News: Bellmore Shooting Mayhem

(Long Island, N.Y.) Nassau County Police shot and killed a thirty-one-year old man responsible for unleashing a round of bullets at Bellmore Firefighters. Two of the bullets hit Justin Angell, a twenty-year-old volunteer medic. Though Angell has been released from the hospital, police say that the gunman intended on conducting a massive shooting before plowing his car into a neighborhood utility pole.

The gunman was considered “troubled” by family members who have issued a public apology to Angell and his family. He recently moved from Florida to Commack, Long Island with his wife; reports say he had a child, and that the couple had been high school sweethearts. Some neighbors described him as normal and pleasant, while others claimed he was antisocial.

Six weapons were found with the shooter who was killed behind the wheel of his silver souped-up Ford-150 pickup with Florida plates. A Chinese-made clone SKS AK-47 rifle with a pistol grip, banana ammunition clip, and green laser scope was strapped to his chest. Police believe this was the weapon he used to fire at first responders.

A submachine gun was found in his lap, a .32 caliber semiautomatic pistol was found in his pocket, and a Tech 9 was within arm’s reach. A 357 Magnum revolver and a .9mm Luger pistol were also found in the vehicle. Enough ammunition to arm multiple soldiers was found on the gunman’s wrist bands and a bandoleer of bullets; all weapons were loaded.

About two hours prior to the shooting, police went to his residence for a domestic disturbance call. His wife, who alerted police, did not want to press charges. Apparently, the couple had moved to Long Island after his mother-in-law died. Reports stated he was unemployed, a former crane operator, and a possible trade union worker who had developed a rap sheet for theft crimes and passing bad checks.

He was arrested nine times between 2004 and 2009. The son of an oral surgeon who practices in Central Park South, Manhattan, he was considered his family’s black sheep. Reports say that at least one empty beer bottle along with a case of beer and prescription drugs was also found in the vehicle.

At least eight shots were fired at first-responders before three Nassau policeman came on the scene. Two were involved in a shootout on the driver’s side of the vehicle while the other, a member of the K-9 unit, went to the passenger side and fatally shot the gunman through the window. A neighbor, who happened to be a retired NYPD detective, claimed he heard shots that sounded like they came from a .9mm handgun.

Angell was said to have been shot twice in his lower torso before collapsing on a nearby lawn, where he was spotted on all fours by some of the neighbors. In an ironic turn of events, his twenty-three year old older brother was the driver of the ambulance that took him to Nassau University Medical Center after responding to a call about a shooting on Bellmore Avenue. The ambulance truck was strategically positioned between Angell and the gunman to protect the young medic from further harm.

Angell claimed that he didn’t know what happened, but began to run when he felt pain from the bullet wounds. He said that he originally thought the gunshots were explosion noises from the utility pole transformer. Earlier today, Angell was flown from the NUMC to his home in Bellmore via helicopter, and was cheered on by a band of family, friends, and supporters. He says he’s excited to go back to work pending his recovery.

News: Animal Neglect on Long Island

(Long Island, N.Y.) Dozens of horses and other animals were rescued by Suffolk County’s Society for the Prevention of the Cruelty of Animals from a farm in foreclosure. Some of the animals were found emaciated, and rescuers are unsure whether they will survive. The owner of the property has not been charged.

Rescuers from the Suffolk County SPCA were forced to break a padlock where two horses were locked in a barn without food or water. One of the horses had been so far reduced that it needed help eating after being rescued. Some of the rescuers wondered how they were able to find the animals alive.

The Suffolk County SPCA is not affiliated with the Manhattan-based ASPCA but it runs a program known as the Equine Rescue Collaborative (ERC). The program rescues horses that have been physically or psychologically abused and neglected. It provides the animals with rehabilitation, retraining, retirement, and replacement.

The place in question in the case of the neglected animals is located in Calverton and known as Abbess Farm. Some of the animals were found loose in a fenced field. Rescuers hypothesize that the animals survived by grazing on grass and drinking water from puddles and a nearby spring.

Two dozen horses were rescued in addition to ponies, sheep, goats, and pigs. They had suffered from being abandoned, malnourished, starved, and dehydrated. Some of the horses were taken in and cared for by an organization known as Second Chance Rescue, and some were placed in other programs. Hillcrest Stables, located on Middle Road in Riverhead, took in three of the horses which were found in the worst conditions.

One horse, a chestnut gelding, had been severely emaciated and had suffered the most. Veterinarians were called to help nurse the animals to health before they have to undergo rehabilitation. Though some of them were put into foster care, the animals need to get healthy before they can be taken in by new owners.

The Suffolk County SPCA is currently seeking homes for the animals and investigating the case. SPCA officers were first notified of the neglected animals by the Riverhead Town Police. A court-appointed attorney who had been handling the property had reported the barn to police and gave permission to animal law enforcement to search the property. Reports stated that the owner of the property relinquished the animals to the SPCA.

Reports also stated that one of the horses couldn’t eat because its teeth needed to be trimmed by a veterinarian dentist. A pony couldn’t walk because its hooves had grown out while it had been confined, making it extremely painful to get around. Another pony had suffered from an eye injury.

Some sources claimed that horses had escaped from the property on two different occasions. In the first instance, the horses were found on a nearby golf course, and in the following instance they were discovered on a median of the Long Island Expressway near Exit 73. The owner had allegedly been issued summons.

The Human Organization Representing Suffering Equines (H.O.R.S.E.) is a Connecticut-based program that deals with similar cases. The Suffolk County SPCA is currently accepting donations on its website, and those interested can contribute through PayPal. Also, volunteer veterinarians and equine dentists are needed in addition to food and feeding supplies.

News: Long Island Medic Shot While Assisting

(Long Island, N.Y.) A twenty-year-old volunteer firefighter named Justin Angell was shot while trying to assist a man who crashed into a utility pole. The incident occurred around a quarter to ten last night in a quiet and residential area in Bellmore. Angell, along with a team from Bellmore‘s Fire Department, was fired at while approaching the man’s Ford-150 pickup truck at the scene of the collision.

Angell and his colleagues were the first responders, and were simply approaching the vehicle to check for serious injury and to help the victim into the ambulance. They received an emergency call from a neighbor who assumed an intoxicated driver had crashed into the pole, which landed in the middle of the street as it severed. They were greeted by a round of gunshots from a handgun and were forced to take cover behind the truck before Nassau County Police arrived at the scene; police were forced to shoot and kill the driver.

The incident occurred on Bellmore Avenue near the Claxton Avenue intersection, where the man had been traveling northbound. As of this morning, roads have been closed for investigation. Neighbors claim to have heard at least twenty gunshots which sounded like fireworks before it ended; it’s unsure whether the driver intended for a suicide by cop.

The chief of Bellmore‘s Volunteer Fire Department was present at the scene along with Angell, who was the volunteer medic for the squad. The crew wound up putting Angell in the ambulance where they rushed him to the Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. He’s currently in stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit.

Reports stated that multiple weapons were found in the vehicle, including a TEC-9 and handguns. The vehicle was caved in at the front where the pole split in two, causing power outages in the nearby area. With power crews at the scene, most of the outages were restored quickly; those in the immediate area were still out as of this morning.

Witnesses say that the car tried to flee from the scene after the collision. It traveled about thirty feet before stalling in the middle of the road. Nassau County‘s Seventh Precinct and Canine Unit were the ones to tend to the incident. Bellmore‘s Fire Department consists of a hundred firefighter and medic volunteers.

Angell has been a firefighter with the Bellmore Fire Department for the last two years and is currently at Junior Firefighter status. He graduated Mepham High School in Bellmore and also works as an Emergency Medical Technician at Brentwood‘s Legion Ambulance. His Facebook post stated that he was recovering, still in shock, and grateful for all of the support he was receiving.

The identity of the driver has not been released by authorities. Since the investigation is ongoing, police are still unsure about the motive behind the man’s decision to fire at the emergency team designed to help him. Workers in similar fields are outraged over the type of potential danger they face daily. Some say that police are supposed to arrive at the scene prior to firefighters in order to prevent such incidents from occurring. Because police are armed in the way firefighters aren’t, another issue is whether firefighters should carry weapons while responding to an emergency situation. Perhaps if they were armed, they could have prevented the driver from shooting as much as he did at the emergency team. The fact remains that the man in this story was lucky to suffer minimal injury.

News: Rape Charges on Long Island

(Long Island, N.Y.) A forty-two-year old married Oceanside woman was sentenced to three year’s probation and a $1,200 fine for being convicted of endangering the welfare of a child. She pleaded guilty to the crime back in December, after initially pleading not guilty to the original charge of third-degree rape. The mother of three was caught having an affair with a sixteen-year-old boy, and could have faced up to four years in prison for the criminal sex act charge.

She has since been ordered to stay away from the boy. According to her lawyer, she seemed to be remorseful during her court appearance, and did her best to stay away from the media spotlight. Authorities were notified of the incident by the boy’s father after he confessed to the affair.

Reports stated that the sixteen-year-old was a high school friend of her daughter’s. Some reports claim he had dated her daughter for a year prior to the affair. The indiscretions occurred from June to November of 2009 at the waterfront home she shared with her husband and family.

The sixteen-year-old transferred to a different high school in response to the proceedings. His family insists that he has been devastated by the affair, and claims the woman went as far as saying she planned on leaving her husband for the boy. Since the affair, the minor has allegedly harassed her family with text messages and scandalous Facebook photos/posts.

This wasn’t the first time her family caught the attention of the media. Her husband made news for having testified against Junior Gotti at his murder and racketeering trial to avoid a harsher sentence. Though he was not present at her sentencing, the ex-mobster once stated that his wife had helped him turn away from a life of crime.

Her husband, former member of the Gambino crime family, received the same sentence of three year’s probation for his crimes. His fine, however, was significantly greater at $12,500 – nearly ten times the amount fined to his wife. His sentence was set in May of last year; he could have faced up to six years in prison and was denied bail as he awaited trial.

His life of racketeering started as early as his high school years when he dropped out of school to be a part of Gotti’s Howard Beach and Queens unit of crime. He admits to stealing cars, robbing drug dealers, and committing assault. Junior Gotti lived in the Howard Beach neighborhood.

Many claim that there is a double standard involved with potential rape charges. The woman in this case did not receive jail time or have to register as a sex offender. The argument is that, had the parties in this case been an adult male and a sixteen-year-old girl, the courts would have been less lenient. In cases where sexual acts can’t be proven, it just takes possession of photos of minors to be registered as a sex offender.

The other argument, in defense of the woman, is that the sentencing is just and so is the double standard. Some argue that she wasn’t capable of rape in this case because the sixteen year old was not an innocent child but acted consciously on exaggerated teenaged hormones. Nonetheless, the law is designed to ensure that adults act responsibly in such cases and are held accountable for the consent of minors until the age of seventeen.

Last Sunday a thirty-year-old Youth Group Leader at Patchogue‘s Evangelica Refugio De Salvacion Church was arrested for two counts of first degree rape in the case of a twelve-year-old girl. He awaits arraignment at the First District Court in Central Islip. This incident, which occurred at his home in Bellport, seems to have gotten less coverage.

News: Potential New York Terrorist Arrested

(Long Island, N.Y.) A twenty-year-old college student was arrested last week for attempting to use weapons of mass destruction. He was living in Lubbock, Texas and had previously attended Texas Tech for chemical engineering. Some of his targets were former president George W. Bush’s Dallas home and undisclosed areas of New York City.

A native to Saudi Arabia, he received a student visa along with a scholarship, and has been in the country since ’08. An industrial corporation in Saudi Arabia allegedly paid for his tuition and living expenses. Police findings suggest that he had been planning anti-American acts prior to his entrance into the country.

His hatred for America went back as far as his teenage years. Since the 9/11 attacks he had been motivated to take criminal action against American targets after being influenced by speeches from Osama bin Laden. Though he did not appear outwardly religious, his plot was to learn English and skills with chemical explosives before unleashing a jihad on American soil.

The plan he hatched for New York City involved planting explosives in a series of rental cars, which he’d rent under a variety of names using a forged birth certificate and different licenses. They’d explode during rush hour, causing the most damage. He also intended on blowing up hydroelectric dams, a nightclub, and nuclear power plants, with plans that were similar to those of the Time’s Square Bomber.

He purchased the chemical materials on the Internet, where he researched how to assemble explosives; reports stated that his apartment was equipped with a makeshift laboratory and Hazmat suit. He lived above an Army Career Center, and like the Time’s Square Bomber, planned to target soldiers who had worked in an Iraqi prison camp. Though his lawyer stated he would plead not guilty for his March 11th detention hearing, he could face life in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

The amount of explosives he purchased was the equivalent of about fifteen pounds, which is enough to create the same kind of damage caused by the ’05 London Subway attack. Some reports stated that he was equipped with the skills to turn a cell phone into a remote detonator for the bombs, and that he had purchased a stun-gun and battery tester. He also had access to traffic cameras, allowing him to view and select city locations.

The heroes in this story are workers of the chemical supply company which sold him the items and the shipping company which distributed what was purchased. They reported to federal authorities that the $465 he spent in chemicals seemed suspicious, and that he did not seem to be using the items for commercial reasons. It took the FBI just weeks to trace his online purchases and uncover incriminating evidence from his diary and emails once they had discovered online posts he made that were radical in nature.

The diaries revealed that he enjoyed violent video games and dabbled in poetry. They also confessed his attraction to a woman who had helped him learn English. He learned the language in an English as a Second Language program at Vanderbilt University.

This case has Americans wondering if foreign access to visas is granted too easily. Fifteen out of the nineteen terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks also received visas in Saudi Arabia. This case illustrates the difficulties of discerning who comes here for education from those who intend on doing harm. Though stricter action against the distribution of visas may offend certain interest groups, many feel that the cost of American lives is too great to compromise.

News: News for Long Island Murder Trial

(Long Island, N.Y.) New information in the murder trial for Valley Stream motivational speaker Jeffrey Locker may help prove his alleged killer’s innocence. The defendant on trial, an East Harlem man named Kenneth Minor, claims that he aided Locker in his desire for suicide by holding a knife in place as he plunged into it. Since the trial began over a week ago, a second man has come forward claiming he was also approached by Locker to be recruited for the crime.

Marvin Flemming, a man accustomed to the streets of East Harlem, supports Minor’s claim that Locker was lurking around the area prior to his death in hopes of hiring a man to kill him. Flemming says that Locker paid him five dollars during a meeting outside a bodega while he was propositioned by Locker about the killing. Minor was allegedly spotted purchasing items at a bodega after the killing took place; he claims that it was all according to the plan set by Locker to insure the suicide appeared to be a robbery and murder.

Flemming says his intention was to hustle Locker for as much as he could get before it became clear to the fifty-two-year old speaker that he wouldn’t comply with the killing scheme. He maintains that he never planned to kill Locker, but had no problem taking roughly $4,000 in cash, jewelry, and knives in exchange for his initial compliance. Reports have stated that Locker was seen making cash withdrawals from an ATM machine prior to his death.

Flemming also claims that he witnessed Locker make a phone call to say that he had found someone to do the job that he/she refused. He claims that Locker planned to pretend to bust a tire, and Flemming was supposed to rob and shoot him as he tended to it. On the night of his murder, Locker allegedly called his wife to inform her that he had pulled over on the road to help fix a tire.

Instead of sticking to Locker’s plan, Flemming says he ditched on the speaker by entering a friend’s home, where he was supposed to retrieve a gun. He says he never returned or saw Locker again, but claims to have received a phone call from Locker who asked him why he was betrayed. This could explain why reports have stated that phone calls were made by Locker to a particular apartment in a nearby housing project.

Locker’s killing took place on July 16th of 2009, and the trial against Minor began last week; it’s unsure whether Minor will be prosecuted for second-degree murder or assisted suicide. The defense has previously requested a review of the case, since evidence surfaced that indicated Locker had researched funeral arrangements and life insurance policies prior to his death. The insurance company that handled Locker’s multi-million dollar policy has not granted the money since reports have shown that Locker stated he earned more than his actual income.

A motive for this bizarre crime could be the financial debt that Locker faced after getting involved in a Ponzi scheme. A witness in the case claimed that he had spotted Locker’s vehicle several times in the area, suggesting that Locker had spent a significant amount of time trying to hire his killer. If evidence proves the validity of their statements, it’s still unsure whether Minor and Flemmings were the only persons whom Locker attempted to recruit for his killing.

News: Animal Hoarding in a Shirley, Long Island Home

(Long Island, N.Y.) Dozens of animals were rescued in Shirley last Tuesday when a cow was found living in the sunroom of a two-bedroom house. The find caused a complete evacuation of the residence, in which the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) removed nearly a hundred animals individually. The property belonged to a mentally-compromised elderly woman, but was also inhabited by her twenty-three year old caretaker, his fiancé, and a five-year-old child.

The house was located in a residential area, and was built in a Cape-Cod style with 1400 square feet of space on a 10,000 square foot piece of property. Farm animals, exotic animals, and domestic animals were being hoarded into the home, according to authorities. Some of the animals recovered include: a cow, deer, baby bull, a three-hundred-pound pig, sun conure, pheasant, diamond dove, eight goats, five dogs, six cats, two ducks, twenty rabbits, mice, several chinchillas, gerbils, hedgehogs, snakes, three hens, two cockatiels, lovebirds, sixteen different species of rats, and seventy-five pigeons.

The pig was among the larger animals removed from the home and required a tranquilizer as rescue workers cut through the fence to free the animal. At least twelve animals were found dead in the basement of the home and were left to rot along with animal feces, debris, and urine. There was no food or water found at the residence.

The eighty-six-year old homeowner was taken to a safe place; authorities are unsure whether she will face charges. Criminal charges are expected to be filed against the caretaker, who admitted to owning the animals, with possible violations for animal cruelty. The Brookhaven Community Court in Patchogue wrote up eight tickets for housing violations, three of which were considered misdemeanor offenses.

Fees for the town clean-up of the home will have to be paid by the homeowner. The caretaker, who claims to have rescued the animals, has no prior offenses. It’s unsure why the animals were neglected and left out during freezing temperatures.

Suffolk County‘s SPCA is a non-profit organization with sixty staff workers consisting of veterinarians and volunteers who deal with about two thousand cases a year. They handle animal abuse cases and other pet-related scandals such as cockfights. All of their dealings are confidential, and they urge anyone with information about animal abuse cases to call and report the incident through their hotline.

Some of the animals found in the Shirley home were malnourished and have been nursed back to health or put into foster care as they await adoption. Police say that the house was reported years ago for having too many cats. Though the residence was cleaned by friends of the owner, it has since depreciated and has been condemned following Tuesday’s discovery.

Some say that the homeowner was considered the neighborhood “cat lady” and was allegedly found by authorities with a cat on her lap and bird on her head. SPCA workers had to enter the home with hazmat suits and gear while pigeons flew around her residence. She has no children.

Neighbors had been complaining for months to police about the horrendous smell coming from the area. One neighbor claimed that a goat ate through his fence and door. Another neighbor with an asthmatic son says that the animal stench has caused him multiple doctor visits. None of the neighbors knew how many animals were living inside the home.

It’s unsure what the relationship was between the young caretaker and the owner of the residence. Some reports claim that the caretaker’s mother was previously named power of attorney for the elderly woman. Authorities await more information in the development of this case.

News: Quogue Woman May Win $70 Million Lawsuit With Default Judgement

(Long Island, N.Y.)A $70 million default judgment could be awarded to a fifty-three year old resident from Quogue named Nancy Genovese for a lawsuit she filed against the Southampton Town Council. Genovese’s case made the news two years ago when she was arrested on criminal trespassing charges for attempting to photograph a “Jolly Green Giant” helicopter at the National Guard base of Gabreski Airport in West Hampton. Since then, Genovese’s case has been twisted to fit a variety of political agendas.

The misdemeanor charges against Genovese were dropped because authorities had no proof that she ever left the public area of the base where her vehicle was stationed. She was arraigned at the South Hampton Town Justice Court and spent four nights in a Suffolk County jail. Her bail was set at $50,000.

The biggest controversy of the case seems to be whether Genovese was justifiably treated as a terrorist threat for carrying a rifle and gun in her car at the time that police accosted her. Police argue that their treatment toward her was standard, based on the risk she posed against security. Adding to the scandal was the notion that Genovese is a self-claimed patriotic conservative, and says she’s been victimized by police who labeled her a tea-bagger, right-winger, and Glenn Beck supporter.

There are clearly two very opposing sides to this highly political case. Those who talked to Genovese at the base say that she was warned in the past to stay out of the area and that they’d been ordered to question anyone who approached the premises. Nonetheless, Genovese hadn’t broken any laws at the time of her arrest, ultimately leading to the dropping of all charges against her.

Police, who claim to have been on the lookout for suspicious persons, say they found hundreds of rounds of ammunition for the unloaded registered rifle and gun in Genovese’s vehicle. Genovese claims to have just come from practicing her hobby of target shooting at a nearby range. She says she was never previously warned and was photographing the base for a “Support Our Troops” webpage.

To complicate matters, Genovese was carrying $13,000 in cash, which she claims was to pay school tuition for her children, who were present at the time of the incident. Police say that there are signs prohibiting the use of cameras and other media at the base. Genovese claims that her individual rights have been violated because she was denied a lawyer and not informed she was being arrested until hours after questioning.

There have been many cases of people who have been arrested and later placed on suicide watch, straight-jacketed, and examined by a shrink before being cleared. Genovese claims this is one of many horrible things that have been inflicted on her during her time in police custody. Her experience has Long Islanders questioning at what point police action becomes excessive in similar cases. Or, are cops simply doing their jobs by being proactive against suspicious circumstances?

This case isn’t simply reflective of a bi-partisan struggle. Members of both sides of the political spectrum say that this case illustrates all the ways that civil liberties are threatened and how the fear left over from 9/11 has got the country creeping towards a military state. They insist that Genovese did not commit any crimes, that we are all innocent until proven guilty under the law, and that police have taken an oath to protect constitutional rights as well as the state.

Genovese could receive a “default judgment” due to an error made by Southampton’s Town Attorney. A town response to progress in the case was not sent by the deadline; this was seen as a forgetful mistake on behalf of the town attorney who experienced close family member deaths during the process. As a result he was asked to resign, which he did.

News: Nassau County Shuts Down Crime Lab

(Long Island, N.Y.) Last Friday Nassau County‘s crime lab was shut down as a precautionary policy due to indications that some of the drug testing performed in criminal cases did not produce accurate results. This affects cases that have already been taken to trial and have received verdicts. The recent information may force the county to reexamine past proceedings.

Not surprisingly, Nassau County is arming themselves with a team of defense attorneys. Assuming that the county will have to reconstruct an improved crime lab at the end of the investigation, many Long Islanders are wondering where Nassau County will be getting the finances to complete the project. Just weeks ago, Nassau County announced a state takeover of the 2011 budget and a lawsuit challenging the validity of such an action.

Legally, Nassau County will try to establish a set of rules and create laws to ensure that future crime labs will never again fall under question. The Nassau County Bar Association, which will be creating a task force to make recommendations going forward, has over six thousand members. It is the largest group of suburban law staff in the country.

Most of the criminal cases mishandled by the crime lab were for faulty measurements in drug charges. However, some say that police and lab officials knew about inaccuracies months before the investigation. In admitting to the attempt at a cover up, at least one worker testified to having known about the potential problem with drug measurements since 2006.

What’s being called into question is a grouping of roughly nine thousand cases over the three year period of 2007-2010. These cases will undergo re-measuring and examining to insure the correct findings. In addition to providing the measurements for drug cases, the crime lab deals with cases involving alcohol. The lab determines blood alcohol levels, analyzes DNA samples in homicide cases, and deals with ballistics.

In the testing of nine cases, the lab has already proven that six are responsible for the faulty measuring of ecstasy and ketamine, causing those prosecuted in the cases to be the victims of inaccurate information. The discrepancy in amount could mean the difference between a felony and misdemeanor charge against those convicted. This has led to lengthier sentencing for the guilty parties than what is normally given in cases involving similar amounts collected for the charge.

As a result of the inaccuracies, some prisoners may get to see reduced time behind bars or an overturn of their sentence. Lawyers in sixteen separate cases have already begun to process the challenges of previous convictions. These procedures also apply to convicted persons who are serving time as the result of plea bargains – had facts in the case been altered, the parties involved may not have chosen to plead guilty.

With Nassau County‘s crime lab closed down, county officials are looking to outsource their forensic work to lab agencies in Pennsylvania. Not surprisingly, the expenses involved in outsourcing cases pose an issue for the county budget. Nassau County‘s crime lab was put on probation twice; the last time was in December of 2010, which resulted in findings that sparked the grand-scale investigation. There are over four hundred crime labs in the country, and Nassau County is home to the only one to be under current probation.

Another allegation that came out of December’s probation is that the lab did not keep updated maintenance work on its equipment. It was also reported that there were issues with the lab’s recordkeeping and the storage of evidence used in a variety of cases. The previous probation came less than three years prior to December’s fiasco.

News: Crimes on Long Island

(Long Island, N.Y.)A level three sex offender was convicted this week for the crimes he committed against a seventeen year old girl from Plainview. The charges include first-degree robbery and coercion, criminal possession of a weapon in the third-degree, and second-degree misdemeanor of unlawful imprisonment. Though he’s already served a twenty-year sentence for previous violations, this time he will face another fourteen years behind bars come sentencing in April.

The five-foot-nine hundred-and-sixty pound criminal forced himself into the teenager’s car after knocking on her window and asking about the time. She was parked at a red light when he reached over and unlocked the passenger’s door as she rolled down the window to respond. He then forced her to drive around the area of Old Country Road, and ordered her to park at a specific side street. Once the vehicle came to a halt, he assaulted her; but she was able to grab the keys and get away. Her screams caused the criminal to flee to his vehicle where he was spotted by authorities.

He was arrested on December 19th, 2009 around six-thirty at night after a witness recognized his face from a poster for sex offenders in the area. The witness saw him get into his vehicle, which was parked across from the Plainview Public Library. At the time of his arrest, he was found with a knife.

In 1982 the criminal went to jail for first-degree rape charges and sexual abuse in crimes against two women. He served twenty years in maximum security at Sing Sing prison in New York. This time around, he was convicted by a jury in two days for his crimes against the Plainview woman.

A string of robberies across the Great Neck/ Kings Point area brought residents together for a town meeting this week. The criminal is considered a serial burglar and has attempted to break into seven known homes in the communities within the time frame of December 2010 to January of this year. Police are led to believe that his motives are sexual. Though he had ample opportunity to steal from the residencies, nothing was ever taken.

Nonetheless, the man authorities believe is responsible for the break-ins is a Hispanic man in his twenties and is guilty of a violent past. He is the suspect in an attack with a hammer against a woman from Hempstead. He’s also suspected of raping a two year old in Texas.

Four of the recent break-ins occurred in less than a week. He entered one of the homes through the bathroom window, causing the family’s five year old daughter to scream for help. He tried to pinch her mouth shut, but when that didn’t stop the child from screaming, the man fled from the scene.

In a different break-in the man held a knife to the throat of a sixty-one year old woman who was able to wrestle the weapon away, causing him to flee again. In a third instance, he held a piece of cloth over the mouth of a fifteen-year-old who was also able to subdue the criminal before he fled.

Another instance of crime occurred between Hicksville and the Northern State Parkway when a thirty-eight year old car thief from East Northport led police on a wild pursuit. Because it happened during bumper-to-bumper traffic, a police cruiser and nearly twelve cars were damaged by the chase. The man was eventually accosted, while high on drugs, around Exit 36 near South Oyster Bay Road in a stolen Nissan.