LI Man Faces 5th Lewdness Charge After Woman Recognizes Him In News: DA

STONY BROOK, NY — A 20-year-old Ronkonkoma man already facing four public lewdness charges was arrested again after a woman recognized him in news reports and identified him as the man who allegedly masturbated in front of her in a Stony Brook movie theater parking lot earlier this year, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Nicholas Critelli was arrested Oct. 22 and arraigned the following day on a fifth count of public lewdness, a class B misdemeanor, after the woman recognized him from news coverage of his most recent arraignment, prosecutors said.

According to the DA's office, the latest allegation dates back to Feb. 26, around 10:22 a.m., when Critelli was driving a dark gray Nissan Altima through the parking lot of the AMC Stony Brook 17 movie theater.

Critelli pulled up next to a woman who was loading her vehicle with recently purchased items, made eye contact with her and began masturbating, prosecutors said.

The woman recognized Critelli from a news story following his arraignment earlier this month on public lewdness charges involving two other women, authorities said.

The new charge brings the total number of alleged incidents involving Critelli to five, dating back to February.

Critelli was previously arrested and arraigned on two public lewdness charges stemming from incidents in Sayville on June 4 and June 6, when he allegedly masturbated in front of two women on separate occasions.

He was arrested June 16 and arraigned July 6 before District Court Judge Susan Berland, who released him on his own recognizance.

Critelli was arrested again Oct. 16 following two additional alleged incidents in Centereach and Commack.

On Oct. 1, Critelli allegedly masturbated inside his vehicle in full view of a woman walking through a Walmart parking lot in Centereach, prosecutors said.

On Oct. 14, Critelli allegedly called out to another woman in a Target parking lot in Commack while masturbating, according to the DA's office.

He was arraigned Oct. 17 before District Court Judge Alonzo Jacobs on two additional counts of public lewdness and placed on supervised release.

Prosecutors said all five charges are non-bail eligible under current New York law, meaning they cannot request monetary bail and judges cannot impose it based on those offenses.

The DA's office has repeatedly criticized those restrictions, arguing that prosecutors should be permitted to seek bail in cases involving repeated allegations of similar conduct.

"How many more victims must come forward before State lawmakers realize that our bail laws are completely failing law abiding citizens?" Tierney said. "This is now the defendant's fifth criminal case alleging deplorable behavior against women who are simply going about their day. My office will continue to point out the egregious flaws in the law as we seek justice for the victims in these cases."

Critelli was arraigned on the latest charge Oct. 23 before District Court Judge Steve Weissbard.

He is scheduled to return to court Nov. 4 and is represented by the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County.

Investigators believe there may be additional victims and are asking anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Critelli to contact the Suffolk County Police Department at 631-854-8452.