Suffolk Judge Is A Serial Panty Thief: Prosecutors

Suffolk County District Court Judge Robert Cicale has admitted to breaking into his neighbor's home on multiple occasions and stealing underwear from the hamper of a 23-year-old female resident, Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini said.

Cicale, of East Islip, was arraigned Friday on second degree burglary charges. A temporary order of protection was issued to protect the victim, her family and their home, Sini said. Cicale was released on $50,000 bond.

At about 9 a.m. Thursday, Cicale entered his neighbor’s home on Donna Place and walked upstairs where he encountered a female resident in one of the bedrooms and immediately fled, the DA said.

“This is an individual who swore to uphold the law and violated it in a very serious way,” Sini said. “The message here is that no one is above the law. We have an extremely strong prosecution and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”

Cicale was later apprehended a few blocks away, where detectives recovered several pairs of women’s panties from Cicale’s coat and raincoat, Sini said.

After his arrest, Cicale gave a written statement to Third Squad detectives, where he admitted to entering the home on multiple past occasions and removing the underwear from an upstairs hamper, Sini said.

Cicale noted that he had intended to steal panties again on the day of his arrest, but abandoned this decision when he saw someone in the home, prosecutors said.

In addition to his written confession and oral admissions, Cicale also wrote a letter of apology for violating the sanctity of the victim’s home, Sini said.