Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Photo from Tierney's office
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney has announced that Steven Marksberry, 50, of Lake Grove, an NYPD Police Officer, was indicted for possessing child pornography, after allegedly screenshotting and saving child sexual abuse material to his cellular phone.
“Not only is this defendant alleged to have saved a large quantity of child sexual abuse material to his phone, but he is alleged to have done so while he was a sworn police officer. No one is above the law,” said District Attorney Tierney. “The safety of our children is, and always will be, of the utmost priority for my office.”
According to the investigation, the Suffolk County Police Department received an Internet Crimes Against Children tip notifying them that Marksberry had allegedly uploaded child sexual abuse images to his iCloud storage account. A search warrant of Marksberry’s account and cellular phone were executed, and allegedly revealed numerous images depicting sexual abuse of female children between the ages of four and 12 years old.
On July 6, 2023, Marksberry was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Richard Ambro for 50 counts of Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child, Class D felonies, and 69 counts of Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child, Class E felonies.
Justice Ambro ordered Marksberry held on $100,000 cash, $250,000 bond, or $2.5 million partially secured bond. If convicted of the top count, Marksberry faces up to 20 years in prison. Marksberry is due back in court on August 7, 2023, and he is being represented by Scott Zerner Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Dana Castaldo of the Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau, with investigative assistance from Detective Andrew Mendes of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Digital Forensics Unit.
The sand tiger shark, pictured above, is one of several shark species that inhabit the surrounding waters of Long Island. Photo by Christopher Mark from Wikimedia Commons
Last week’s Fourth of July celebrations brought fireworks, family gatherings, barbecues and interactions between people and sharks.
Independence Day has increased the number of brushes between these apex predators and humans over the last two years, particularly as people head to the beach in larger numbers around the holiday.
Christoper Paparo, Southampton Marine Science Center manager at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. File photo
Sharks go “wherever there’s salt water” and they often follow bunker fish, which can come closer to shore, said Christoper Paparo, Southampton Marine Science Center manager at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. People encounter sharks around Independence Day because “there are more people around state parks on the Fourth of July weekend.”
Despite potential hysteria and concern about the dangers posed by sharks, most of the encounters around Long Island are “minor” and “not life threatening,” Paparo added.
The waters in the area are a nursery for many species of fish, including sharks. Young sea turtles, dolphins and whales also live along the more protected shoreline.
In recent weeks, five people have reported shark bites along the South Shore. In one incident, a shark bit a 15-year-old boy on the heel and toes. He was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Also last week, a 15-year-old girl was injured with puncture wounds from an unknown source at Robert State Moses Park.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, at podium, urged residents to take protective measures to minimize the risk of shark encounters. Photo from Bellone’s Flickr page
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) recently announced that the county would step up its surveillance efforts, adding two high-tech drones at the ocean beaches.
“Shark bites and shark incidents are something that we’re going to have to be addressing on a more regular basis,” Bellone said at a press conference at Smith Point County Beach announcing the new measures. “It’s simply going to be a part of the routine of what we do out here every day in terms of the monitoring that our ocean lifeguards do.”
Surveillance teams go out on wave runners and paddle boards, while lifeguards also use binoculars to watch over swimming areas.
The county will train lifeguards as drone operators.
“This is not a simple thing,” Bellone said. “This is something that requires skill and expertise.”
As county beaches await the arrival of these new drones, the beaches have area fire and rescue available to respond to any needs.
“Our goal here is first and foremost to keep residents safe,” Bellone added, “and to provide a sense of reassurance and comfort, knowing that when you come to the beaches, we have every tool at our disposal ready to assist.”
New surveillance drones, pictured above, will help the county government monitor shark activity along its beaches. Photo from Steve Bellone’s Flickr page
Protective measures
Bellone urged the public to take measures to minimize the risk of shark encounters.
The county executive advised people not to swim at dawn or dusk when sharks might be feeding. He also cautioned against swimming toward schools of fish, which might attract sharks who can’t differentiate between a fish and a person swimming.
“Always swim in a lifeguard-protected area,” he added. “Don’t swim when lifeguards are not on duty.”
People who paddle board, kayak or surf should go out in groups.
The sharks in the area are a reflection of a healthy ecosystem, Paparo indicated.
“You need everything below [a shark] to support it,” he said. “If there are no fish or the water is polluted, you won’t see sharks.”
Sharks rely on other senses besides eyesight to find their prey. A swimmer in murky waters can send the same type of electromagnetic signal a shark picks up from a school of fish on the surface of the water.
The sharks “hone in” on the similar sounds, Paparo added.
Paparo also suggested people should avoid swimming near seals, which are prey for great white sharks. That’s not often a problem around Long Island as seals are more prevalent in Massachusetts.
Taking measures like avoiding swimming in murky waters will “increase the odds of not encountering them,” Paparo said.
A range of sharks swim around the waters of Long Island and can include sand tigers, dusky and sandbar sharks.
“We do have mako, blue, thresher, southern, black tip, spinner, scalloped hammerhead and smooth hammerhead,” Paparo said.
Paparo added that the numbers of bites this year — five so far — are still infrequent, especially compared with injuries people sustain in car accidents or other activities.
Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (right), Thomas Lemp (center) and his wife, Mary (left).
Suffolk County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R – 18th L.D.) recently honored the 2023 Healthcare Hero from the 18th Legislative District, Thomas Lemp. Lemp currently serves as an EMT with the Huntington Community First Aid Squad (HCFAS).Prior to serving with the HCFAS, he served in the Greenlawn Fire Department as a firefighter, and is credited with creating the department’s Juniors Program.
“Thomas is a true role model, who has clearly been a consistent local source of inspiration,” said Bontempi.“It is volunteers like Thomas, who make a tremendous positive impact, but rarely get the accolades they deserve.We are lucky to have him here in the 18th District.”
The Suffolk County Legislature’s Healthcare Heroes program was created in 2021 in order to highlight noteworthy individuals serving in the healthcare field.Every year, each Healthcare Hero from the various legislative districts has their biography read into the record at a general meeting, followed by a presentation of proclamations, typically at the respective district offices.
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon, second from left, with the family of Andrew McMorris, a Boy Scout fatally killed by a drunk driver in 2018. Photo courtesy Toulon's office
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon (D) recently joined roadway safety advocates to announce a summer campaign targeting drunk driving.
Beginning during the July 4 holiday weekend, Toulon’s Office will increase DWI patrols and checkpoints from Huntington to the East End, continuing these measures throughout the summer in an effort to keep Suffolk’s roadways safe. According to the Sheriff’s Office, its DWI team has already had record-high impaired driving arrests this year, with a nearly 40% increase in DWI/DUI arrests from 2022.
Coined “Operation H.E.A.T.,” the initiative aims to ramp up already heightened efforts to mitigate these increases.
“The ‘heat’ is on this summer for drunk and drugged drivers in Suffolk County,” Toulon said during a press event Thursday, June 29. “Our deputy sheriffs will be out in full force patrolling the roadways with an eye out for impaired drivers. If you don’t drive sober, you will be pulled over.”
Joining Toulon was the family of Andrew McMorris, a 12-year-old Boy Scout who was fatally hit by a drunk driver in 2018 while hiking with his Scout troop. The driver in that crash was found guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide and sentenced to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
“The Andrew McMorris Foundation asks everyone this summer and always to please make a promise to never drink and drive,” said Alisa and John McMorris of the Andrew McMorris Foundation. “Call a cab, call a friend, save a life, start a trend. You don’t have to be a superhero to save someone’s life. Just take the keys.”
Paige Carbone, regional executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, also attended the meeting. She offered her support for the department initiative, emphasizing the need for stricter enforcement.
“Summer is one of the deadliest times of the year on our highways,” she said. “MADD supports Operation H.E.A.T. and will join the efforts by providing staff and volunteers to participate in checkpoints across the county this summer.”
The regional director added, “Our mission is to end drunk driving, and MADD encourages alternatives, such as designating a non-drinking driver, rideshares and using public transportation. That can prevent these crimes from happening.”
Toulon also offered these tips:
If you are hosting a party, designate a sober driver or arrange alternate transportation to ensure guests get home safely.
If you’ve been drinking and don’t have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home, call a taxi or rideshare service or stay for the night.
Take the keys from a friend if you think they are about to drive while impaired.
For more information on the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, please visit www.suffolksheriff.com.
There will be many bicycles for sale at the auction. (Photo from a previous SCPD auction.)
The Suffolk County Police Department will hold a property auction on Wednesday, June 28 at the Property Section, located at 30 Yaphank Ave. in Yaphank.
The auction will begin at 9 a.m. and will be held rain or shine. There will be a preview of the jewelry and select property on Tuesday, June 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Items being auctioned include jewelry, watches, tools, landscaping equipment, electronics, kayaks, bicycles and more. For a complete list click here.
Participants must be at least 18 years old to bid. All items are sold in “as is” condition and must be purchased with cash. For more information, call 631-852-6461.
The SCWA Board is exploring a third billing tier targeting excessive water consumption
Last month, Charlie Lefkowitz, above, took over as chair of the Suffolk County Water Authority Board. He says the SCWA Board is exploring a third billing tier targeting excessive water consumption. Photo courtesy SCWA
By Raymond Janis & Aidan Johnson
As the county enters the hottest and driest months of the year, the Suffolk County Water Authority is urging residents to take preemptive measures to help mitigate potential water shortages.
Last month, commercial real estate developer, Three Village Chamber of Commerce president and former Town of Brookhaven Councilman Charlie Lefkowitz, a Setauket resident, took the helm of the SCWA Board. He takes the reins of the public benefit corporation at a critical juncture in its history.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tracked record lows in rainfall throughout the region in 2022, with the county experiencing its sixth driest July on record.
In an exclusive interview, the newly installed SCWA chair maintained that while clean water is essential, the county is facing growing water quality and quantity issues. And with summer weather approaching, he said the water authority’s existing infrastructure would also be feeling the heat.
“Being on the board for the last year, I got some really good insight on how important protecting our groundwater and the constitutional right of everyone in Suffolk County to have clean drinking water,” he said.
Lefkowitz described the county’s water situation as being “very unique,” as it’s one of the largest water districts with a sole-source aquifer, whereby ratepayers receive 100% of their water from the ground.
“We have 1.2 million customers,” he said. “Eighty-five percent of the residents of Suffolk are customers of Suffolk County Water,” adding that the rest primarily rely upon private wells or smaller water districts.
But in some areas, notably along the East End, prolonged droughts coupled with heavy water consumption can put an undue strain on SCWA’s infrastructure.
“The East End and the North Fork get very stressed this time of year,” he said. “When you have pristine lawns, gardening, pools, waterfalls and multiple geothermal” air-conditioning units, the excess strain on SCWA’s pumps can become severe, creating water shortages in some areas of the county.
To counteract these trends, Lefkowitz stressed the need for residents systemwide to limit their water use.
SCWA’s existing billing schematic is two-tiered, placing an upcharge upon customers who exceed 75,000 gallons in a single billing cycle. Given the severity of water quantity challenges as of late, Lefkowitz said the SCWA board is now exploring creating a third tier.
“This is for excessive use of water,” he said. “When you look at someone who has a single-family home of 20-40,000 square feet, but they’re using millions of gallons of water, we have to really look at” disincentivizing overconsumption of water.
Lefkowitz said he is often asked why he promotes water conservation, as the initiative could likely diminish revenues. Given the environmental and financial realities, he maintained the environmental pluses still outweigh the economic minuses.
“We’re in that season now,” he said. “At the end of the day, water conservation is really important.”
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Legislator Nick Caracappa shake hands during signing ceremony. Photo from Steve Bellone’s Flickr page
A countywide housing initiative recently got a bit sweeter for veterans and people with disabilities.
Public officials, veterans and disability advocates together with community members gathered Friday, June 9, at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge, where Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) ceremonially signed two landmark pieces of legislation.
U.S. Census Bureau data indicates Suffolk County is home to over 56,000 veterans, the highest concentration of any county across New York state and among the highest in the nation. The census also indicates that 6.1% of the county’s 1.5 million residents are with a disability under 65.
Under the new local laws passed unanimously by the Suffolk County Legislature last December and signed officially by Bellone in January, funds and housing units will now be set aside to accommodate veterans and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“We are committed to, in this county, making sure that everyone in our community is included,” Bellone said during the recent ceremony.
Legislator Leslie Kennedy speaks during the signing ceremony event. Photo from Steve Bellone’s Flickr page
The two bipartisan legislative packages were introduced by Majority Leader Nick Caracappa (C-Selden) and Legislators Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport) and Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), among others.
Caracappa, who chairs the county’s Veterans & Consumer Affairs Committee, noted the sizable veteran and disabled populations, suggesting the county is pursuing a proper course for these historically underserved communities.
“We have far too many veterans on our streets [who are] homeless,” he said. “We have far too many individuals, family members, neighbors, friends with disabilities who are willing, able, ready for a life of independence and dignity.”
Kennedy decried the lack of initiative across all levels of government in supporting these demographics. “We would be nowhere without our veterans, and we have done so little to assist them as life goes on,” she said. “This is us moving forward.”
The county legislator added, “For those with impaired abilities, they deserve to live on their own.”
Trish Calandra of Wading River, in an emotional address, shared the story of her two children with autism, who are both now living on their own.
“To see them living this great life was something I really needed to help others achieve,” she said. “There’s still more to do. We need to get this across this state. We need to get this across this country. We have so many people who need assistance and need help.”
At podium, Tom Ronayne, director of Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency. Photo from Steve Bellone’s Flickr page
Tom Ronayne, director of Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency, celebrated the legislation, noting that Suffolk County has “set the bar high.”
“For the people who are most directly affected by what is happening here today, their lives are changed profoundly,” he said. “They can lay down and go to sleep knowing that they have a safe, affordable place to live and that tomorrow will not challenge them in the ways that yesterday may have.”
He concluded, “Welcome to Suffolk County because this is how we do it here.”
This Ford pickup truck is just one of 120 vehicles that will be auctioned off on June 10.
Photo from Suffolk County Police Department Facebook
The Suffolk County Police Department Impound Section will hold an auction on Saturday, June 10 at the Suffolk County Police Department Impound Facility, located at 100 Old Country Road in Westhampton. The auction will begin at 9 a.m. and will be held rain or shine. There will be a preview of the vehicles on Thursday, June 8 and Friday, June 9 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the impound yard. Vehicles will also be available for preview one hour prior to the start of the auction.
Approximately 120 lots will be auctioned off including sedans, SUVs, a dump truck, trailers and motorcycles. All vehicles will start with a minimum bid of $500 and are sold as-is. For a full list of vehicles, registration information and terms and conditions for the auction, visit www.suffolkpd.org under Precinct and Specialized Units click Impound Section and followed by Upcoming Auctions and Events.
A cloud of mystery hangs over Stony Brook University and Suffolk County municipalities as Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) contemplates whether to house asylum seekers at state university campuses.
Spectrum News NY1 reported last week the governor was exploring housing asylum seekers entering the state across three SUNY campuses, including SBU. The governor’s office has yet to clarify its plans as of press time.
New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) said she has been in contact with the governor’s office. According to Giglio’s contact there, Marissa Espinoza, the proposal to house asylum seekers at SBU “is not happening.”
New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, left, and Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine. File photos by Raymond Janis
“I’m hoping that that’s not the plan because we really need those dorms for students,” Giglio said. “The taxpayers just can’t afford to take care of more people. We can barely afford to take care of our veterans and homeless.”
In the face of uncertainty and preparing for the prospect of new migrants, Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) also expressed apprehensions about the proposed plans.
Though acknowledging the town does not have jurisdiction over state property, the Brookhaven supervisor referred to potential movements of asylum seekers into SBU as “probably a mistake.”
“I’m concerned about the impact on the school district,” Romaine told TBR News Media in an exclusive interview. “Twenty to 30 years ago, you had single men coming up here and sending money back home. Now, they’re coming up as a family.”
He added, “I’m concerned about the impact that would have on the Three Village school district which, to my understanding, is laying off teachers this school year.”
Ivan Larios, manager of organizing and strategy for the Long Island branch of the New York Immigration Coalition, has been among a vocal group of immigration proponents advocating that Suffolk County welcomes asylum seekers. [See story, “Republican lawmakers, immigration advocates clash over asylum seekers,” May 25, TBR News Media.]
In a phone interview, he outlined the reasons for considering asylum requests, appealing to policymakers on humanitarian grounds.
“People are coming here because they’re running away from persecution, political unrest and violence,” he said. “Immigrants are already a part of our community, and they make Long Island richer and better.”
Giglio contended that Suffolk County is ill-prepared for the challenges of providing services to asylum seekers.
“We have people that are living in the woods in encampments across the street from our parks,” the assemblywoman said. “Our hospitals are not ready for it, the need for services that we can’t provide. We can barely take care of the homeless people we have now.”
Romaine, who is running for Suffolk County executive in November’s election, when asked whether the county is prepared for an influx of new migrants, said “no.”
“I sympathize with asylum seekers,” Romaine said, “But I am concerned about migrants coming to this country without adequate preparation, and I don’t believe we have adequate preparation.”
“We believe elected officials should be working in finding solutions instead of saying, ‘No, we can’t take more people.’”
— Ivan Larios
Larios suggested arguments advanced against asylum seekers can be deceptive. He maintained that asylum seekers are not diverting public resources and attention from already-vulnerable communities across the state.
“There are rumors that asylum seekers have displaced veterans or homeless people in other localities around the state, but these are lies,” the immigration advocate said. “These are lies that have been perpetrated to create division.”
But, he added, “There are issues taking place with, for example, housing, but … we believe elected officials should be working in finding solutions instead of saying, ‘No, we can’t take more people.’”
Meanwhile, County Executive Steve Bellone (D) issued an emergency order, May 26, regarding the continuing asylum-seeker crisis. In a press release he said, “Today, I issued an emergency order as New York City continues to grapple with a shortage of available housing options for families and individuals fleeing desperate circumstances and legally seeking asylum. We remain supportive of Governor Hochul’s coordinated and humane approach to addressing this crisis and this emergency order serves to protect the local communities from bearing any costs associated with the potential arrival of asylum seekers.”
The emergency order repeats the county’s calls “for a coordinated approach in which New York State will serve as the lead agency, working to identify potential federal and state sites to temporarily house asylum seekers,” the release added.
Immigration advocates during a May 23 press conference at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge. Photo by Raymond Janis
A nationwide debate over immigration, coupled with the end of Title 42, is sending shockwaves through Suffolk County.
Title 42, a COVID-19 pandemic-era federal immigration policy that expired earlier this month, enabled U.S. Border Control agents to swiftly expel asylum seekers on public health grounds. The end of the procedure has led to a spike in new migrants entering the country, with many directed toward New York City and, possibly, Long Island.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has identified three SUNY campuses, including Stony Brook University, for migrant housing, Spectrum News NY1 reported on Tuesday.
NYC received more than 900 migrants daily over several days, Mayor Eric Adams (D) told CBS News “Face the Nation,” Sunday, May 21. It is an influx, the mayor suggested, that has overburdened the city’s budget and facilities. Adams called upon Hochul and counties throughout the state to assist his city, referring to the requested relief as a statewide “decompression strategy.”
“New York City is the economic engine of the state and the country,” he said. “We believe the entire state should participate in a decompression strategy, and it’s unfortunate that there have been some lawmakers and counties that are not carrying on their role of ensuring that this is a decompression strategy throughout the state.”
Tensions swelled on the same Sunday morning during a press conference at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building where immigration advocates clashed with Republican lawmakers.
Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey, at podium, with Republican officials during a press conference at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building on Sunday, May 21. Photo by Raymond Janis
Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), standing alongside U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1) and Republicans from across levels of government, criticized the city’s policies, affirming that Suffolk County is not open to new asylum seekers.
“New York City made a conscious decision to call itself a sanctuary city. Suffolk County did not,” McCaffrey said.
U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota during the May 21 press conference. Photo by Raymond Janis
He added, “The residents of Suffolk County have already dealt with the financial costs of the pandemic and the historic inflation because of the failed policies of the state and federal government. We cannot stand by and allow the residents of Suffolk County to further burden the failed policies of the Biden, Hochul and Adams [Democratic] administrations in dealing with this crisis.”
McCaffrey stated the federal government’s vetting process is inadequate, so “we do not know who’s being sent into this county,” noting the potential strain upon law enforcement is still undetermined.
He described the expected cost of food, shelter and related medical and school expenses as “daunting,” saying that financial assistance from the federal and state governments would be “a mere drop in the bucket compared to what it would actually cost” to accommodate these requests.
“We cannot allow the federal [government] and state to pass on these costs to the residents of Suffolk County,” McCaffrey added.
LaLota criticized New York City’s sanctuary city designation, tying the influx of asylum seekers to unresolved issues at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We here in Suffolk County are 2,000 miles from the southern border, but we are to become a border county because of the Biden administration’s failed border policies and the sanctuary city policies of New York City,” the congressman said.
Protesters storm a press conference at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge on Sunday, May 21. Photo by Raymond Janis
Throughout the Sunday morning press conference, the speakers heard steady chants from the gallery opposing their efforts. “No hate. No fear. Immigrants are welcome here,” the protesters cried in unison.
Two days later, at the same county complex in Hauppauge, the immigration advocates held their own press conference Tuesday morning.
“For far too long, Suffolk Republicans have denied Long Island families — particularly those seeking asylum — the freedom to thrive,” said Elmer Flores, advisory board member of the Long Island Immigration Clinic. “People seeking asylum are individuals, children and families that deserve to live in peace and live free from danger, which is why exercising their human and legal right to seek safety in the U.S. should be protected.”
Minerva Perez, executive director at OLA [Organización Latino Americana] of Eastern Long Island, during a May 23 press conference in Hauppauge. Photo by Raymond JanisMinerva Perez, executive director at OLA [Organización Latino Americana] of Eastern Long Island, suggested the vetting process for asylum seekers is adequate, noting the possible regional economic benefits of expanding the workforce.
“Asylum seekers can work — they are given work permits,” Perez said. “If anyone’s noticed, there’s also a labor shortage in Suffolk County. Do the math.”
Ivan Larios, manager of organizing and strategy for the Long Island branch of the New York Immigration Coalition, appealed for the acceptance of new asylum requests on humanitarian grounds, noting the harsh conditions from which many are fleeing.
“Immigrants are already a part of our community and make Long Island richer and better because of their economic, social and cultural contributions,” he said. “People seeking asylum are individuals, children and families fleeing danger and persecution in exercising their human right, a legal right to seek safety in the United States.”
Despite these appeals, the county Legislature introduced a procedural motion on May 23 to appoint a special counsel “to pursue any and all legal options available to protect the unfunded location of any asylum seekers in Suffolk County,” McCaffrey said.
A vote on the motion is expected during the Legislature’s June 6 meeting.
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