By Toni-Elena Gallo
Ghoulies, ghosties and other Halloween creepies spooked patrons for an evening of fun and excitement, at Sweetbriar Nature Center’s Oct. 12th Halloween Spooktacular. Guests to the Smithtown grounds enjoyed eerie animal presentations, a ghostly garden, creepy crafts, scary stories, a night walk as well as fall-favorite snacks!
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Oct. 18 that Jose Deleon, 37, of Brooklyn, Oliver Morocho, 21, of Queens, and Albert Espinal, 23, of Queens, were arrested and arraigned for Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, and other related charges, for allegedly stealing catalytic converters from personal vehicles in front of their owners’ homes in Centereach, Wyandanch, Central Islip, Brentwood, Bayshore, and West Babylon. These men allegedly traveled by car from Brooklyn into Suffolk County to commit the crimes.
“Catalytic converter thefts continue to be a nationwide issue, and we remain committed in Suffolk County to working with law enforcement to crack down on these crimes and to prosecuting those responsible to the fullest extent of the law,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I remind those that would seek to steal catalytic converters in Suffolk County, we are vigilant and persistent and will hold you accountable for your actions. I want to thank all our partners in the Suffolk County Police Department, the US Marshals Service, the Nassau County Police Department and the New York City Police Department who collaborated in this investigation.”
“These arrests highlight the importance of law enforcement partnerships, which lead to the apprehension of criminals like these,” said Suffolk County Police Acting Commissioner Robert Waring. “Any one of us can become a victim of crimes of this nature and we will continue to target individuals who steal for financial gain. I commend all the agencies involved and I want to thank the department’s Property/Auto Crime Unit for their work on this case.”
“I commend District Attorney Tierney, and the investigators from Suffolk, Nassau and NYC Police Departments on dismantling this theft ring,” said Vincent F. DeMarco,United States Marshal, Eastern District of NY. “The United States Marshals Service is committed to assisting our state and local partners in apprehending individuals who are accused of committing crimes.”
“This is a clear example of when law enforcement personnel from federal and local agencies combine their efforts and resources to effectively apprehend those criminals who commit crimes in our communities. This combined investigation demonstrates the diligence of the well trained and determined detectives which yielded the arrest of these individuals,” said Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick J. Ryder. “The Nassau County Police Department will remain committed in working with our law enforcement partners keeping these individuals off our streets and both our counties and residents safe. I would like to thank all of the assisting agencies and their investigators on a job well done.”
According to the investigation, during the early morning hours of September 3, 2024, September 25, 2024, and October 2, 2024, Deleon, Morocho and Espinal drove across county lines to allegedly steal catalytic converters from vehicles parked in the driveways of 13 separate homes in Suffolk County. Their alleged actions were captured on the homeowners’ surveillance cameras, which aided law enforcement officers in their identification.
The tasks were allegedly divided amongst them so that Morocho remained in the car as the driver of the getaway vehicle, while Espinal worked to jack up the victim’s cars so that Deleon could crawl underneath with a portable reciprocating saw to cut out the catalytic converters from their undercarriages.
A search warrant was executed at Deleon and Morocho’s residences, which resulted in the seizure of tools, cash, and other evidence of the alleged crimes.
On October 17, 2024, Deleon, was arraigned following his arrest before District Court Judge Evan Zuckerman for:
Judge Zuckerman ordered Deleon held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond or $2,500,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Deleon is due back in court on October 21, 2024, and he is being represented by Chase Brown, Esq.
On October 17, 2024, Morocho was arraigned following his arrest before Judge Zuckerman for:
Judge Zuckerman ordered Morocho held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond or $2,500,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Morocho is due back in court on October 21, 2024 and he is being represented by Joseph Hanshe, Esq.
On October 17, 2024, Espinal, was arraigned following his arrest before Judge Zuckerman for:
Judge Zuckerman ordered Espinal be placed on supervised release with a GPS monitor during the pendency of the case. Espinal is due back in court on October 21, 2024, and he is being represented by Eric Besso, Esq.
Catalytic converters are a part of a vehicle’s exhaust device and use precious metals in their center to reduce pollutants from a vehicle’s engine.
These precious metals, which include palladium, platinum, and rhodium can be more valuable than gold and thus make catalytic converters a target for theft. Specific makes and models of vehicles are targeted more than others due to the amount of precious metals contained in their catalytic converters. Catalytic converters can be stolen from underneath a vehicle in only a few minutes using a reciprocating saw and typically have no unique identification features, which make them difficult to trace to a lawful owner.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Blythe C. Miller of the Financial Crimes Bureau. The investigation was conducted by Detective Christopher Viar of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Property/Auto Crime Unit with assistance from the US Marshals Regional Fugitive Taskforce, the Nassau County Police Department and the New York City Police Department.
By Daniel Dunaief
I used to liken the process to sitting on a highway divider where the speed limit was 70 miles per hour, holding a notebook and trying to read and record as many license plates as I could, sometimes in the pouring rain, under a bright sun, or in thick fog.
Working for a wire service, with its 24-hour news feed and its endless space for stories, was exhilarating and exhausting. My editors sometimes called me at 4 a.m. to tell me about an important story that was breaking and to encourage me to come into the office to get to work.
Oh, and every three months, when the companies I covered reported earnings, I’d arrive at work for at least a week around 7 in the morning, wait for the numbers to come out, and then spend the day reading the reports, talking with analysts and investors, getting on media conference calls with top executives and watching the stock price of the company rise and fall.
My job was to search through all that information to anticipate how people would react to piles of electronic news.
It was a great opportunity to write on deadline and to experience the absurd. One day, I helped write a few headlines and then had to use the bathroom. As I pushed the door open, my editor, following uncomfortably closely behind me, hovered.
“Can I help you?” I asked, as I stopped and turned around.
“Yeah, how long are you going to be in here?” he asked in his usual staccato, urgent tone.
“As long as it takes,” I shrugged.
“Yeah, well, there’s a headline out there and you need to send out the first version of the story within 15 minutes,” he reminded me, as if I didn’t know our rules.
“I know,” I said, “and I’m sure my system will comply with the requirements.”
Those were tough days at the office.
I’m sure everyone has difficult days at work, whether it’s a police officer dealing with someone who is in an altered, drug-induced state who may be a danger to himself or others, a teacher helping a high-stress student prepare for a standardized test, a truck driver taking a long detour around a crash site, or any of the many other possible strains or obstacles between the start of the day and the workload.
Recently, I spoke with several climate scientists who are a part of the Science on Stage free celebration at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center, which is coming up on October 28th at 4 p.m. (see related story in the Arts & Lifestyles section).
These scientists endure everything from creature discomforts, to resistance to the work they’re doing, to their own deadlines and the need to conduct their studies, publish their results and apply for funding.
Indeed, Elizabeth Watson, Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolution at Stony Brook University, shared several challenging moments.
“I’ve gotten stuck in the mud, covered with ticks, I’ve gotten Lyme, crawled across mudflats, pushed boats across mudflats, had to row our power boat back to the launch ramp more than once, [and] got forgotten about on a raft in a lagoon,” Watson wrote in an email.
Each of those challenges could have become the focal point of action for a biopic about a scientist.
Heather Lynch, Professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolution, explained that her research on penguins in Antarctica requires considerable advanced planning.
“The main challenge of working in Antarctica is really the uncertainty imposed by the weather and logistics,” she explained in an email. “It’s not enough to have Plan B, it’s more like Plan B through Plan F and then some. Covid and now avian flu have made an already difficult situation even harder.”
Still, at their most challenging moments, waiting for the weather to change, hoping someone will remember to pick them up, or living without creature comforts, these researchers find joy and derive satisfaction in doing valuable and constructive work.
“I’m like a bricklayer, adding more bricks to an enormous wall of knowledge that was started long before I started working on penguins and will continue to be built long after,” Lynch wrote.
Or, to put it another way, Watson wrote that “I love my job! No regrets.”
By Leah Dunaief
My college class is hosting a forum on friendship and how to define it. During this time, when loneliness seems to be a problem for many, what role should friendship play, especially in our later years?
I read someplace, not too long ago, that most people claim to have five or six good friends, and that is ideal, according to the professionals who study this subject. It made me think about how many good friends I have, and whether I have the requisite number for a happy life.
What makes people become friends?
Perhaps friends play a different role in one’s life at different stages. I tried to remember the friends I had in my earliest years. There was Evelyn in Second Grade. What attracted me to her was her ability to draw. I was enamored with The Lone Ranger at that point, read as many books by Fran Striker (who I later learned was Frances, a woman author) as I could find, and I asked Evelyn to draw scenes from the books for me. I would give her some particulars, and she would follow up and make drawings on looseleaf sheets of paper that illustrated the vignettes I would describe to her. And she did so quickly, as I talked, which was amazing.
Why did she do that for me? She was terrible in arithmetic, and I would do her homework for her, probably as quickly as she could draw. So we had a mutual attraction as a result of our individual skills. Also she lived down the block from my family’s apartment, and we would walk home together from school. So convenience and mutual needs played a part in encouraging friendship.
It all ended, of course, when the teacher realized I was doing her homework. It was innocent enough. I never meant to abort her learning and hope she caught on to numbers and what one could do with them.
I went to an all-girls junior high school that only one other classmate entered, and she was put into a different section, so I had no friends immediately. But I was attracted to a small group who came from the other side of town and seemed to have a lot of fun with each other.
They were sophisticated. In particular, they would slip out of school 15 minutes before the end of the last class, run down the stairs of the subway outside the school building and ride to the Broadway Theater District, where they would arrive just as the plays would break for intermission.
When the audience members would then walk back in, they would, too, and carefully find empty seats. In that way, they saw the second act of some of the most famous musicals of the 1950s. I wanted desperately to be part of that group, and somehow they accepted me. They were my junior high friends, and I still think of them fondly.
So common interests make for friendships.
In high school and college, my friends were a couple of classmates that I most admired. They brought different ideas to class and had the courage to speak about the subjects in an original way. There were others, too, who were enjoyable companions throughout those early years, and with whom I kept up until we each went our separate ways after we married and moved from New York. But I kept in touch with those original two I most respected. So respect is another factor in deep friendships.
As we had children, our friends most often were the parents of their friends, which was convenient. And we had friends from work. But then, our children grew up, left the nest, and we were again on our own, with the time to rediscover old friends who were witnesses to our earlier years and to make new ones.
Witnesses and shared experiences now make for strong glue in friendship. And mutual admiration, loyalty and empathy for all that has happened and is happening to us as we age, are powerful bonds among friends.
Daquan Booker Held Without Bail on Prior Suffolk County Indictment
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Oct. 16 that Daquan Booker, 34, of Smithtown, was ordered remanded after a Suffolk County Court hearing following his re-arrest by Nassau County authorities. Booker had previously been placed into the Suffolk County Court’s Judicial Diversion Program, over the objection of prosecutors.
“The State Legislature has insulated narcotics traffickers like Daquan Booker from the consequences of their actions by prohibiting prosecutors from asking for bail and silencing us in decisions to divert cases away from impactful sentencing. The results have been deadly,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Distribution of fentanyl is never victimless. It is depraved indifference to the lives of our communities and children and prosecutors must be empowered to stop it. The diversion courts in Suffolk and New York are broken and must be fixed before more innocent lives are lost.”
“I am pleased that Daquan Booker was remanded after his court appearance today in Suffolk County. This defendant is being prosecuted in both Suffolk and Nassau Counties for possessing and selling deadly fentanyl. Just yesterday, he was arraigned for allegedly selling illegal opioids to 17-year-old Grace Wrightington that contained fentanyl and resulted in her fatal overdose. However, we could not charge Booker with Grace’s senseless death because of deficiencies in our state law,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly. Working together with District Attorney Tierney, we will continue to put pressure on our legislature to pass meaningful reforms that finally hold drug dealers accountable for the deaths their drugs cause and the pain they inflict upon the families of those who tragically overdose.”
On July 11, 2023, members of the Suffolk County Police Department arrested Booker following the culmination of an investigation that found Booker had sold pressed fentanyl pills to undercover officers. Though Booker was promptly indicted, he remained out of custody because his charges were considered non-bail eligible under New York State law, meaning that prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set, bail.
On February 27, 2024, Booker pleaded guilty to all four counts in the indictment – which contained two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree – in exchange for the Court’s commitment to allow the defendant to participate in the Judicial Diversion Program, a state-created program reserved for those individuals whose crimes are found to have a nexus with a defendant’s personal substance abuse or addiction. The District Attorney’s Office had strongly opposed his entry into the program.
On June 15, 2024, members of the Suffolk County Police Department arrested Booker on a second occasion, following an alleged Reckless Driving offense that resulted in additional charges for Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, Resisting Arrest, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, and Assault in the Second Degree. Although he was remanded following his arrest, the Court later decided to release Booker in August, and afford him an additional opportunity to resume participation in the Judicial Diversion Program. This decision, too, was over an objection by the District Attorney.
On October 11, 2024, Booker was arrested on an indictment warrant that had been issued out of neighboring Nassau County. In execution of that warrant, authorities apprehended Booker at the Riverhead Correctional Facility, where he had intended to visit an inmate.
Upon his return to Nassau County for processing, Booker was allegedly found to possess a quantity of cocaine, resulting in yet another criminal charge for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree. Booker was released following arraignment on all charges in Nassau County on October 15, 2024.
On October 16, 2024, subject to a renewed application by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Booker was remanded without bail on his original case pending in Suffolk County Court, and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. His next scheduled court date has been set for November 1, 2024.
Supreme Court Justice Philip Goglas, who remanded Booker, had previously promised the defendant an upstate sentence of two years determinate; to be followed by two years of post-release supervision, should Booker fail to complete the terms of treatment set forth in his Judicial Diversion contract. He is being represented by Danielle Papa, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lauren Golombek of the Narcotics Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by members of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Narcotics Section.
Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a body found in a vehicle in Hauppauge on Oct. 16.
Suffolk County Police Highway Patrol officers responded to a parked vehicle on the shoulder of eastbound Long Island Expressway near Route 111 on October 16 at approximately 1:15 p.m. Officers discovered a body in the front seat of a 2019 Jeep. Following an investigation by Fourth Squad detectives, the body was identified as Luis Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, 62, undomiciled, was taken to the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.
Update: Lawrence Quintyne, 35, of Daly City, California, has been identified as the pedestrian seriously
injured in a motor vehicle crash in Ronkonkoma on Oct. 16. Below is the original press release:
Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that seriously injured a pedestrian in Ronkonkoma on Oct. 16.
Manuel Cardoso was driving a 2015 Kia sedan southbound on Ocean Avenue when the vehicle struck a pedestrian who was crossing the street at the intersection of Johnson Avenue at approximately 3:20 a.m. The pedestrian, whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Cardosa, 60, of Ronkonkoma, was not injured.
The Kia was impounded for a safety check. Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.
Get ready for a spook-tacular afternoon of Halloween fun at the Town of Smithtown’s FREE Trunk or Treat event on Sunday, October 20th, from noon to 2 p.m. in the parking lot at Town Hall.
The event is hosted by the Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau and the Supervisor’s Office, in conjunction with various Town of Smithtown Departments, the Youth Advisory Board, Commack School District, Smithtown Central School District, Smithtown Fire Department, Smithtown Sunrise Rotary Club, Smithtown Performing Arts Center, Smithtown Chamber of Commerce and local businesses; Coldwell Banker American Homes, North Shore Psychological Services, Saladicious, Mathnasium of Smithtown and Children of America. Families are invited to enjoy a festive afternoon of trunk or treating, games, music, and plenty of Halloween fun.
“This type of community event is great fun for all family members. It allows children to get use out of their costumes, while spending a little family time playing games and trick-or-treating in a safe location. We are so excited to bring this to the community this year and grateful to the local businesses, town departments, community members and HS students who have all volunteered to participate.” – Janine Marc-Anthony, Youth Bureau Executive Director.
This festive event offers a fun, safe twist on traditional trick-or-treating, allowing families to celebrate in a community setting without the need to wander through neighborhoods at dusk or in the dark. Often humorously referred to as “Halloween Tailgating,” Trunk or Treat events have become a beloved annual tradition, especially for families with young children.
How It Works: Participating town department, community members and businesses gather in the Town Hall parking lot, decorating their open trunks with creative and spooky themes. Children in costumes can visit each decorated car for treats, play games, and enjoy other Halloween activities—all in one safe, supervised location.
“Trunk or Treat” events have gained popularity for their convenience, family-friendly atmosphere, and enhanced safety. Parents can enjoy spending quality time with their kids and keep a close eye on them as they move from car to car—an experience that is often more manageable than door-to-door trick-or-treating.
This is a new tradition from the Town of Smithtown, aimed at bringing the community together for an afternoon of fun and festivities that the whole family can enjoy. There will be a canned goods collection set up to help support the Smithtown Food Pantry for those who choose to participate. Every contribution makes a difference. Be sure to mark your calendar and don’t miss out on this exciting Halloween event!
For questions about this event, please contact the Youth Bureau at 631-360-7595.
Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad and Arson Section detectives are investigating a house fire that killed a man in Nesconset on Oct. 15.
Fourth Precinct officers responded to 2 Highland Place after a 911 caller reported a fire at 5:25 p.m. Thomas Walz, a resident of the home, was taken out of the house by first responders prior to police arrival.
Walz, 62, was transported via ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead. There were no other people in the house at the time of the fire and no other injuries reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation but does not appear to be criminal at this time.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Homicide Squad detectives at 631-852-6392 or Arson Section detectives at 631-852-6024.
Join Smithtown Historical Society for a free fall lecture, A Time Traveler’s Guide to Smithtown’s Roots, at the Frank Brush Barn, 211 East Main Street, Smithtown on Monday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m.
Discover the rich tapestry of Smithtown’s early history in an enlightening lecture, presented by the new Town Historian, Mayor Richard Smith. Go on a journey through time and explore Smithtown’s diverse past. From the early Native American inhabitants, to the legendary arrival of Richard “Bull” Smith, the tumultuous times of British Occupation, and its rediscovery by NYC, this lecture promises a comprehensive view of the town’s foundation and transformation. Bring your questions and curiosity to delve deeper into the fascinating history of Smithtown.
This lecture is open to the public at no cost; light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 631-265-6768.
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