Dormer; sons Michael, John and Richard Dormer; eight grandchildren; and siblings Frankie, Bridget and Maura.
Visitations will be held at Nolan Funeral Home, at 5 Laurel Ave., Northport, Thursday and Friday, April 25 and 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass is Saturday, April 27 at 9:15 a.m., at St. Philip Neri Church, 344 Main St., Northport.In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to www.giving.mountsinai.org.
William Michael Amatucci
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