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Yearly Archives: 2025

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Stock photo
Suffolk County Police on April 8 arrested three people during a massage parlor raid in Middle Island.

In response to numerous community complaints, Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers, in conjunction with the Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshal and Building Inspector, conducted an investigation into two massage parlors in Middle Island and arrested three employees. The following people were charged with alleged Unauthorized Practice of a Profession:

  • Li Juan Wang, 37, of Flushing, an employee of Vivio Foot Spa, located at 218 Middle Country Road, Middle Island.
  • Li Chang, 56, of East Elmhurst, an employee of Vivio Foot Spa, located at 218 Middle Country Road, Middle Island.
  • Hong Mei Chuan, 42, of Flushing, an employee of Maple Foot Spa, located at 514 Middle Country Road, Suite 22, Middle Island.

Wang, Chang and Chuan were all issued Desk Appearance Tickets and are scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.

 

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From left, Suffolk County Police Officer Matt Spilotros, Eagle Scout Alexander Tafone and Leg. Rob Trotta. Photo courtesy of Leg. Trotta's office

Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta attended the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Troop 539’s Alexander Jude Tafone on April 6 at Travis Hall at St. Joseph’s Church in Kings Park.

For his community service project, Alex organized a 5K Fun Run/Walk to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. Approximately 150 people participated in the event and Alex was able to donate over $10,000 to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“This is a wonderful honor for Alex, and he certainly earned it. I know his parents, family, friends, troop leaders and fellow scouts must be extremely proud of him. What is so special about this award is that you obtained it while still a teenager. This recognition will stay with you for the rest of your life,” said Legislator Trotta.

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Police car. Stock photo

Suffolk County Police arrested a 15-year-old boy after he allegedly stabbed his mother and fatally stabbed his grandmother in Selden on April 7.

After being stabbed by her son, Vanessa Chendemi ran out of her residence, located on Old Town
Road, at approximately 9:45 p.m. A passing motorist stopped to offer assistance and Chendemi got into
the vehicle where she called 911 to report the incident.

When officers arrived at the scene they found Concetta Chendemi, 56, inside the residence with stab
wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk
County Medical Examiner. Vanessa Chendemi, 36, was transported to an area hospital in stable
condition.

The 15-year-old fled the scene after the stabbing. Officers canvassing the area arrested the boy at Dare
Road and Buckskin Lane in Selden at 11:22 p.m. Homicide Squad detectives charged the boy, whose
name is being withheld due to his age, with Murder 2nd Degree and Attempted Murder. He is scheduled
to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on April 8.

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Do you recognize this woman? Photo from SCPD
Do you recognize this woman? Photo from SCPD

Just released! Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who allegedly stole merchandise from a South Setauket store in February.

The woman pictured allegedly stole merchandise, valued at approximately $380, from Target, located at 265 Pond Path, on February 17 at 7:26 p.m.

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.

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James Carr

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that James Carr, 36, of Lake Grove, was sentenced to 5 1⁄2 years in prison, followed by 1 year of post release supervision, after a jury found him guilty in February of assault and drug possession charges in connection with the January 2024 near-fatal overdose of his infant child.

“It is nothing short of miraculous that first responders were able to revive this infant with Narcan,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I continue to urge our legislators to pass the Death by Dealer statute, which would give us the tools needed to seek justice proportionate to the harm caused with enhanced penalties. No child should have to fight for her life because of exposure to these deadly substances, and no community should have to bury victims of this poison without proper justice being served.”

James Carr Prosecution

The evidence at trial established that on January 13, 2024, members of the Suffolk County Police Department and the Ronkonkoma Fire Department responded to a 911 call reporting a non- responsive infant on Colmar Avenue in Lake Grove.

When they arrived, “John Doe,” an 11-month-old infant, had turned blue, his eyes were rolled toward the back of his head, and he was having extreme difficulty breathing.

Due to his serious condition, the ambulance that was transporting the boy to the hospital had to pull over during the transit so a MedCat Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) could board the ambulance to provide additional lifesaving care to the infant. The child had stopped breathing for an extended period of time on the way to Stony Brook University Hospital and had been unresponsive for approximately 40 minutes. The medics inside the ambulance determined that the symptoms the child was exhibiting were from opiate poisoning. They quickly acted and provided the baby with a quantity of Narcan in each nostril. Five minutes after the administration of Narcan, he took a full breath on his own and began to cry.

Once at the hospital, the 11-month-old child was diagnosed with acute fentanyl poisoning, hypoxia, and respiratory failure and required additional doses of Narcan in the Pediatric Emergency Room. After his admission to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the infant was placed on a Narcan drip in order to prevent recurrent respiratory failure due to the opioid poisoning. Carr was arrested on the same day.

A search of the Lake Grove residence was conducted by the Suffolk County Police Department, and investigators recovered a straw containing cocaine, 4-ANPP (a precursor to fentanyl), heroin, and fentanyl residue, a digital scale containing cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl residue, and a plastic bag containing cocaine residue.

On February 27, 2025, Carr was convicted after a jury trial heard before Acting Supreme Court Justice Philip Golgas, for Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D violent felony, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class A misdemeanor.

On April 7, 2025, Carr was sentenced to 5 1⁄2 in prison. He was represented by John Campo Esq.

Robert Mauro Prosecution

A review of phone data recovered from Carr’s phone revealed that on January 4, 2024, and January 5, 2024, he was in contact with the separately-convicted defendant Robert Mauro, 40, of Miller Place, where Mauro offered to sell narcotics to Carr. Mauro advertised the drugs to Carr as an “oz of fire that some kid od’d off of.” Over the next few days, Carr actively sought out the drugs from Mauro. On January 9, 2024, Mauro sold the drug to Carr, just four days before the infant ingested a near-fatal dose of fentanyl.

On January 29, 2024, while Suffolk County Police Department Fourth Squad detectives were conducting their investigation into Carr and Mauro, Homicide Squad detectives responded to a fatal overdose that occurred at a home in Patchogue. At that location, law enforcement recovered from the scene the 31-year-old overdose victim’s1 cell phone, and a quantity of fentanyl/4-ANPP.

A review of that victim’s phone data showed that she too had purchased narcotics from Mauro. This sale occurred on January 28, 2024. A further review of the data showed that on January 26, 2024, the victim texted Mauro that she had not used heroin in over a year and was concerned about the substance she was going to buy.

An autopsy conducted by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that the female victim’s cause of death was acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, fluro fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, methoxyacytal fentanyl, xylazine, and buprenorphine. Mauro pleaded to Manslaughter in the Second Degree in October 2024. He was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison, which is the maximum sentence allowable under the law, and which will be followed by a period of two years post-release supervision once he is released.

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Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta and his honoree Susan Benjes. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Legislature

In 2019, the Suffolk County Legislature passed a resolution requesting each Legislator to select an “Irish American Person of Distinction” who resides in his or her district to be honored at the Irish American Heritage Celebration in Hauppauge during the month of March.

On March 26, a celebration was held at the Dennison Building in Hauppauge to recognize each legislator’s honoree. Several Irish singers and the Suffolk County Police Emerald Society Pipe Band entertained the honorees and their families, as well as various county officials.

Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (D-Setauket) named Susan Benjes, a resident of Kings Park, as Irish American of Distinction for the County’s 13th Legislative District.

Benjes is a proud Irish American as her grandfather came to the United States for a better life and eventually found one in Kings Park. She grew up in Kings Park and graduated from Kings Park High School. She worked at Kings Park Psychiatric Hospital and earned a nursing degree. She transferred to Pilgram State Hospital where she worked until her retirement. She was honored to be this year’s Grand Marshal.

Legislator Trotta said, “I have known Sue for years and she is so involved in the community – volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Pantry at St. Joseph’s Church in Kings Park, organizing class reunions, collecting donations for people in need and serving on the Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee.”

 

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Anant Yardi

Stony Brook University’s College of Business is proud to announce that Anant Yardi, Founder and CEO of Yardi Systems, will deliver the keynote address at the College’s convocation ceremony on May 21, 2025. Yardi, a pioneer in real estate technology and a champion of educational opportunities, will share insights from his career journey and discuss the importance of innovation, leadership, and giving back to communities.

“We are honored to have Anant Yardi as our Convocation speaker. His visionary leadership in real estate technology and entrepreneurship serves as an inspiring example for our graduating students, said Dean Haresh Gurnani. Anant’s journey from innovator to industry leader embodies the power of perseverance, strategic thinking, and technological innovation—qualities that will empower our students as they embark on their own professional paths. We look forward to his insights and the invaluable lessons he will share with the Class of 2025.”

Yardi Systems is a global leader in investment, asset, and property management software for the real estate industry. The company’s software solutions support both residential and commercial property management, integrating accounting, operations, and ancillary services. Yardi has offices throughout the US and the world, including in Melville on Long Island.

Beyond its business success, Yardi Systems is deeply committed to education and community development. During the 2024-2025 academic year, the company partnered with 28 colleges and universities across North America, including Stony Brook, to provide scholarships for first-generation students. This initiative reflects Yardi’s core values: “Take care of our clients, take care of our employees, take care of our communities, stay focused and grow.”

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to address the class of 2025 at Stony Brook College of Business. I look forward to sharing my experiences in innovation, entrepreneurship and risk management during a 40 year period that saw immense technological change and gave rise to incredible business opportunities.”

Anant Yardi founded Yardi Systems in 1984 after recognizing the need for integrated accounting and property management software in the residential marketplace. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a global powerhouse in real estate technology. With an M.S. in Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Yardi has been widely recognized as a visionary in the industry, earning accolades such as the Realcomm “Digie” Award and induction into the Multi-Housing News Hall of Fame.

The Stony Brook College of Business convocation ceremony will celebrate the achievements of graduating students and honor their hard work as they transition into the next phase of their professional lives.

For more information on the event, please visit https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/business/

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Ribbon cutting at CVC on April 4, 2025.
Ribbon cutting at CVC on April 4, 2025.

The Crime Victims Center, CVC,  announced the official opening of its Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) and Rape Crisis Response Training Program with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at their Ronkonkoma training site on April 4. This groundbreaking initiative brings renewed hope and vital essential resources to Suffolk County and the surrounding region, addressing  a critical gap in care for sexual assault survivors caused by a lack of trained forensic examiners. 

The event was attended and supported by Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Deputy County  Executive Dr. Sylvia A. Diaz, PhD, LMSW, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina,  NYS Senators Monica R. Martinez and Dean Murray, Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy,  Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy, Suffolk County Legislators Jim Mazzarella and Jason A.  Richberg, along with representatives from the Suffolk County Police Department, and Sheriff’s Office.  Additional support came from federal, state, and county lawmakers with staff in attendance, including  US Senator Charles E. Schumer, US Congressman Nick Lalota, NYS Senator Alexis Weik,  Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, and Suffolk Legislators Sam Gonzalez, Chad Lennon, and Nick Caracappa.  

The unveiling of the training site marks a significant step forward in building capacity in Suffolk  County and the region. The CVC SAFE Program offers specialized training for medical professionals,  ensuring that sexual assault survivors receive timely medical, forensic, and trauma-informed care. The  Program is approved by the International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN) – an accredited  approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Commission on accreditation. 

The launch of the SAFE Training Program demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the CVC,  policymakers, lawmakers, and community stakeholders to advocate for survivors, provide  compassionate care, and drive systemic change in responding to sexual violence. The first training  starts on April 7, 2025.  

For more information about the SAFE Training Program or to join CVC’s mission to support survivors,  please contact (631) 689-2672. 

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The CVC is a NYS DOH Certified Rape Crisis Program, and NYS Office of Children and Family  Services (OCFS) Domestic Violence Services Provider and SCPD’s Crime Victims Center, providing  trauma-informed support and services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, human  trafficking, and all victims of violent crime.  

Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted, and every 9 minutes, that victim is a child. Sadly, 70%  of sexual assaults are not reported to the police. Join us in our efforts to raise awareness during SAAM.



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METRO photo

To mark National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, AAA Northeast is urging drivers to ditch the distractions to help combat the staggering number of distracted driving fatalities in the United States.

In 2022, 3,308 people were killed and 289,310 people were injured in U.S. traffic crashes involving a distracted driver, according to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The number of fatal crashes involving distraction (3,047) accounted for 8% of all fatal traffic crashes (39,221) in 2022.

In New York, between 2020 and 2024, there were more than 441,000 crashes involving a distracted driver, according to state crash data. Over 115,000 of the crashes resulted in an injury and nearly 600 were fatal.

NHTSA reports cellphone use — including texting, talking and social media use — is the most common form of distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.

AAA research shows 93% of drivers surveyed in a recent study perceive texting, emailing and reading on a cellphone as extremely or very dangerous. However, many drivers still acknowledged engaging in the following risky behaviors in the prior 30 days:

  • Typing or sending a text or email: 27%
  • Reading a text or email: 37%
  • Holding and talking on a cellphone: 36%

“Any activity that takes your eyes off the road is a potential distraction and increases your risk of a crash,” said Robert Sinclair of AAA Northeast. “It’s imperative to give driving your full attention and ditch the distractions — because it could save a life.”

For teen drivers, AAA research has found talking or attending to other passengers in the vehicle is a top contributor to crashes.

AAA offers the following tips to keep drivers alert:

  • Avoid texting, emailing or scrolling through apps while driving, put your cellphone in the glove box, back seat or trunk of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination.
  • If you need to send a text immediately, pull over and park your car in a safe location.
  • Designate your passenger as your “designated texter” to respond to calls or messages.
  • If your driver is texting or otherwise distracted, call out their behavior. Remind them it’s unsafe and encourage them to focus on the road.

AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing more than 6.5 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services.

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Photo courtesy of PSEG Long Island

April is National Safe Digging Month, and PSEG Long Island reminds customers, contractors and excavators that the law requires them to call 811 before digging to ensure underground pipelines, conduits, wires and cables are properly marked out.

Striking an underground electrical line can cause serious injury and outages, resulting in repair costs and fines. Every digging project, even planting a tree or building a deck, requires a call to 811. The call is free and the mark-out service is free. The call must be made whether the job is being performed by a professional or a do-it-yourselfer.

“April’s warmer temperatures mark the time of year when people on Long Island and in the Rockaways begin outdoor improvements to their homes and businesses. Calling 811 ahead of time is essential for protecting underground utility lines and, most importantly, the safety of anyone digging,” said Michael Sullivan, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Electric Operations. “We thank customers for heeding our message. Last year there were nearly 195,000 mark-out requests in our service area, and so far this year, there have been more than 40,000 requests to 811.”

According to Common Ground Alliance, a member-driven association of nearly 1,800 individuals and 250 member companies in every facet of the underground utility industry, 40% of active diggers in North America do not call 811 because they think their project is too shallow to require it. All digging projects require a call to 811.

A free call to 811 in the service area automatically connects the caller to the local New York one-call center, which collects information about digging projects. The one-call center then provides the information to the utility companies, which send representatives to mark the locations of nearby underground lines with flags, paint or both. Once lines have been properly marked and confirmation from all of the utility owners is received, projects may proceed as long as caution is used around the marked areas.

Here’s important information to consider:

  • Underground gas and electric lines are everywhere, even on private properties. These facilities can be easily damaged if dug into, with the potential to cause serious injuries. Digging into these lines can also disrupt vital utility services, resulting in costly delays, expensive repairs and environmental or property damage.
  • Whether the job is a major home improvement project or something as simple as a fence or mailbox post, a call to 811 must be placed beforehand to determine where it’s safe to dig.
  • Call 811 at least two business days before the commencement of each job to have underground pipes, wires and equipment located. Each facility owner must respond by providing the excavator with a positive confirmation indicating that marks are in place where utility lines are buried or that there are no existing facilities in the area of the proposed work. This service is free of charge.
  • Be sure to wait until all of the utilities have responded. Don’t dig until lines have been marked or you have received confirmation that the area is clear of facilities.
  • Property owners must maintain and respect the marks. Always hand dig within 2 feet of marked lines to find the existing facilities before using mechanized equipment.
  • If gas lines are damaged or there is a gas smell when excavating, call 911 immediately from a safe area.

Calling before you dig is more than a good idea − it’s the law. Additional information, including a booklet on safe excavating practices and the protection of underground facilities, can be found on the PSEG Long Island website.

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