New Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harris sworn in this week by County Executive Steve Bellone.
Photo from SCPD
As of this week, the new Suffolk County police commissioner is officially on board.
On Tuesday, Jan. 11, former NYPD Chief of Department Rodney Harrison was sworn in by County Executive Steve Bellone (D) at the Police Academy in Brentwood.
The law enforcement veteran retired after a 30-year career with the NYPD and replaces Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart, who resigned in May for a job as head of security at Hofstra University.
Bellone also swore in Suffolk’s new Chief of Department Robert Waring, who was promoted from chief of patrol.
Suffolk County police arrested a Centereach man after his wife’s body was found in Middle Island Thursday.
On Dec. 9, Suffolk County Police Department Homicide Squad detectives arrested Marcello Molinari after police found the body of his wife Melissa Molinari, 38, in the Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest off Currans Road in Middle Island.
Marcello, 43, was charged with second-degree murder. His wife’s body was transported to the Suffolk County medical examiner where an autopsy will be conducted.
The mother of four children was last seen at their residence on Nov. 21 and was reported missing Dec. 2 after leaving her vehicle at home.
Suffolk County police said during a press conference Friday, Dec. 10, that they were able to use K-9 units and GPS from the husband’s cellphone to place him near the forest where the body was discovered.
Vincent Pelliccio with Acting Commissioner Stuart Cameron in 2019.
Photo from SCPD
The Suffolk County Police Department is mourning the loss of an active officer, Vincent Pelliccio, who died in a motor vehicle crash Nov. 8.
The 30-year-old was off-duty and driving his 2021 Jeep northbound on Nicolls Road, near West Road, in Selden when his vehicle left the roadway and crashed in the median. He was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Pelliccio was a 3rd Precinct officer and a member of the department since December 2014. A 2011 graduate of Connetquot High School, he started his professional career as a teacher, but decided to pursue his dream and follow in his retired NYPD detective father’s footsteps.
Upon graduating the police academy, he was assigned to the 3rd Precinct as a uniformed patrol officer and became a plain clothes officer in the 3rd Precinct Gang Task Force in March 2019. Pelliccio also served his fellow law enforcement officers as a Police Benevolent Association delegate.
In 2019, Pelliccio was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Award, which recognizes members of service who have overcome serious injury, disease or disability and have returned to work, for overcoming his battle with testicular cancer.
Photo from SCPD
Diagnosed in September 2017 at age 26, he went through both radiation and chemotherapy treatments, fighting to get back to health to return to work. According to the SCPD, even when he was too sick to report for duty, he was constantly in contact with his colleagues and friends at the SCPD, expressing his desire to help and return to his sector in Central Islip. He returned to full duty in March 2018.
“Officer Pelliccio was a dedicated member of the 3rd Precinct who overcame personal adversity to continue serving the people of Suffolk County,” Inspector John Rowan said. “His perseverance and unwavering commitment to his calling as a police officer is inspirational. Vinny will be missed but not forgotten by this command.”
In addition to a departmental recognition, Pelliccio was named Cop of the Month in April 2020 with Police Officer Anthony Devincenzo for the arrest of a violent gang member and drug dealer in September 2019.
While monitoring a known drug and gang location in North Bay Shore, the officers witnessed the gang member in front of a business and found marijuana on the sidewalk near where he was. Upon approaching the subject, he fled officers into a hair salon with multiple civilians. During a violent struggle, Pelliccio deployed his Taser and the subject was taken into custody, where he was found to be in possession of multiple weapons and narcotics.
“Vinny was an extremely dedicated young man who loved being a police officer and was always eager to perform and excel in his law enforcement duties,” Sergeant Philip Dluginski said. “He fully embraced the police culture and loved spending time with his blue family both during and outside of work. He will be sorely missed by all his friends and co-workers, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and fiancée at this time.”
County Executive Steve Bellone (D) expressed his sympathy for the SCPD’s loss.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Officer Pelliccio when he was honored for his outstanding work in keeping our communities safe,” he said. “An exemplary law enforcement professional and relentless fighter who returned to work full duty after winning a battle with cancer, Officer Pelliccio’s tragic passing has shaken our entire police family.”
Pelliccio, who resided in Port Jefferson Station at the time of his death, is survived by his parents, Tony and Angela, his sister, Niki, and his fiancée, Danielle Trotta.
Suffolk County Police arrested two women who allegedly stole more than $43,000 from their employer during a nine-month period ending in August.
Elana Sofia and Sandra Bonilla, while employed at Goodwill Industries, located at 1900 Jericho Turnpike, East Northport, allegedly stole money from the company’s bank deposits from November 2020 until August 2021, according to Suffolk County Police.
Following an investigation by 2nd Squad detectives, Sofia was arrested on Oct. 4 and Bonilla was arrested on Oct. 5.
Sofia, 29, of Port Jefferson, and Bonilla, 33, of Brentwood, were charged with Grand Larceny 3rd Degree. Sofia was arraigned on Oct. 5 and Bonilla is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 6 at First District Court in Central Islip.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Updated Oct. 8 to correct the omission of “alleged” in the print version. We regret the mistake.
Suffolk County Police 6th Squad detectives are investigating the near drowning of a man in a swimming pool in Mount Sinai on Saturday, July 24.
Police officers responded to the residence at 49 North Country Road after a 911 caller reported a man at the bottom of a backyard swimming pool. Sixth Precinct Officer Brian Christopher was first to arrive at the scene.
Officer Christopher jumped into the pool, removed the victim, and began CPR.
The victim, a 33-year-old male, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he is in critical condition.
Suffolk County Police arrested four people during a New York State Liquor Authority Inspection at a Port Jefferson bar early Saturday morning.
On July 3, 6th Precinct officers, in conjunction with, New York State Liquor Authority Investigators, Port Jefferson Village Fire Marshal and Port Jefferson Village Constables, conducted an inspection at Barito, located at 201-C Main St. at approximately 12 a.m.
The owner of the bar, Matthew Murray, 40, of Ronkonkoma, was charged with NYS General Business Law: Employing an Unlicensed Security Guards, an unclassified misdemeanor.
Brandon Pressley, 34, of Bellport, Jeremy Marrero 34, of Bellport, and Dustin Mariboe, 32, of Patchogue, all of whom were security guards at the bar, were charged with NYS General Business Law: Unlicensed Security Guard, an unclassified misdemeanor.
There were 348 people in the bar, which was over its capacity of 120 people, and the establishment was closed for the night.
The four men were issued Field Appearance Tickets and will be arraigned at a later date.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Six people were arrested at the start of the holiday weekend in Port Jefferson Station.
Highway Patrol Bureau Selective Alcohol Fatality Enforcement Team (SAFE-T) officers conducted a sobriety checkpoint at the intersection of Route 112 and Hallock Avenue during the overnight hours of July 3 into July 4. from 11:05 p.m. until 2:15 a.m.
The checkpoint was part of an ongoing holiday weekend enforcement initiative targeting alcohol and drug impaired driving. A total of 435 vehicles went through the checkpoint.
The following people were charged with Driving While Intoxicated:
Cesar Ortiz, 32, of 54 Carver Blvd., Bellport
Erik Anderson, 38, of 208 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station
Richard Russo, 61, of 12 Mark St., Port Jefferson Station
Hashim Qayyum, 23, of 619 Hawkins Road, Selden
Alexia Smith, 23, of 3540 Gregg Court, Wantagh
Salvatore Laduca, 58, of 7 Blueberry Ridge Road, Setauket
All six will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on July 4.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers and two good Samaritans rescued a man who nearly drowned in Port Jefferson on Sunday, June 21.
Alan Goldberg was attempting to anchor a boat on Whitehall Beach when he lost his footing and became unresponsive in the water at approximately 2:30 p.m. Two good Samaritans on the beach, Frances George and Karl George, performed CPR until Marine Bureau Officers Cory Kim and Shane Parker arrived on scene and transferred Goldberg onto Marine Delta.
The officers, with the assistance of Frances George and Karl George, continued CPR while transporting Goldberg, 70, of Coram, to the Port Jefferson Boat Ramp. He was transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson with serious injuries.
Frances George, 30, and Karl George, 65, both of East Setauket, were not injured.
On Thursday, June 17, a man was found dead in Port Jefferson Station at the Greenway Trail, near Clifton Place at approximately 1 a.m.
Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the stabbing death of a man that occurred on the trail. The body of the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives are asking anyone with information on the case to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392.
Trustee Kathianne Snaden with Chief Fred Leute with SCPD Acting Commissioner Stuart Cameron. Photo from Kevin Wood
Last week, Port Jefferson village officials took a trip out to Yaphank to take a look at the Suffolk County Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center.
The village’s parking and mobility administrator, Kevin Wood, was joined out east by trustee Kathianne Snaden and chief of code enforcement, Fred Leute, where the team was updated by Stuart Cameron, chief of police department and acting commissioner.
Wood said that Cameron gave a detailed report on the integration of Port Jefferson’s security cameras into the RTCC, and learned that the crime center has around 4,000 integrated cameras integrated. This network of cameras has been created to deter and solve crimes.
“It was fantastic to be the first village on the Island to be hooked up to the Real Time Crime Center,” Snaden said. “That partnership is invaluable, and our village is on the cutting edge of all technology when it comes to public safety. I’m happy to where we are and am proud of it.”
According to Wood, back in May 2019, Village of Port Jefferson officials announced it become the first village on Long Island to connect through videography with the county’s RTCC. This allowed the police to tap into the eight village security cameras (at the time) positioned in places like the train station and the three-way intersection at West Broadway and Main Street.
“The technology is growing, and getting better and better,” Wood said. “I thought it was important to bring Kathianne and chief along to catch up, see where they’re at and where we’re going with it.”
These cameras were instrumental in capturing the murder of David Bliss Jr., of Shirley, in March, which led to an arrest just 72 hours after the incident.
The print version of this story said Kathianne Snaden has never been to the Real Time Crime Center before. This was her third visit. We regret the mistake.
On Dec. 9, Suffolk County Police Department Homicide Squad detectives arrested Marcello Molinari after police found the body of his wife Melissa Molinari, 38, in the Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest off Currans Road in Middle Island.
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