Police & Fire

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Photo from Tierney's office

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on April 17 that a 15-year-old defendant was indicted for Murder in the Second Degree and Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, for his killing his grandmother by stabbing her over 35 times and also stabbing his mother causing her serious physical injuries.

According to the investigation, on April 7, 2025, at approximately 9:40 p.m., the defendant was arguing with his mother when she confronted him about missing classes at school. The defendant’s grandmother told her daughter, the defendant’s mother, to take the 15-year-old’s computer away as a punishment. At that point, the 15-year-old grabbed a knife and stabbed his grandmother and then turned the knife on his mother. After being stabbed, the mother fell to the ground and played dead. At that point, the 15-year-old turned back to his grandmother and continued to stab her. The defendant’s grandmother died at the scene, and the defendant’s mother was taken to a hospital, where she is still recovering from her injuries.

On April 16, 2025, the defendant was arraigned on the indictment before Judge Karen Kerr, for Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A felony, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a Class B violent felony, and Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony.

Judge Karen Kerr ordered the defendant be remanded during the pendency of the case. The defendant is due back in court on May 21, 2025, and faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count. He is being represented by Peter Mayer, Esq.

“This is an exceptionally tragic case that has devastated a family,” said District Attorney Tierney. “When a child allegedly turns violent against their own family members, it creates layers of trauma that extend far beyond physical injuries. Our office will pursue justice for the victims of these horrific acts.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Dena Rizopoulos of the Homicide Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Michael Ronca of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.

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Do you recognize this person? Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Second Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who damaged a door at a business in Huntington this month.

A man attempted to open the front door aggressively and broke the front pane of glass at Schanker and Schanker PLLC, located at 27 West Neck Road on April 5 at approximately 5:45 a.m.

For video of this incident, go to YouTube.com/scpdtv and Click on Wanted for Huntington Criminal Mischief CC25C0238714 or click here.

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.

Peter A. Saad, Jr.

Suffolk District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on April 17 that Peter A. Saad, Jr., 48, of Calverton, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, for stealing $25,000 from an escrow account that was intended for two parties to a real estate transaction.

“When an attorney violates the sacred trust placed in them by their clients, they undermine the very foundation of our legal system,” said District Attorney Tierney. “The disbarment and guilty plea here demonstrate that no one is above the law, especially those who are entrusted to uphold it.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, in 2020, Saad was hired to represent a client in the sale of his home. At that time, Saad was the principal attorney at the Law Offices of Peter A. Saad, Jr., P.C., based in Riverhead. During the real estate transaction, it was discovered that the home had permit issues that needed to be resolved, and which required money be left in escrow after the closing held on September 3, 2020. All parties to the sale agreed to keep $25,000 in Saad’s escrow account until the outstanding permit issues were resolved.1

After the closing, Saad stopped responding to the parties, failed to return the $25,000 in escrow funds, and instead spent the money on his own personal expenses. Subsequently, it was determined that $5,000 was due to the purchasers of the home and the remaining $20,000 was due to the seller of the home, who was Saad’s client.

Saad was disbarred from practicing law in New York, effective January 31, 2024.

On April 16, 2025, Saad pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski. He was placed on probation and ordered to pay restitution and to complete 210 hours of community service. Saad is being represented by Christopher Gioe, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick Rooney of the Public Corruption Bureau.

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Police car stock photo

Suffolk County Police arrested three people during a massage parlor raid in Huntington Station on April 17.

In response to numerous community complaints, Second Precinct Crime Section officers, in conjunction
with the Town of Huntington Fire Marshal and Building Department, conducted an investigation into
Sugar Pine Spa, located at 953-8 New York Ave., and arrested three employees at 2:05 p.m.

Jessica Ortiz Cortez, 29, of Jamaica, and Zhong Hui Ren, 35, of Brooklyn, were charged with Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, a felony, and Prostitution, a misdemeanor. Dan Guo, 39, of Flushing, was charged with Criminal Nuisance 2nd Degree.

The Town of Huntington Fire Marshal and Building Department issued multiple summonses to the
business.

Cortez, Ren, and Guo were issued Desk Appearance Tickets and are scheduled to be arraigned at First
District Court in Central Islip on a later date.

By Bill Landon

The Mt. Sinai Fire Department held its 15th annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Company 1 on Mt. Sinai Coram Road on April 13.  It was a robust turnout with raffles silent auctions and plenty of food where the kids had their picture taken with the Easter Bunny. No one left hungry.

— Photos by Bill Landon

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Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who allegedly stole merchandise from an Islandia store in April.

The man pictured above allegedly stole shoes from Famous Footwear, located at 1770 Veterans Memorial Highway, on April 4 at approximately 11:25 a.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.

Do you recognize this man? Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fifth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who allegedly left the scene of a motor vehicle crash in Holbrook in March.

The man pictured above was allegedly operating a black Nissan Sentra when the vehicle struck a parked, unoccupied Chevrolet Tahoe in the parking lot of Costco, located at 125 Beacon Drive, on March 30. The damage to the Tahoe was valued at approximately $5,000.

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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Stock photo

Suffolk County Police arrested two people on April 11 during a massage parlor raid at foot spas in Medford
and Selden.

Following an investigation by Sixth Precinct Investigative Unit officers, with the assistance of Town of
Brookhaven personnel and the Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshal, arrested the following for
Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, a felony:

• Jianfen Ye, 47, of Flushing, Queens, an employee at Zensation Foot Spa, located at 3316 Route
112 Unit G in Medford

• Ruogu He, 42, of Bayside, Queens, an employee at Foot Relaxing Station, located at 1070
Middle Country Road Unit 14 in Selden

Ye and He were issued Desk Appearance Tickets and are scheduled to appear at First District Court in
Central Islip on May 1.

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Police car

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a road rage incident during which a driver shot what detectives believe to be a BB gun into another vehicle in Lake Ronkonkoma on April 10.

A man was driving a 2018 Chevrolet pickup eastbound on the Long Island Expressway eastbound between Exits 59 and 60 at around 8:40 a.m. when he was involved in a road rage incident with another driver who fired what detectives believe to be a BB gun into the rear driver’s side window of the Chevrolet. The suspect was a male driving a white Honda Civic with tinted windows. The Chevrolet driver, who was alone in his vehicle, was not injured.

Detectives are asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident to call the Fourth Squad at 631- 854-8452 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

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Police car stock photo

Suffolk County Police on April 9 arrested a man and a woman during a massage parlor raid in East Northport.

In response to numerous community complaints, Second Precinct Investigative Unit officers, in conjunction with the Town of Huntington Fire Marshal and Building Department, conducted an investigation into Tranquil Spa, located at 165 Larkfield Road, and arrested two employees.

Ling Li, 40, of Flushing, was charged with two counts of alleged Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, a felony, and two counts of Prostitution, a misdemeanor. Jian Lin Zhang, 56, of Flushing, was charged with allegedly Promoting Prostitution 4th Degree and Criminal Nuisance 2nd Degree, both misdemeanors.

Both Li and Zhang were issued Desk Appearance Tickets and are scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date. The Town of Huntington issued several summonses and violations to the business.