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Arrested

Evidence of Long Island crimes found after Florida resident was arrested for pornographic material

Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini (D) announced a former Commack resident and babysitter has been extradited from Florida and charged with 27 counts of alleged sex crimes against three young children who were in his care in Suffolk County between 2009 and 2014.

Suffolk County Police Department has been working in cooperation with Florida’s state attorney’s office since 2014 to bring Benjamin Fielman, 27, back to Long Island to face criminal charges for his alleged actions. Fielman was arraigned in First District Court in Central Islip March 9. Fielman is currently serving a 10-year sentence in Florida, where he is registered as a sexual predator, after pleading guilty to felony sex crimes involving children in June 2017.

Benjamin Fielman mugshot. Photo from SCPD

“These crimes are atrocious,” Sini said. .“This individual used the trust that was given to him by families in Suffolk County to carry out these depraved acts against children, our most vulnerable population.”

Fielman worked as am assistant teacher at Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center in Commack for four years (2008-2011) and as a babysitter, not related to any service or agency. During this time, the district attorney said allegedly Fielman sexually abused three unrelated boys ranging in age from 7 to 11 and was allegedly taking sexually explicit photos and videos.

Florida state authorities executed a search warrant on the suspect’s home after he was arrested in 2014, according to Sini, where they found evidence of Fielman allegedly engaging in sexual contact with minors. He was also in possession of child pornography. Authorities determined  the materials originated in Suffolk County. Florida authorities contacted the Suffolk County Police Department’s computer crimes unit, which investigated the origin of the images and videos through the files’ metadata and was able to identify the victims.

“We have serious concern that there are more victims,” District Attorney Sini said. “It’s very important that we not only take this individual off the streets so he cannot pose a danger to children moving forward, but also that we send a clear message that law enforcement from all jurisdictions is working together to bring people like this to justice.”

The district attorney’ office said it has been in touch with the community recreation center and they have been cooperating with the active investigation.

Fielman was indicted by a Suffolk County Grand Jury on May 22, 2015 on two counts of first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child; two counts of second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child; 11 counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child; 11 counts of using a child in a sexual performance; and endangering the welfare of a child. He was remanded without bail to the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

The district attorney said the case remains an ongoing investigation under Suffolk’s Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau. Anyone with information about the defendant or potential victims are encouraged to contact law enforcement at 631-852-6279. Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-220-TIPS (8477).

Robert Van Helden. Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Police arrested a Rocky Point man who allegedly robbed a bank in Port Jefferson Station.

A man entered TD Bank, located at 86 Nesconset Highway, on Jan, 19 at 6:30 p.m. and presented a note demanding cash. The teller complied with the robber’s demands and the suspect fled on foot. Numerous officers and detectives from the 6th Precinct responded and located the suspect, Robert Van Helden, a short time later at the Home Depot in Selden.

Major Case detectives charged Van Helden, 32, with third-degree robbery. He is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip Jan. 20.

File photo

Suffolk County Police arrested a man for driving while ability impaired by alcohol and drugs after he was rescued from his burning vehicle in Rocky Point April 12.

Corey Tierney was driving a 2003 Hyundai Sonata northbound on County Road 21, about one mile south of Route 25A, when he lost control of his vehicle, which crashed into a wooded area and caught fire. Passing motorists, Claudio Gil and Margaret Ward, pulled an unconscious Tierney from the vehicle.

Rocky Point Fire Department Rescue responded and administered Narcan to Tierney, 21, of Mount Sinai, who regained consciousness and was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and charged with driving while ability impaired by alcohol and drugs.

Gil, 30, of Mount Sinai, and Ward, 51, of Rocky Point, were not injured.

Suffolk County District Attorney Tom Spota, above, said Winston Rose and his brother Uriel Rose purchased drugs from Robert Maldonado for $3.50 per bag — a full dollar cheaper than last year’s whole sale price. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Suffolk County police, alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor of New York City, united to bust a heroin ring operating on Long Island, officials announced on Wednesday.

A wiretap investigation, conducted by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office and county police narcotics unit, lead to the arrests and indictment of 14 individuals involved in the ring, including alleged leaders Winston Rose, 35, of Deer Park and his brother, Uriel Rose, 31, of Bay Shore. Residents from Rocky Point, Coram and Northport were also charged.

According to District Attorney Tom Spota, between the months of April and May, Robert Maldonado, 28, of the Bronx, allegedly delivered more than 20,000 bags of heroin from the borough to the Rose brothers on Long Island. Kenny Gonzalez, of Bay Shore, also supplied the brothers with heroin for their drug operation.

“The source of the heroin that we see flowing into Suffolk is primarily coming from the City of New York and more often than not, from the Bronx,” Spota said following the arraignments on Wednesday.

The Rose brothers were indicted for operating as major traffickers, as investigators claim they sold heroin and cocaine in Suffolk communities and elsewhere from around Dec. 4, 2014 to June 4, 2015. The brothers sold around 325 to 500 bags daily for $10.

Phil Murphy, the attorney representing Winston Rose, said he did not see an issue with his client’s business when he visited. He also said his client had rental property and rented available gyms among other materials for the business.

Calls to attorneys for Uriel Rose, Maldonado and Gonzalez were not immediately returned.

Winston Rose was on parole for possession of a weapon at the time of his arrest. In addition, he has nine prior felony and misdemeanor convictions while his brother has six prior misdemeanor convictions. Four of these convictions were for drugs.

According to Spota, the brothers posed as businessmen and allegedly used an event and catering business based out of Deer Park as a front to peddle drugs.

The brothers, as well as Desiree Dietz, 33, of Rocky Point; Emily Ruiz, 24, of Deer Park; Daniel Demaio, 23, of Northport; James Lantero, 41, of Bay Shore; Edward Molewski, 47, of East Islip; Charles Hennings, 41 of Coram and Dillon Noseda, 26, of Northport were arraigned in Riverhead as well. The individuals, along with five others, have been charged with conspiracy in the second degree, a Class B felony in the state of New York.

Noseda is accused of being a major seller of heroin in the Village of Northport and the surrounding communities. Ian Fitzgerald, Noseda’s attorney, said his client denied being a major seller in the case. In a phone interview, he said his client only knew Winston Rose for about two months.

Attorney information for Dietz, Ruiz, Demaio, Lantero, Molewski, and Hennings was unavailable.

“Somebody and some day they are all going to know that they’re never going to see the light of day if they’re convicted,” Spota said.

Bail for Winston Rose was set at $3 million cash or $6 million bond, while Uriel Rose’s bail was set at $2 million cash, or $4 million bond.

If convicted as major traffickers, the Rose’s face a minimum sentence of 15 to 25 years, to a maximum life sentence, according to Spota.

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan said solving individual cases such as this case, might not “end the crisis,” but have a significant local impact.

According to Special Agent James Hunt, of the DEA, heroin related deaths have increased 172 percent from 2003 to 2013.

Spota attributes their success to the collaborative efforts of all law enforcement officials who were involved. Brennan agreed and said that collaboration will help overcome the distribution of heroin.

“We are now facing a huge heroin problem,” she said. “The only way to beat it is the way we’re doing it. Step by step case by case joining hands and not just us alone but with the collaboration of many others.”