Suffolk D.A.: Middle Island man sentenced to 3 to 6 years in prison for bank robbery

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Aug. 18 that Ralph Dominguez, 66, of Middle Island, was sentenced to three to six years in prison for robbing an M&T Bank in Centereach of $2,770.

“This defendant thought he could make a quick buck by threatening bank employees with harm if his demands were not met,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I commend the swift response from the Suffolk County Police Department who apprehended this defendant while he was fleeing, and recovered the money stolen during the robbery.”

According to the investigation and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on January 31, 2023, Dominguez entered an M&T Bank in Centereach, and handed the teller a note demanding U.S. currency in various denominations. While handing the teller the note, Dominguez simultaneously placed his hand in his jacket, seeming to suggest that he was armed with a gun. The note demanded that when the teller was done handing over the money, to turn around and count to fifty so no one would get hurt. The teller complied with the demand and put $2,770 in a bank deposit bag and handed it to Dominguez. Dominguez then fled the bank but was apprehended by members of the Suffolk County Police Department shortly thereafter. During the arrest, law enforcement recovered the bank deposit bag containing the money from Dominguez’s person.

On July 7, 2023, Dominguez pleaded guilty before County Court Judge, the Honorable Anthony S. Senft, Jr., to Robbery in the Third Degree, a Class D felony. On August 18, 2023, Dominguez was sentenced to three to six years in prison. Dominguez was represented by Michael Elbert, Esq.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick E. Fedun of the Major Crime Bureau, with investigative assistance from Detective William Berhalter of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Major Case Unit.