Employees At Kessler Thermometer Exposed To Hazardous Levels Of Mercury

KESSLER THERMOMETER CORPORATION PLEADS GUILTY TO FELONY RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT FOR EXPOSING EMPLOYEES TO MERCURY CAUSING THEM SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURIES

Robert Peyser, the Owner and Principal Agent of Kessler Thermometer Corp., Also Pleaded Guilty to Misdemeanor Reckless Endangerment

Robert Peyser, the Owner and Principal Agent of Kessler Thermometer Corp(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Robert Peyser, 66, of Bellmore, and his corporation, Kessler Thermometer Corp., located in West Babylon, pleaded guilty to Reckless Endangerment, for knowingly exposing several of their employees to hazardous levels of mercury and for not providing proper ventilation or protective equipment to them, despite having knowledge of at least one employee’s prior mercury poisoning diagnosis.

“Despite being notified that an employee was suffering from mercury poisoning, this defendant and his corporation continued to put their employees’ health, and lives, at risk,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I thank our detectives in the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad, as well as the EPA and OSHA, for their efforts to ensure that these defendants were held responsible for their actions.”

“Kessler Thermometer Corp. knowingly endangered the lives and health of their employees by ignoring basic safeguards to control hazardous mercury in the workplace and failed to acknowledge its employees were being sickened by mercury exposure,” said OSHA Area Director Kevin Sullivan. “This company has been operating for about 20 years and knows the dangers their workers face.”

“We reserve criminal investigation for egregious cases involving serious employer misconduct, especially when workers are placed in harm’s way,” said Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge with EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in New York. “Workplace safety violations will continue to be an area of focus for EPA to ensure employers are following important health and safety requirements.”

According to the investigation and admissions made during guilty plea allocutions, on or about August 29, 2022, several employees of Kessler Thermometer Corp. were exposed to mercury at their worksite in West Babylon. Mercury is a neurotoxin and hazardous substance. Once spilled, if mercury is not cleaned properly, it can vaporize into the air. The mercury exposure can result in internal injuries, such as lethal damage to the nervous system, lungs, kidneys, and heart. It can also severely attack one’s mental faculties.

Employees of Kessler Thermometer Corp. worked with mercury daily when manufacturing and filling orders for glass thermometers and hydrometers. These employees were exposed to the neurotoxin when glass instruments or machines broke, causing the mercury to spill on their work area, clothes, and skin. The employees were not provided with the proper protection, ventilation, or cleaning supplies needed once a spill occurred, causing the mercury to vaporize into the air.

In the days and weeks after the large mercury spill on August 29, 2022, multiple employees began to exhibit symptoms consistent with mercury poisoning and receive medical treatment at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. According to blood and urine tests, four employees exhibited high levels of mercury and were diagnosed with mercury poisoning. One of those employees had a heart block which required the implementation of a permanent pacemaker. Another employee was in a coma, and to this day needs an oxygen tank to assist his breathing. Other employees suffered from memory loss and fatigue. A treating physician notified OSHA, the EPA, and the New York State Department of Health of the employees’ mercury exposure.

There were several complaints prior to the August 29, 2022 incident, particularly in July 2020, when Peyser was notified by a physician that one of the employees at Kessler Thermometer Corp. had been exposed to toxic levels of mercury. The physician recommended that Peyser implement the necessary health and safety procedures to protect all of his employees at Kessler Thermometer Corp. However, Kessler Thermometer Corp. failed to change and implement proper health and safety standards. During his plea, Peyser himself admitted that he failed to implement the necessary and legally required safety measures to protect the corporation’s employees from the harmful effects of mercury.

On October 18, 2024, Kessler Thermometer Corp. pleaded guilty, as charged, to Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, a Class D felony, before Acting County Court Judge Pierce F. Cohalan. As a component of an extensive plea disposition, the SCDA required the corporation to pay $75,000 in fines. This is in addition to a separate civil assessment of approximately $97,000 against Kessler as a result of OSHA violations.

On that same day, Peyser pleaded guilty to Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor, before Judge Cohalan. Peyser was sentenced to probation on December 13, 2024. During his probationary period, Peyser must ensure corporate compliance with all of OSHA’s, the EPA’s, and the NYS DEC’s health and safety standards. Should he violate any term of his plea or condition of his probation, Peyser faces a sentence of up to 1 year in jail.

Peyser and Kessler Thermometer Corp. are being represented by Michael J. Brown, Esq. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adriana Noyola of the Biological Environmental Animal Safety Team (BEAST), and the investigation was conducted by Detective

Thomas Smith and other members of the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad.

Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.4

725 Veterans Memorial Highway ● Building 77 ● Hauppauge, NY 11788 ● 631.852.3185 SuffolkCountyNY.gov/DA ● x.com/RayTierneyDA ● instagram.com/RayTierneyDA

DA Tierney Charges Two Men With Illegal Dumping

DISTRICT ATTORNEY TIERNEY CHARGES CO-DEFENDANTS WITH VIOLATING SUFFOLK’S EVERGREEN LAW

Charles Weiss and Marvin Sandoval Allegedly Dumped a U-Haul Truck’s Worth of Garbage in the Long Island Pine Barrens

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Charles Weiss, 32, of Coram, and Marvin Sandoval, 28, of Ronkonkoma, were arrested for violating Suffolk’s new Evergreen Law by allegedly dumping a pile of construction waste and household debris in a remote wooded area within the protected Long Island Central Pine Barrens Region.

“Last December, I stood with the County Executive, Sheriff, and other law enforcement partners charged with protecting our environment to announce the Evergreen Initiative,” said District Attorney Tierney. “The Long Island Pine Barrens are necessary to the health of our ecosystem, but at the same time, is incredibly fragile. I am fully committed to preserving our natural heritage and will take any and all actions necessary to deter and defend against pollution.”

“Any person who is caught dumping trash or any other debris in our county parks will face the full strength of the law,” said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. “I thank District Attorney Ray Tierney and the Suffolk County Park Rangers and Police Department for their dedication to protecting our parklands and communities.”

According to the investigation, on November 6, 2024, Weiss and Sandoval allegedly loaded a U-Haul box truck with construction waste and household debris and then drove into a remote wooded area within the Long Island Central Pine Barrens Region where they dumped the contents of the truck onto the forest floor. The materials they allegedly dumped consisted of pieces of wood furniture, used paint cans, paint rollers, shower doors, chandeliers, large pieces of styrofoam, a sink, a granite countertop, tools, and multiple bags of household garbage.

The defendants’ alleged conduct was uncovered by two civilian witnesses who had the good conscience and initiative to sift through the pile for any identifying information and then contact law enforcement. A joint investigation between the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Suffolk County Park Rangers, and the Town of Riverhead Police Department identified Weiss and Sandoval, who had allegedly solicited a job of cleaning up a house for a $1,000 fee and then, instead of proper disposal, allegedly selected the Pine Barrens as their dump site.

About the Evergreen Initiative

In December 2023, District Attorney Raymond Tierney, County Executive Ed Romaine, and Sheriff Errol Toulon, along with leadership of the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Suffolk County Park Rangers, Long Island Pine Barrens Law Enforcement Commission, and Crime Stoppers, announced the Suffolk County Evergreen Initiative - a collaborative plan to curb illegal dumping on county property and within the Central Pine Barrens Region by ramping up and coordinating enforcement, imposing harsher fines, and enhancing civilian incentive to report dumpers.

In early 2024, the Suffolk County Legislature amended Suffolk County Code § 433-7 to raise the maximum fines for dumping in the Pine Barrens Region to $15,000 for individuals and $25,000 for corporations. It additionally mandated that 33% of fines collected from convictions under the statute would be remitted to members of the public who provided information leading to the arrest and conviction of offenders. This award was designed to spur the interest and assistance of the public in identifying and preventing illegal dumping in this largely unsurveilled area.

The Evergreen Initiative thus relies heavily on deterrence and citizen stewardship as a means of protecting an otherwise vulnerable and voiceless victim. The amendments were thereafter signed into law by the County Executive and enacted in March 2024.

About the Pine Barrens

The Long Island Pine Barrens Region, also referred to as the Long Island Pine Barrens Preserve, Central Pine Barrens Area, Core Preservation Area or Compatible Growth Area, is Long Island’s largest natural area and its last remaining wilderness, covering more than 100,000 acres. The Pine Barrens Region overlays and recharges a vast portion of Long Island’s sole-source aquifer. All of Long Island’s drinking water comes from underground wells fed by this aquifer. The majority of the Carmans River and Peconic River and their watersheds exist within the Pine Barrens. The Pine Barrens are a vital stopping point for various species of migratory birds and Long Island’s last undisturbed home to a vast array of local wildlife.

The health of all of Long Island is utterly dependent on the integrity of the Pine Barrens. In recognition of its extreme ecological significance – not just as a wildlife preserve but sole source of drinking water – New York State enacted the Long Island Pine Barrens Maritime Reserve Act in 1990 and, along with it, the Central Pine Barrens joint planning and policy commission.

On November 27, 2024, Weiss and Sandoval were each arraigned on charges of violating section 433-7 of the Suffolk County Code (the Evergreen Law). Riverhead Town Justice Court Judge Sean Walter ordered both Weiss and Sandoval were released on their own recognizance. Weiss and Sandoval are both due back in court on January 8, 2025. Weiss is being represented by William Newman, Esq., and Sandoval is being represented by Robert Strecker, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Williams of the District Attorney’s Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Thomas Smith of the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad, with investigative assistance provided by Suffolk County Park Rangers and members of the Riverhead Town Police Department.

NJ Woman Arrested Charged With Stealing $400,00 From St. James Company

DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARGES FORMER ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING MORE THAN $400,000 FROM ST. JAMES HVAC COMPANY

Eleni Kalodis Allegedly Redirected Her Employer’s Vendor Credits to Her Personal Accounts in Order to Fund Lavish Lifestyle

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the arrest of Eleni Kalodis, 54, of Fort Lee, New Jersey, for Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, for allegedly stealing vendor credits from a St. James-based HVAC company and then transferring the funds to her personal accounts during her six years employed there in order to subsidize various extravagant expenses.

“The alleged acts of this defendant illustrate an employee who exploited her position of trust to systematically steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Trust is the foundation of which business and our economy thrive. Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who betray their professional responsibilities for personal gain.”

According to the investigation, from March 2017 to December 2023, Kalodis allegedly stole funds in the form of purchase order credits from Islandaire, a nationwide specialty air conditioning and heating manufacturer, which were due and payable to the vendors who conducted business with the company.

Kalodis, in her capacity as the Credits Receivable Supervisor, was the only individual at Islandaire who had access to crediting the company’s vendor accounts, and she allegedly took this unfettered opportunity to steal over $400,000 from the company for over six years, by redirecting those credits into her own accounts to pay her expenses, including restaurants, hotels, vacations and crypto currency purchases.

On October 30, 2024, District Court Judge Alonzo Jacobs ordered Kalodis placed on supervised release and ordered her to surrender her passport during the pendency of the case. Kalodis is due back in court on November 20, 2024, and he is being represented by William Newman, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Milito of the Financial Crime

Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Special Investigator Robert Magrino from the

Suffolk County District Attorney’s Financial Crime Bureau.

Cuomo: ‘Trump should immediately apologize for the garbage he brought to New York.’

Cuomo: ‘Trump should immediately apologize for the garbage he brought to New York.’

Andrew M. Cuomo, the 56th governor of the State of New York, issued the below statement in response to a vile anti-Puerto Rico ‘comedy routine’ by Tony Hinchcliffe during Former President Trump’s political rally at Madison Square Garden earlier today. 

“This is not funny- this is a continuation of the disrespect of our brothers and sisters– our fellow Americans– in Puerto Rico.

“To make such disgusting comments in New York, the home of more Puerto Ricans than anywhere outside of Puerto Rico is even more obnoxious and an insult to all who live here. 

“Donald Trump should immediately apologize for the garbage he brought to New York.”

Two People Plead Guilty To Sexually Exploiting 14-Year-Old

HUNTINGTON STATION WOMAN AND MAN PLEAD GUILTY TO SEXUALLY EXPLOITING A 14-YEAR-OLD CHILD

Woman Who Sex Trafficked the Child Faces 10 Years in Prison Man Who Sexually Abused the Child Faces 8 Years in Prison

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the conviction of a 42-year-old woman and 53-year-old man,1 both of Huntington Station, for crimes associated with the sex trafficking of a 14-year-old child.

“These defendants exploited an innocent child for financial gain by trafficking her and committing repugnant acts of sexual exploitation,” said District Attorney Tierney. “These guilty pleas and ensuing prison sentences will allow the victim to begin to heal from the trauma that she endured, without being subjected to testifying in court against her abusers. My office will continue to support child victims and ensure that sex traffickers and their enablers are held fully accountable for their horrific actions.”

According to the investigation, the female defendant began dating the victim’s mother in 2019 and began to regularly stay at her apartment where she lived with three children, including the 14-year-old victim. The female defendant regularly watched the victim and siblings while their mother was at work.

The District Attorney is not identifying the defendants to protect the identity of the child victim. During these times, the male defendant, who was friends with the female co-defendant, began stopping by the apartment. Both defendants engaged in predatory grooming behaviors such as talking to the victim about engaging in sex with the male defendant.

In November 2019, while the victim’s mother was at work, the then 49-year-old male defendant picked up the victim, then 14 years old, from the apartment and brought the victim to a motel in Huntington, where he raped the victim. Afterwards, he gave the victim cash and directed the victim to give the money to the female defendant.

The female defendant sold the victim to the male defendant for sex at least three more times over the course of the next year – when the victim was between 14 and 15 years old. In each of these instances, the female defendant arranged for the male defendant to take the victim to the same motel where he would subject the victim to sexual acts and then pay the female defendant. All the incidents occurred while the female defendant was caring for the victim and her sibling while their mother was at work.

The victim disclosed the sexual abuse to a counselor in August 2022, after one of the victim’s younger siblings told the victim that they were also approached by the female defendant to engage in similar sexual activity with the male defendant. When the victim learned that the sibling was in danger, the victim disclosed the sexual abuse in order to protect the sibling. Both defendants were arrested on September 13, 2023.

On October 2, 2024, the male defendant pleaded guilty to one count of Aggravated Patronizing a Minor, a Class D felony, and two counts of Rape in the Second Degree, Class D felonies, before Acting Supreme Court Judge Karen M. Wilutis. He is due back in court on November 1, 2024, and is expected to be sentenced to 8 years in prison, followed by 10 years of post-release supervision.

He will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. He is being represented by William Ferro, Esq.

On October 18, 2024, the female defendant pleaded guilty to Sex Trafficking of a Child, a Class B violent felony, before Acting Supreme Court Judge Karen M. Wilutis.

She is due back in court on November 21, 2024, and is expected to be sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of post-release supervision. She will be required to register as a sex offender upon her release from prison. She is being represented by Scott Zerner, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Zachary Kelly of the H.E.A.T. Unit (Hate Crimes, Elder Abuse, Anti-Bias/Immigrant Affairs, Human Trafficking), and the investigation was conducted by Detective John Paul O’Connor of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Human Trafficking Investigations Unit.

Sheriff Toulon Awards Veteran Mike Milano "Community Leadership Award"

SUFFOLK COUNTY SHERIFF HONORS LOCAL VETERAN WITH FIRST COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD

Mike Kilano and Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. at Paws of War (Nesconset, NY) Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. recently awarded the first ever Suffolk Sheriff’s Office Community Leadership Award to Mike Kilano, a United States Marine veteran, veteran advocate, and crisis coordinator for Paws of War. 

Mike, a North Babylon resident, received the “Sheriff Toulon Community Leadership Award” in recognition of his ongoing efforts to support veterans through his work at Paws of War and his volunteer initiatives. Most recently, Mike participated in the 22 PAC PTSD Awareness Challenge, a 22-mile kayak journey from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Port Jefferson. This event raises awareness for PTSD and veteran suicides, symbolizing the 22 veterans who tragically take their own lives each day.   

Mike is the first recipient of the award, which Sheriff Toulon will present monthly to recognize the efforts of Suffolk County residents who have gone above and beyond to improve their communities and support their neighbors. 

Ray Meyer, Sheriff Toulon, Mike Kilano, and Robert MisseriPaws Of War is a non-profit that works to assist veterans, first responders and their families through many programs including providing service animals to those in need.  Simultaneously, they rescue and rehabilitate dogs and cats in dire straits, often plucking them from the brink of despair and giving them a new chance at life – helping both ends of the leash.  

To nominate someone for Sheriff Toulon’s Community Leadership Award please email: Suffolk_Sheriff@SuffolkCountyny.gov

Smithtown Man Charged In Fatal Overdose

SMITHTOWN MAN CHARGED IN NASSAU OVERDOSE REMANDED INTO SUFFOLK CUSTODY

Daquan Booker Held Without Bail on Prior Suffolk County Indictment

Daquan Booker(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Daquan Booker, 34, of Smithtown, was ordered remanded after a Suffolk County Court hearing following his re-arrest by Nassau County authorities. Booker had previously been placed into the Suffolk County Court’s Judicial Diversion Program, over the objection of prosecutors.

“The State Legislature has insulated narcotics traffickers like Daquan Booker from the consequences of their actions by prohibiting prosecutors from asking for bail and silencing us in decisions to divert cases away from impactful sentencing. The results have been deadly,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Distribution of fentanyl is never victimless. It is depraved indifference to the lives of our communities and children and prosecutors must be empowered to stop it. The diversion courts in Suffolk and New York are broken and must be fixed before more innocent lives are lost.”

“I am pleased that Daquan Booker was remanded after his court appearance today in Suffolk County. This defendant is being prosecuted in both Suffolk and Nassau Counties for possessing and selling deadly fentanyl. Just yesterday, he was arraigned for allegedly selling illegal opioids to 17-year-old Grace Wrightington that contained fentanyl and resulted in her fatal overdose. However, we could not charge Booker with Grace’s senseless death because of deficiencies in our state law,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly. Working together with District Attorney Tierney, we will continue to put pressure on our legislature to pass meaningful reforms that finally hold drug dealers accountable for the deaths their drugs cause and the pain they inflict upon the families of those who tragically overdose.”

On July 11, 2023, members of the Suffolk County Police Department arrested Booker following the culmination of an investigation that found Booker had sold pressed fentanyl pills to undercover officers. Though Booker was promptly indicted, he remained out of custody because his charges were considered non-bail eligible under New York State law, meaning that prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set, bail.

On February 27, 2024, Booker pleaded guilty to all four counts in the indictment – which contained two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree – in exchange for the Court’s commitment to allow the defendant to participate in the Judicial Diversion Program, a state-created program reserved for those individuals whose crimes are found to have a nexus with a defendant’s personal substance abuse or addiction. The District Attorney’s Office had strongly opposed his entry into the program.

On June 15, 2024, members of the Suffolk County Police Department arrested Booker on a second occasion, following an alleged Reckless Driving offense that resulted in additional charges for Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, Resisting Arrest, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, and Assault in the Second Degree. Although he was remanded following his arrest, the Court later decided to release Booker in August, and afford him an additional opportunity to resume participation in the Judicial Diversion Program. This decision, too, was over an objection by the District Attorney.

On October 11, 2024, Booker was arrested on an indictment warrant that had been issued out of neighboring Nassau County. In execution of that warrant, authorities apprehended Booker at the Riverhead Correctional Facility, where he had intended to visit an inmate. Upon his return to Nassau County for processing, Booker was allegedly found to possess a quantity of cocaine, resulting in yet another criminal charge for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree. Booker was released following arraignment on all charges in Nassau County on October 15, 2024.

On October 16, 2024, subject to a renewed application by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Booker was remanded without bail on his original case pending in Suffolk County Court, and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. His next scheduled court date has been set for November 1, 2024.

Supreme Court Justice Philip Goglas, who remanded Booker, had previously promised the defendant an upstate sentence of two years determinate; to be followed by two years of post-release supervision, should Booker fail to complete the terms of treatment set forth in his Judicial Diversion contract. He is being represented by Danielle Papa, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lauren Golombek of the Narcotics Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by members of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Narcotics Section.

Police Officer And High School Teacher Indicted For Promoting Prostitution In Suffolk County

SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE OFFICER AND ISLIP HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AMONG THOSE INDICTED FOR ALLEGEDLY PARTICIPATING IN A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE THAT PROMOTED PROSTITUTION IN SUFFOLK COUNTY

Frank Saggio, Police Officer George Trimigliozzi, Islip Teacher Steven Arey, and Dana Ciardullo Allegedly Operated Two Brothels in Suffolk County Over a Period of Four Years

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the indictment of FRANK SAGGIO, GEORGE TRIMIGLIOZZI, STEVEN AREY, and DANA CIARDULLO, accused of Enterprise Corruption and Promoting Prostitution, among other charges, for allegedly running multiple brothels in Suffolk County.

“It is a sad day in law enforcement when a public servant is arrested. However, I made a commitment to this County that no one is above the law, and that includes those who are supposed to embody the best of public service,” said District Attorney Tierney. “The allegations in this indictment describe a long-term pattern of organized criminal activity and a shocking betrayal of public trust.”

According to the years-long investigation, between October 2019 and June 2024, SAGGIO was allegedly the leader of a criminal enterprise that profited from the systematic promotion of prostitution at two locations in Suffolk County. Members of the alleged Saggio Prostitution Enterprise include TRIMIGLIOZZI, an 18-year veteran of the Suffolk County Police Department; AREY, a 26-year employee of the Islip School District; and CIARDULLO, SAGGIO’s girlfriend.

Each of the criminal defendants are alleged to have unlawfully promoted prostitution by hiring sex workers, collecting proceeds of prostitution from sex workers known as “house fees,” and posting advertisements seeking patrons of prostitution. TRIMIGLIOZZI and AREY allegedly served as managers on SAGGIO’s behalf at a building located on Sunrise Highway in Holbrook known as the American Girls Spa “Suite 3.” The Sunrise Highway building also contained two additional brothels allegedly managed by SAGGIO: Spa “Suite 4” and Reiki for Healing “Suite 5.”

CIARDULLO, the fourth member of the alleged criminal enterprise, served as a manager on SAGGIO’s behalf at a location in West Babylon known as the Tunnel of Love.

The investigation further uncovered that an alleged robbery occurred at the American Girls Spa on March 19, 2021. TRIMIGLIOZZI, in his capacity as a manager of the brothel, was called by a sex worker who reported a customer had been robbed while waiting for prostitution services at the American Girls Spa. The sex worker further notified TRIMIGLIOZZI that police officers would be dispatched to the location in response to the prostitution customer’s call to 911.

TRIMIGLIOZZI, who was on duty as a police officer at the time, allegedly abandoned his assigned post in the Third Precinct without permission from the police department and drove at a speed nearing 90 miles per hour in his marked patrol car to the brothel in Holbrook, which was located in the confines of the Fifth Precinct. He then allegedly falsified paperwork with the police department in which he did not disclose his unauthorized response to the American Girls Spa in Holbrook. He also allegedly falsified the records of the police department by not disclosing to the department his outside employment as a manager in SAGGIO’s alleged criminal enterprise.

SAGGIO was also indicted on two counts of Sex Trafficking related to his alleged requirement that sex workers engage in prostitution in order to pay him a minimum amount of money each month. Specifically, he allegedly had sex workers who could not read or speak in English sign purported leases which required them to (1) pay $6,000 per month at Suite 4, and (2) $12,000 per month at Tunnel of Love.3

On October 15, 2024, the defendants were each arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei.

SAGGIO, 60, of West Islip, is charged with:

 One count of Enterprise Corruption, a Class B felony;

 Two counts of Sex Trafficking, a Class B felony; and

 51 counts of Promoting Prostitution in the Third Degree, a Class D felony.

Justice Mazzei ordered SAGGIO held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond or $5,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. SAGGIO is due back in court on December 9, 2024, and faces 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is represented by Anthony LaPinta, Esq.

TRIMIGLIOZZI, 55, of Islip, is charged with:

 One count of Enterprise Corruption, a Class B felony;

 13 counts of Promoting Prostitution in the Third Degree, Class D felonies;

 Two counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, Class E felonies;

 One count of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a Class E felony;

and

 One count of Official Misconduct, a Class A misdemeanor. Justice Mazzei ordered TRIMIGLIOZZI held on $25,000 cash, $50,000 bond or $500,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. TRIMIGLIOZZI is due back in court on December 9, 2024, and faces 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is represented by William Keahon, Esq.

AREY, 53, of Islip, is charged with:

 One count of Enterprise Corruption, a Class B felony; and

 27 counts of Promoting Prostitution in the Third Degree, Class D felonies.

Justice Mazzei ordered AREY held $25,000 cash, $50,000 bond or $500,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case.4

AREY is due back in court on December 9, 2024, and faces 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is represented by William Wexler, Esq.

CIARDULLO, 32, of North Bellmore, is charged with:

 One count of Enterprise Corruption, a Class B felony; and

 17 counts of Promoting Prostitution in the Third Degree, Class D felonies.

Justice Mazzei ordered CIARDULLO held $25,000 cash, $50,000 bond or $500,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. CIARDULLO is due back in court on December 9, 2024, and faces 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. She is represented by Jan Goldman, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Bureau Chief Laura de Oliveira and Bureau Chief Kevin Ward of the Public Corruption Bureau. The investigation was conducted by investigators assigned to the District Attorney’s Public Corruption Squad.

DA Announces Seizure Of Fentanyl With Potential To Kill 3.5 Million People

BELLPORT MAN INDICTED AS A MAJOR TRAFFICKER AFTER LARGEST FENTANYL SEIZURE IN SUFFOLK HISTORY

The Amount of Fentanyl Seized by the District Attorney’s Task Force Could Have Killed 3.5 Million People

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Remon Gibson, 43, of Bellport, was indicted for Operating as a Major Trafficker, and other related charges, after law enforcement allegedly uncovered 33 pounds of illegal narcotics, including approximately 7 kilograms of fentanyl and 8 kilograms of cocaine in his home.

“The amount of deadly narcotics seized in this operation is staggering. There was enough Fentanyl here to kill every man, woman, and child on Long Island,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This case underscores our unwavering commitment to dismantling drug operations that threaten our communities.”

“The arrest and indictment of Reman Gibson shows the commitment the DEA and our law enforcement partners have in targeting those individuals who are poisoning our communities. Fentanyl is a lethal drug that dealers mix into their product knowing the harmful effects it presents to those using it, including death,” said DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “We will continue to bring those responsible for this deadly distribution to justice.”

According to the investigation, on September 25, 2024, members of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and Police Department, assigned to the District Attorney’s Fentanyl Task Force, as well as members of the DEA New York’s Drug Enforcement Task Force, executed a search warrant at 5 Sunburst Lane in Bellport. The search allegedly yielded approximately 7 kilograms of fentanyl, over 8 kilograms of cocaine in brick form, about half a kilogram of xylazine, and various types of drug paraphernalia. Additionally, authorities allegedly seized around $80,000 in cash, a drug ledger, and kilo presses, including one with plates used for bricks of fentanyl and cocaine, stamped “COVID 19.”

Notably, a large quantity of fentanyl was allegedly discovered on a nightstand in Gibson’s bedroom, adjacent to a room occupied by his two minor children. Cocaine was also allegedly found hidden in a trap behind a backyard shed. On October 9, 2024, Gibson was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro for the following charges contained in the indictment:

 One count of Operating as a Major Trafficker, a Class A-I felony;

 Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, Class

A-I felonies;

 Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Class

B felonies;

 Three counts of the Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia, Class A misdemeanors; and

 Two counts of Endangering Welfare of a Child, Class A misdemeanors.

Justice Ambro ordered Gibson held on $200,000 cash, $800,000 bond or $2,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Gibson is due back in court on November 8, 2024, and faces a minimum of 15 years to life in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by George Duncan, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Saam Jalayer of the Narcotics Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Damian Torres of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Fentanyl Task Force.

Suffolk County Corrections Officer Indicted For Sexually Assaulting An Inmate

Jason Middleton Allegedly Forced an Inmate in the Riverhead Correctional Facility to

Perform Oral Sex on Him

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Jason Middleton, 35, a Suffolk County corrections officer, of Central Islip, was indicted for Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree and Official Misconduct for allegedly forcing an inmate to perform sex acts in the Riverhead Correctional Facility while he was on duty.

“Today we announce that the grand jury has returned an indictment against a corrections officer employed at the Riverhead Correctional Facility on charges related to alleged misconduct with an inmate,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This indictment is the result of a thorough investigation conducted by my office in partnership with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. We take allegations of misconduct by those in positions of authority seriously, especially when they involve vulnerable individuals in custody, and we are committed to pursuing justice and respecting the rights of all parties involved.”

“The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office has zero tolerance for the alleged actions of this employee,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. “We will continue to work with the District Attorney’s Office for any further assistance needed with this case. The allegations against this officer are in no way a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of the men and women of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, who serve with honor every day.”According to the investigation, on a date between April 26, 2023, and September 29, 2023, while Middleton was working as a corrections officer in the Riverhead Correctional Facility and tasked with guarding inmates, he allegedly escorted an inmate into a utility walkway between jail cells that he knew to be a blind spot in security camera coverage. Once inside, he allegedly closed the door and ordered the inmate to perform oral sex upon him, and the inmate complied. Prior to the commission of the alleged sexual assault, Middleton had allegedly previously threatened the inmate that if the inmate ever disobeyed him, he would plant contraband in the inmate’s cell that would result in additional criminal charges filed against the inmate.

On November 24, 2023, members of the District Attorney’s Public Corruption Squad arrested Middleton. He has been suspended without pay since his arrest.

On October 11, 2024, Middleton was arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis for Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree, a Class E felony, and Official Misconduct, a Class A misdemeanor.

Justice Wilutis ordered Middleton placed on supervised release during the pendency of the case. Middleton is due back in court on November 25, 2024, and faces 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by James Pascarella, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Bureau Chief Laura de Oliveira and Bureau Chief Kevin Ward of the Public Corruption Bureau.