Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Nov. 28 that Blaise Marckesano, 38, of Shirley, was sentenced to 1 ½ to 4 ½ years in prison for Robbery in the Third Degree and other charges, after committing a string of catalytic converter thefts, commercial burglaries, and a robbery, throughout Suffolk County.

“Serial recidivists such as this defendant are the reason my office teamed up with our Suffolk County Town Supervisors to create the Quality-of-Life Town Coalition,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Quality of life crimes such as catalytic converter thefts and commercial burglaries seriously impact the safety of Suffolk County residents and businesses alike. These crimes have damaging financial effects to our hard-working residents. I hope this sentence sends the message that my office will continue to vigorously prosecute these crimes.”

According to the investigation and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, between December 11 and December 13, 2021, Marckesano stole six catalytic converters from recreational vehicles that were parked at W.E.S. Trailer Services in Wading River.

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 valuable and make catalytic converters a target for theft.

Marckesano was also involved in a robbery and a string of commercial burglaries in April 2023.

On April 1, 2023, Marckesano pushed a store clerk and forcibly stole beer at a Deli in Shirley. Then, between April 13 and April 25, 2023, Marckesano broke into an American Legion Post in Mastic Beach on two separate occasions and stole approximately $6,000. On April 21, 2023, Marckesano broke into a Home Depot store in Shirley and stole assorted lawn supplies valued at approximately $2,800.

On October 23, 2023, Marckesano pleaded guilty before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Richard I. Horowitz, to the following charges:

 One count of Robbery in the Third Degree; a Class D felony;

 Three counts of Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony; and

 One count of Auto Stripping in the First Degree, a Class D felony.

On November 27, 2023, Justice Horowitz sentenced Marckesano to 1 ½ to 4 ½ years in prison.

Marckesano was represented by the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Blythe C. Miller of the Financial Crime Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Jacob Delauter of the Major Crime Bureau.