Massapequa, NY
News
'Brazen Burglar' Sentenced For Role In Stealing $1M In Cash, Property From Long Island Homes 'Brazen Burglar' Sentenced For Role In Stealing $1M In Cash, Property From Long Island Homes
'Brazen Burglar' Sentenced For Role In Stealing $1M In Cash, Property From Long Island Homes For taking part in a lucrative burglary ring that targeted affluent homes on Long Island, a convicted felon will spend two decades in prison. Andres Zapata, age 24, of Queens, was sentenced to 20 years behind bars Wednesday, Oct. 12, in Nassau County Supreme Court. The sentence followed his jury conviction in April 2022 on seven counts of second-degree burglary, attempted burglary, and possession of burglar tools. Prosecutors argued that Zapata and his co-defendants burglarized or attempted to burglarize eight houses in gated communities on the North Shore of Nassau County between May and…

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by Michael Mashburn
Massapequa, NY
Police & Fire
Levittown Man Accused Of Choking 10-Year-Old, Hitting Child's Mother Levittown Man Accused Of Choking 10-Year-Old, Hitting Child's Mother
Levittown Man Accused Of Choking 10-Year-Old, Hitting Child's Mother A Long Island man was charged with assault after allegedly choking a 10-year-old boy and hitting his mother. The incident took place in Jericho on Sunday, June 27. According to detectives, a witness, and the mother of an 11-year-old (10 at the time of the incident) boy, came to the Second Precinct Station House in Woodbury to report an incident that occurred in her home in June of 2021.  The mother told police she heard a disturbance coming from her son’s bedroom. When she entered she saw her friend, Harshdeep (Harry) Brar, age 29, of Levittown, with his arm around her …

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by Kathy Reakes
Newburgh, NY
News
Home Depot Employee Trapped Under Forklift Seriously Injured In Hudson Valley Home Depot Employee Trapped Under Forklift Seriously Injured In Hudson Valley
Home Depot Employee Trapped Under Forklift Seriously Injured In Hudson Valley A Hudson Valley Home Depot employee was seriously injured after being trapped under a forklift. The incident took place in Orange County around 1 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 20, in Monroe. According to Monroe Fire District Chief Rich Lenahan, the fire department responded to the store at 254 Larkin Drive for a call regarding a worker trapped. When firefighters and EMS arrived on the scene they found an employee trapped under the rear of a forklift, Lenahan said. New York State troopers were on the scene administering care when the fire department arrived, he added. Monroe firefighters, assisted…

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by Kathy Reakes
Massapequa, NY
Police & Fire
Police Searching For Suspects In Long Island Home Burglary Police Searching For Suspects In Long Island Home Burglary
Police Searching For Suspects In Long Island Home Burglary Police are searching for suspects who broke into a Long Island home, ransacked the home, and stole items. The incident took place in Woodbury around 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 10. According to Nassau County Police detectives, the victim left his Chauncey Place home from Saturday, Sept. 10 to Sunday, Sept. 11, and when he returned he found the rear sliding glass door was wide open and the house was ransacked by an unknown person.  No injuries were reported. The missing items are unknown at this time, police said.  The investigation is ongoing. Detectives request anyone with i…

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by Kathy Reakes
Newburgh, NY
Police & Fire
Police ID 62-Year-Old Killed In Head-On Hudson Valley Crash Police ID 62-Year-Old Killed In Head-On Hudson Valley Crash
Police ID 62-Year-Old Killed In Head-On Hudson Valley Crash State police have released the identity of a man killed during a head-on, three-car Hudson Valley crash, that also injured five. Sullivan County resident IkSong Jin, age 62, from Monticello died after the crash that took place in Orange County on Monday, Aug. 15 in Woodbury. An initial investigation of the crash revealed that a 2021 Ford Explorer was traveling east on Route 6 when the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Rockland County resident Chaim Gordon, age 24, from Spring Valley, attempted to pass a Cadillac in front of him and crossed over the double yellow line and entered th…

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by Kathy Reakes
Newburgh, NY
Police & Fire
1 Killed, 5 Injured In Head-On Hudson Valley Crash 1 Killed, 5 Injured In Head-On Hudson Valley Crash
1 Killed, 5 Injured In Head-On Hudson Valley Crash One person was killed and five injured during a head-on, three-car Hudson Valley crash. It took place in Orange County around 8:30 p.m., on Monday, Aug. 15 in Woodbury, on Route 6. An initial investigation of the crash revealed that a 2021 Ford Explorer was traveling east on Route 6 when the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Rockland County resident Chaim Gordon, age 24, from Spring Valley, attempted to pass a Cadillac in front of him and crossed over the double yellow line and entered the opposite lane striking a 2003 Nissan X-Terra head-on, said Trooper Steven Nevel.  …

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by Kathy Reakes
Massapequa, NY
Police & Fire
Driver Apprehended In Seaford After Nearly Striking Vehicle, Fleeing Officers, Police Say Driver Apprehended In Seaford After Nearly Striking Vehicle, Fleeing Officers, Police Say
Driver Apprehended In Seaford After Nearly Striking Vehicle, Fleeing Officers, Police Say A 45-year-old man was apprehended after authorities said he nearly struck a police vehicle with a van and ran away from officers on Long Island. Angelo Santamaria, of Woodbury, was arrested in Seaford at 4:20 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 1, according to the Nassau County Police Department. Officers responded to a report of a suspicious 1999 Ford Econoline E350 in the area of Island Channel Road in Wantagh and saw Santamaria swerve the vehicle into oncoming traffic and nearly hit a marked police vehicle, police said. Police tried to pull the van over, but Santamaria initially refused to s…

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by Nicole Valinote
Massapequa, NY
News
NY Man Sentenced For Role In $12M Ponzi Scheme Targeting Nearly 50 Victims NY Man Sentenced For Role In $12M Ponzi Scheme Targeting Nearly 50 Victims
NY Man Sentenced For Role In $12M Ponzi Scheme Targeting Nearly 50 Victims A New York man was sentenced for his role in a $12 million Ponzi scheme that targeted nearly 50 victims from throughout the region and the nation between 2015 and 2017. Long Island resident Matthew Eckstein, age 52, of Syosset, was sentenced on Monday, July 11 to three-and-a-half to 10-and-a-half years in prison. Eckstein originally pleaded guilty to the charges on September 26, 2019, but later withdrew his plea. A new indictment was secured in August 2020, but court closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic further delayed the case. “This defendant preyed upon seniors and hard-working men…

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by Joe Lombardi
Brentwood, NY
Lifestyle
Popular Eatery Opens Fourth Long Island Location Popular Eatery Opens Fourth Long Island Location
Popular Eatery Opens Fourth Long Island Location The owners of a popular group of restaurants have opened their fourth Long Island location, and first in Suffolk County. Dirty Taco + Tequila began serving customers at their new location in Patchogue in March. The restaurant is located at 32 West Main St. The owners also operate locations in Rockville Centre, Woodbury, and Wantagh. The new location has already begun seeing positive reviews from customers. "I've been to all 4 locations," Vanessa C., of a Plainview, said in a Yelp review. "All are consistent with food and drink quality. I love the Mexican-Asian fusion. Nothing quite …

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by Nicole Valinote
Massapequa, NY
News
Man Sentenced For Nassau County Burglary Spree Targeting Gated Communities On North Shore Man Sentenced For Nassau County Burglary Spree Targeting Gated Communities On North Shore
Man Sentenced For Nassau County Burglary Spree Targeting Gated Communities On North Shore A man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for stealing more than $1 million in cash and items from homes in gated communities on the North Shore, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office said.  Brayan Castano, age 33, of Queens, was part of a group who stole or tried to steal from eight houses in Old Westbury, Manhasset, Jericho and Woodbury from May 2018 to September 2018, the office reports. Some of the stolen items included money, jewelry and designer handbags.  The group specifically chose gated communities with one entrance and exit and would often hit up the ne…

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by David Cifarelli
Newburgh, NY
News
Source Of Threat ID'd At Hudson Valley School District Source Of Threat ID'd At Hudson Valley School District
Source Of Threat ID'd At Hudson Valley School District This story has been updated. Police have identified the juvenile who emailed a serious threat against a Hudson Valley elementary school. The threat was received in Orange County in the village of Montgomery on Monday, June 6. According to Montgomery Village Police Chief William Herlihy, the threat was made against Montgomery Elementary School. "The origin of the email has been identified and was made by a juvenile," the chief said.  Due to an ongoing investigation, the chief declined to say what was in the email.  All schools now have an "enhanced" police presence, t…

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by Kathy Reakes
Newburgh, NY
News
24-Year-Old Found Guilty Of Rape In Hudson Valley 24-Year-Old Found Guilty Of Rape In Hudson Valley
24-Year-Old Found Guilty Of Rape In Hudson Valley A New York jury has found a 24-year-old Connecticut man guilty of rape. Fairfield County resident Lucas Xavier, of Brookfield, was convicted Thursday, May 12, following a trial for third-degree rape in Orange County. The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred in Woodbury in 2019, according to New York State Police. Xavier had been accused of forcible sexual intercourse with an unwilling party, police said. He later turned himself in to police. “When someone says no, it means no,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said in a statement following the verdict. “I commend …

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by Michael Mashburn