Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man who allegedly stole from a Medford business in November.
A man allegedly stole approximately $400 worth of bedding and clothing from Target, located at2975 Horseblock Road, at 4:55 p.m. on November 24.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.
On November 30, Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner (third from left), New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (left) and Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon (right) were guests at the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for new Eagle Scout, Carrie Davis (second from left) from Troop 2019. She is the second young lady in the troop to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.
For her Eagle Scout project, Carrie built bee houses at Cedar Beach in Mt. Sinai (next to her brother Larry’s Eagle Scout project) to support local pollinators, contribute to the health of the environment and enhance the community’s natural resources. Carrie also earned 20 additional merit badges while excelling in both school and sports—a testament to her determination, leadership, and character.
“I commend Carrie for the work that she has done to attain the rank of Eagle Scout. Her leadership qualities, hard work and dedication to the community set a great example for her peers to follow. I look forward to all the great things that she will accomplish in the future,” said Councilwoman Bonner.
Pictured at Troop 888’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor are Suffolk County Legislator Rob
Trotta, (center), Eagle Scouts Douglas Antaky, Sean Bauer, Tyler Liebold, Michael K.
Power and Anthony Zitoli.
Five scouts earned the rank of Eagle Scout at a ceremony at the American Legion Hall in Smithtown on November 30. Celebrating their achievement were Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta, family, friends and fellow scouts and scout leaders, and other guests.
Douglas Antaky refurbished the playground at Sweetbriar Nature Center and built a new zipline platform, added a child safety zipline with handles and a seat and built a seesaw to replace the damaged one for his Eagle Scout Community Service Project.
For his project, Sean Bauer designed and planted a memorial garden at Angela’s House in Smithtown, a home for medically frail children. His brother Nicky has epilepsy and autism and has benefited from their support. Sean raised funds by selling a cookbook with recipes from family, friends and scouts.
Tyler Liebold renovated the deck hockey rink at St. Pat’s, which included removing a planter and installing brick pavers, changing and painting a door and siding on a storage shed, and installing pavers outside of the shed. Tyler’s project was a labor of love as he played hockey here from first grade until 11th grade.
Michael K. Power’s Eagle Scout project benefited both the staff and students at Ascent, a school for individuals with autism. For the staff, he built a lectern and bookcases, and he raised the garden beds and bought gardening tools for the students to learn how to garden.
Anthony Zitoli also did his project at the Sweetbriar Nature Center where he restored several picnic tables and benches by replacing the wood, sanding it and staining the furniture.
At the ceremony, Legislator Trotta presented each Eagle Scout with a proclamation recognizing their achievement of the rank of Eagle Scout. “This is a very proud moment for these young men, and this accomplishment will be with them for the rest of their lives,” said Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta.
Caption:
Pictured at Troop 888’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor are Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta, (center), Eagle Scouts Douglas Antaky, Sean Bauer, Tyler Liebold, Michael K. Power and Anthony Zitoli.
Centereach High School drama department presenting Clue: On Stage
Centereach High School drama department presenting Clue: On Stage
Centereach High School drama department presenting Clue: On Stage
Centereach High School drama department presenting Clue: On Stage
Centereach High School drama department presenting Clue: On Stage
Centereach High School drama department presenting Clue: On Stage
Centereach High School’s drama department recently captivated audiences with its energetic production of Clue: On Stage, a lively and engaging performance that brought the iconic board game to the stage. This humorous and suspenseful drama, based on the 1985 Paramount movie inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, offered a delightful blend of intrigue and humor.
The production directed by Centereach Teacher Patricia Duryea kept the audience on the edge of their seats. With clever dialogue, and the perfect balance of comedy and suspense, the production delighted both fans of the classic movie and newcomers to the tale. The show’s whimsical atmosphere, memorable tunes, and witty script ensured that the audience was both entertained and fully immersed in the zany world of this whodunit.
The talented cast and crew of Centereach High School showcased their skills in acting and technical production. The performances promise to be full of suspense, humor, and surprises, making it a must-see event for families, friends, and local theater enthusiasts.
For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the District’s website: https://www.mccsd.net/.
On December 2, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (left) and Councilman Neil Manzella (right) were on-hand for the demolition of a “zombie house” located at 691 Horseblock Road in Farmingville.
The dangerous eyesore, which had been vacant for decades, was uninhabitable, a blight on the community and a source of resident complaints. The structure was demolished by the Town of Brookhaven in accordance with Chapter 73 of the Town Code which provides a “fast track” to rid neighborhoods of unsafe structures. The cost of demolition, debris removal and restoration of the land to nature is the responsibility of the property owner.
A video of this demolition and others in the Town of Brookhaven can be viewed at www.BrookhavenNY.gov or on Brookhaven Cable TV Channel 18.
Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead will showcase old-fashioned holiday traditions during the Historic Holidays at Hallockville open house on Sunday, December 8 from noon to 4 p.m.
Costumed docents will lead tours of the historic Hallock Homestead which will be decorated for a Victorian Christmas, and explain why Christmas celebrations were banned by early East End settlers and eventually came to the North Fork primarily as a secular celebration. In the Cichanowicz Farmhouse docents will recreate a Polish Christmas Eve celebration from the 1930s.
The Hudson-Sydlowski House will welcome visitors for holiday shopping at the Country Parlor Holiday Folk Art and Gift Show featuring exclusively handcrafted items. The Trubisz House will feature a charming dollhouse exhibit. Outside, there will be a demonstration and sampling of traditional bread-making, using a wood-fired outdoor hearth, strolling carolers, children’s activities and refreshments.
Admission to Historic Holidays at Hallockville is free. The event is sponsored in-part by Suffolk County.
A 3D constructed building in Ukraine. Photo courtesy of Utu (Ukraine)
By Daniel Dunaief
Instead of discarding concrete from damaged or destroyed buildings during Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Alexander Orlov, Professor in Materials Science & Chemical Engineering at Stony Brook University wants to try to figure out ways to recycle these materials to create new and desperately needed shelters.
Alexander Orlov. Photo courtesy of SBU
Leading a team of researchers in the United States, Poland and Ukraine, Orlov received about $700,000 worth of funding from the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, and the Polish National Science Centre to develop ways to create these potentially life-saving structures by using three-dimensional printers.
Far larger than the desktop printers, these three-dimensional printers build one layer of a building at a time, reducing the time and labor needed in construction.
The idea behind the project is to “turn the tragedy of these damaged buildings into new structures,” said Orlov.
In some cases, these buildings could be cheaper and faster than conventional construction methods.
“This research will address challenges in building resilient and sustainable infrastructure by using novel, inexpensive and energy efficient solutions,” Marija Krstic, assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Stony Brooks said in a statement.
The family of Ukrainian soldier Yaroslav Berezov, who died during the beginning of the Russian invasion, received the first 3D printed house earlier this year, according to the Odessa Journal.
The walls of the house were printed in 58 machine hours, as the printer laid down the inside and outside of the house at the same time.
The idea of doing 3D printing is becoming more popular in Ukraine. The leader in this type of printing is a company called COBOD, which used the technique to rebuild a school in the city of Lviv. The school, which has weatherproof construction and is expected to last for more than 20 years, has four classrooms with a capacity for 100 students.
One layer at a time
Orlov explained that the 3D printing process acts like an ice cream machine, as it lays down one layer of a building at a time with material squeezed through a cone.
In the design of these structures, the machine pauses for some length of time — five or 10 minutes in some cases — to ensure that the layer is strong enough to support additional weight. The structure also requires some time to settle, which could be about two weeks, before adding heavier objects, such as a roof.
Assistant professor Marija Krstic in the Department of Civil Engineering along with a graduate student. Photo from SBU
The machines use waste and add it to a cement mix to form concrete.
In this project, the research is focused on a proof of concept that Ukrainian construction companies might use to build additional homes or shelters.
The National Science Foundation is providing $300,000 in funding for Orlov’s portion of the work.
Stony Brook University is building a 3D printer and is adding parts to it to make it more efficient and reliable. Poland is also purchasing a printer while Ukraine already has one.
The Office of Naval Research is providing funding directly to Ukraine and the Polish National Science Centre is supporting efforts in that country.
“The Navy supports disaster relief and typically offers assistance in any part of the world” after catastrophes including hurricanes and earthquakes, Orlov said.
It takes about two to three days to build a building the size of a house. The process still requires manual labor to add the roof because it has different materials.
The timing of the research is particularly important because of the escalating scale of Russian attacks and amid the approach of winter. People in the capital of Kyiv endure seven hours of bombing each night. The civilian experience is similar to what people in London experienced during World War II, when they hid in shelters and had to be quiet amid the shattering of buildings.
Ukraine has lost about 50 percent of its energy infrastructure, a number that is likely to climb even as colder weather descends on the country. The estimated cost to repair that energy infrastructure is about $60 billion and is likely to climb as the war continues, Orlov added.
Without energy and heat, “this could be the worst winter in the history of the country,” Orlov said.
In developing ways to build these structures, Orlov hopes to create buildings that are mechanically the same or better than traditional homes and with thermal properties that are increasingly important amid temperature extremes.
The biggest challenge for scientists and engineers is that these buildings may not be reproducible, depending on the different available materials. The researchers need to figure out if they can have high-quality printing from different sources.
Personal experience
For Orlov, the horrors of war and the threat of injury and death are all too real. He extracted his mother Tetiana and his father Mykhailo, out of Kyiv, where their apartment windows were blown out after a Russian rocket leveled a nearby five-story building.
Orlov’s parents are struggling even on Long Island, where the sound from nearby fire station causes them to try to run and hide each time they hear the alarm. Motorcycle noises, which have the same vibrating hum as Iranian drones, also terrify them.
Project origins
The research Orlov is doing started when he was working with a Polish researcher. Orlov saw the funding opportunity and reached out to professors in Kyiv to ask how he could help. The researchers worked together to write the proposal.
Orlov, who works in the Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research and has secondary appointments in the Chemistry Department, the Institute for Advanced Computational Science, the Advanced Energy Center, and the Department of Technology and Society, is spending considerably more time than he expected on this project. That, he said, comes in part from the need to cross cultural barriers in working with people from different countries.
Any construction of 3D printed shelters would face the challenge of finding energy to power these machines. Some of that power could come from mobile generators, while the printers could also use intermittent power.
“There are unique challenges that have to be tested during the war,” Orlov explained.
At each of the research sites, students have the opportunity to contribute to the project. Stony Brook has two faculty members and several graduate students who are involved at this point.
Orlov is hoping to provide Ukrainian companies with recipes that might lead to the construction of these shelters.
From left, Melissa Negrin-Wiener of Cona Elder Law with contest winners Harry Li, Marjorie Callahan, and Maggie Deegan. Photo courtesy of Cona Elder Law
Cona Elder Law, an estate planning firm based in Melville, recently held its 15th annual “These Colors Don’t Run” art contest at the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook, featuring work created by elementary, middle, and high school students from nearby schools emphasizing the sacrifices and dedication of our veterans.
The patriotic event brought together veterans, families, and the local community to celebrate creativity and honor the sacrifices of those who served.
From left, Jonathan Spier (LISVH), Michelle Cheslak (LISVH), Melissa Negrin-Wiener (Cona Elder Law), Julie Allegretti (Cona Elder Law), Christina Pecoraro (Cona Elder Law), and Janet Russell (Cona Elder Law)
“We are so happy to work with the State Veterans Home team, who take such wonderful care of their residents,” said Melissa Negrin-Wiener, Senior Partner at Cona Elder Law. “As an elder law attorney, it is a place where I feel I can refer my clients for placement and be one-hundred percent confident that they will receive the care they need.”
Throughout the afternoon, attendees, staff and residents had the opportunity to view the artwork, meet the winners of the art contest, and listen to a live band. The residents enjoyed the visit and entertainment.
The winning students are Maggie Deegan,an 11th grader at Harborfields High School in Greenlawn; Marjorie Callahan, a 5th grader at RJO Intermediate School in Kings Park; and Harry Li, a 3rd grader at W.S. Mount Elementary School in Stony Brook.
“Cona Elder Law has a long-standing commitment to serving the needs of veterans, the disabled, and the elderly in our community,” said Jennifer Cona, Founder and Managing Partner of Cona Elder Law. “Through initiatives like today’s art contest, our firm strives to enhance the quality of life for those who have served while fostering multigenerational connection and community.”
“We are the land of the free because of the brave men and women who have worn the uniform. They made the United States of America the greatest country in the world to live in, and for that, we owe them a debt of gratitude that can never truly be repaid,” said Jonathan Spier, Deputy Director of the Long Island State Veterans Home.
“I applaud Cona Elder Law for their ongoing efforts to ensure our children understand, appreciate, and honor the sacrifices that veterans have made. Through initiatives like the ‘These Colors Don’t Run’ Art Contest, they are helping the next generation not only remember, but truly appreciate the profound impact of our nation’s heroes.”
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R), above, addressed the retail crime in the area. Photo from Tierney's office.
Long-Term “Retail Protection Partnership” Targets Recidivist Thieves by Sharing Information Between Merchants and Law Enforcement, Counters Statewide Surge in Larcenies
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Dec. 2 the initial results of the Retail Protection Partnership, a program he created in October 2023, in response to rising rates of shoplifting nationwide and particularly in New York State, following bail and discovery reforms. The partnership program allows merchants and law enforcement to work collaboratively to investigate and successfully prosecute the top shoplifting offenders in Suffolk County. While reports of shoplifting have increased dramatically in New York and nationwide, reported retail larceny incidents in Suffolk County have decreased since the District Attorney Tierney’s Retail Protection Partnership began.
“We must protect our merchants and the jobs that come from retail businesses. In Suffolk County, you cannot steal someone else’s property. Through our Retail Protection Partnership, we are aggressively prosecuting repeat shoplifters and seeing actual results,” said District Attorney Tierney. “When criminals target our local businesses, they are not just stealing merchandise. They are threatening jobs, driving up costs for honest consumers, and destabilizing neighborhoods that depend on these stores. Our message is clear: retail theft in Suffolk County will earn you jail time, not a revolving door.”
“Retail theft has a widespread impact from the business itself down to the consumer,” said Suffolk County Police Acting Commissioner Robert Waring. “The Retail Protection Partnership has taken a major step in curtailing the behavior of shoplifters. This public-private partnership is a model that will benefit retailers and consumers, while sending a message to thieves that combatting retail theft is a priority for law enforcement in Suffolk County.”
“Our partnerships with local law enforcement are integral to identifying and dismantling the organized retail crime (ORC) networks and habitual offenders that repeatedly target our stores,” said Ben Dugan, CVS Executive Director, Central Investigations. “We are pleased to be part of the Retail Protection Partnership and look forward to continuing to collaborate with District Attorney Tierney as we work to combat ORC in Suffolk County.”
“Organized retail crime and habitual retail theft is not simply a financial loss for retailers, it is a serious store and community safety consideration as well,” said Retail Council President and CEO Melissa O’Connor. “I want to thank District Attorney Tierney for partnering with us to hold crime syndicates accountable to the full extent of the law. Not only does this send a message to those who continue to steal from local stores, it furthers the ultimate goal of safer communities. We will continue to work with state and local leaders to prioritize the safety of our employees and customers.”
In October 2023, District Attorney Tierney met with retailers to discuss the heavy toll that shoplifters were causing their stores in Suffolk County. Shoplifters have been emboldened since 2020 when “bail reform” was enacted in New York. Retailers reported that several of their top shoplifting offenders bragged to store employees that they “would be back in a day,” knowing that they would be released without bail within hours of their arrest. New discovery laws in New York have also stymied prosecutions because impractical and strict timelines for discovery disclosures often result in dismissals of retail larcenies on technicalities. As a result of these meetings, the Retail Protection Partnership was formed. Members of the partnership coordinate the timely dissemination of information amongst prosecutors, retailers, and law enforcement, enabling the identification and arrest of high-impact shoplifters.
In just the past year, the Retail Protection Partnership has grown to include many of the largest retailers in Suffolk County, including Target Corporation, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Ulta, Marshalls, Stop and Shop, Walgreens, Macy’s, CVS, TJX companies, and Burlington. The law enforcement members of the Retail Protection Partnership currently consist of Assistant District Attorneys, District Attorney Detective Investigators, members of each of the Suffolk County Police Department’s seven police precincts, and members of the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney’s Squad.
Additionally, Suffolk County prosecutors implemented a strategy of “aggregation” under the law, allowing for the value of the products stolen in numerous misdemeanor thefts to be added together to result in a felony charge. This strategy was implemented prior to the legislature’s enactment of a similar law in July 2024. For example, one defendant was charged with 10 separate counts of Petit Larceny, a misdemeanor, for stealing from the same Walmart store in Yaphank between February 2024 and April 2024. Once the Retail Protection Partnership identified the defendant as the perpetrator in all 10 incidents, prosecutors aggregated the incidents into one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony, for which he now stands indicted.1
Another strategy Suffolk County prosecutors implemented was the drafting of a new Trespass Notice, to be served by the police upon a shoplifting offender at the time of their arrest, giving notice to the shoplifter that they were no longer legally permitted to enter the store. Subsequently, if the shoplifter returns to that same store, the offender can then be charged with the misdemeanor crime of Trespass, or Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony. For example, in August 2023, a defendant stole merchandise from a Walgreens in Riverhead, was apprehended, charged with petit larceny, and served with a Trespass Notice. The defendant returned to the same Walgreens in December 2023 and stole additional merchandise. On this second occasion, in addition to another petit larceny charge, law enforcement charged the defendant with Burglary in the Third Degree based on the Trespass Notice.
Results of the Retail Protection Partnership have proven successful. While shoplifting and other larcenies in Suffolk County rose from 4,499 incidents in 2022 to 5,119 incidents in 2023, following implementation of the Retail Protection Partnership program, such incidents have fallen to 5,053 within the past year.
An additional marker for the success of the Retail Protection Partnership program includes the identification of Suffolk County’s top recidivist shoplifters. To date, the District Attorney’s Office has successfully prosecuted almost half of the cases of these top offenders,2 many of whom received significant sentences of incarceration. The following 15 defendants are among the top shoplifting offenders whose cases have already been adjudicated:
RYAN MCINTOSH, 33, undomiciled, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, and was sentenced to one and a half to three years in prison. At the time of his arrest on that case, McIntosh was pending sentence for Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony, for which he was sentenced to two and a half to five years in prison, to run concurrently with his new grand larceny conviction.
ANITA GUARINO, 56, of Mastic Beach, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, and was sentenced to two to four years in prison.
JOSE MALDONADO, 41, of Brentwood, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, and was sentenced to two to four years in prison.
ESPERANZA TRICOCHE, 39, of Bay Shore, was convicted of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, and was sentenced to one and a half to three years in prison.
MICHAEL GIOELI, 35, of Babylon, pleaded guilty to Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class E felony, and was sentenced to one and a half to three years in prison.
STEVEN DURHAM, 41, of Coram, pleaded guilty to an aggregated Grand Larceny in the
Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, and was sentenced to one to three years in prison.
DWAYNE HUDSON, 54, of Mount Vernon, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth
Degree, a Class E felony, and was sentenced to one year in jail.
TAYLOR JOHNSON, 32, of Massapequa, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of Petit
Larceny, a Class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to one year in jail.
The remaining Retail Protection Partnership cases are still pending.
MELISSA KUST, 43, of Flanders, pleaded guilty to Petit Larceny, a Class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to the maximum of one year in jail.
ERIN LUTZ, 39, of Bellport, pleaded guilty to multiple misdemeanor charges of Petit Larceny and was sentenced to one year in jail.
PATRICK O’TOOLE, 34, of Copiague, pleaded guilty to five counts of Petit Larceny, which occurred at five different retailers, and was sentenced to one year in jail.
KELVIN RANSOM, 55, of Medford, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, and was sentenced to one year in jail.
EMMANUEL ROSARIO, 36, of Brentwood, pleaded guilty to Robbery in the Third Degree, a Class D felony, stemming from a retail theft incident, and was sentenced to one year in jail.
MARION MCCLURE, 60, of Central Islip, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, and was sentenced to nine months in jail.
ANTHONY FENNER, 35, of Hempstead, pleaded guilty to Burglary in the Third Degree, a class D felony, and was sentenced to six months in jail and is currently being supervised by probation.
Any retailer interested in joining the Retail Protection Partnership program should contact the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office at: www.suffolkcountyny.gov/da/Contact-Us/Contact-the-DA; or email: [email protected]
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Photo from Tierney's office
Charles Weiss and Marvin Sandoval Allegedly Dumped a U-Haul Truck’s Worth of Garbage in the Long Island Pine Barrens
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Dec. 2 that Charles Weiss, 32, of Coram, and Marvin Sandoval, 28, of Ronkonkoma, were arrested for allegedly violating Suffolk’s new Evergreen Law by allegedly dumping a pile of construction waste and household debris in a remote wooded area within the protected Long Island Central Pine Barrens Region.
“Last December, I stood with the County Executive, Sheriff, and other law enforcement partners charged with protecting our environment to announce the Evergreen Initiative,” said District Attorney Tierney. “The Long Island Pine Barrens are necessary to the health of our ecosystem, but at the same time, is incredibly fragile. I am fully committed to preserving our natural heritage and will take any and all actions necessary to deter and defend against pollution.”
“Any person who is caught dumping trash or any other debris in our county parks will face the full strength of the law,” said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. “I thank District Attorney Ray Tierney and the Suffolk County Park Rangers and Police Department for their dedication to protecting our parklands and communities.”
According to the investigation, on November 6, 2024, Weiss and Sandoval allegedly loaded a U- Haul box truck with construction waste and household debris and then drove into a remote wooded area within the Long Island Central Pine Barrens Region where they dumped the contents of the truck onto the forest floor. The materials they allegedly dumped consisted of pieces of wood furniture, used paint cans, paint rollers, shower doors, chandeliers, large pieces of styrofoam, a sink, a granite countertop, tools, and multiple bags of household garbage.
The defendants’ alleged conduct was uncovered by two civilian witnesses who had the good conscience and initiative to sift through the pile for any identifying information and then contact law enforcement. A joint investigation between the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Suffolk County Park Rangers, and the Town of Riverhead Police Department identified Weiss and Sandoval, who had allegedly solicited a job of cleaning up a house for a $1,000 fee and then, instead of proper disposal, allegedly selected the Pine Barrens as their dump site.
About the Evergreen Initiative
In December 2023, District Attorney Raymond Tierney, County Executive Ed Romaine, and Sheriff Errol Toulon, along with leadership of the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Suffolk County Park Rangers, Long Island Pine Barrens Law Enforcement Commission, and Crime Stoppers, announced the Suffolk County Evergreen Initiative – a collaborative plan to curb illegal dumping on county property and within the Central Pine Barrens Region by ramping up and coordinating enforcement, imposing harsher fines, and enhancing civilian incentive to report dumpers.
In early 2024, the Suffolk County Legislature amended Suffolk County Code § 433-7 to raise the maximum fines for dumping in the Pine Barrens Region to $15,000 for individuals and $25,000 for corporations. It additionally mandated that 33% of fines collected from convictions under the statute would be remitted to members of the public who provided information leading to the arrest and conviction of offenders. This award was designed to spur the interest and assistance of the public in identifying and preventing illegal dumping in this largely unsurveilled area.
The Evergreen Initiative thus relies heavily on deterrence and citizen stewardship as a means of protecting an otherwise vulnerable and voiceless victim. The amendments were thereafter signed into law by the County Executive and enacted in March 2024.
About the Pine Barrens
The Long Island Pine Barrens Region, also referred to as the Long Island Pine Barrens Preserve, Central Pine Barrens Area, Core Preservation Area or Compatible Growth Area, is Long Island’s largest natural area and its last remaining wilderness, covering more than 100,000 acres. The Pine Barrens Region overlays and recharges a vast portion of Long Island’s sole-source aquifer. All of Long Island’s drinking water comes from underground wells fed by this aquifer. The majority of the Carmans River and Peconic River and their watersheds exist within the Pine Barrens. The Pine Barrens are a vital stopping point for various species of migratory birds and Long Island’s last undisturbed home to a vast array of local wildlife.
The health of all of Long Island is utterly dependent on the integrity of the Pine Barrens. In recognition of its extreme ecological significance – not just as a wildlife preserve but sole source of drinking water – New York State enacted the Long Island Pine Barrens Maritime Reserve Act in 1990 and, along with it, the Central Pine Barrens joint planning and policy commission.
On Nov. 27, Weiss and Sandoval were each arraigned on charges of violating section 433-7 of the Suffolk County Code (the Evergreen Law.) Riverhead Town Justice Court Judge Sean Walter ordered both Weiss and Sandoval to be released on their own recognizance. Weiss and Sandoval are both due back in court on Jan. 8. Weiss is being represented by William Newman, Esq. and Sandoval is being represented by Robert Strecker, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Williams of the District Attorney’s Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Thomas Smith of the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad, with investigative assistance provided by Suffolk County Park Rangers and members of the Riverhead Town Police Department.
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