Northport Court Report

Greenlawn resident Armand Orlando was back in the Village Court of Northport on January 25th following an arrest on Saturday, Jan. 15. The arrest followed  a failure to pay a $1,000 fine on a possession of a foreign instrument charge by April 28 of last year. Following an arraignment by Village Justice Paul Senzer, Orlando was released from the village holding cell on $50 bail, which carried through after the arraignment. At Orlando's request, the hearing was adjourned until February 28.

Also appearing in court was a 21-year-old Smithtown resident, Tracey Ermolovich, who issued a guilty plea for a charge of aggravated driving while intoxicated. The charge stemmed from an incident last Dec. 28, when the defendant was involved in a one-car collision while traveling along Fort Salonga Road in Northport. A subsequent blood test revealed the defendant's blood alcohol content to be at .20, more than twice the legal limit of .08. The defendant claimed to consume three Long Island iced teas before operating the vehicle, although she had difficulty remembering what liquors were contained in them as well as what size container she drank them out of. It was eventually estimated to be a 16-ounce cup. The sentencing was adjourned to March 28, so the Suffolk County probation office could file a pre-sentence report, but Judge Senzer told the defendant that he would recommend a sentence of three years' probation, without any jail time. The defendant's license was also revoked.

A 21-year-old Northport resident appeared in court on charges of substance abuse. The defendant's original sentence was three years' probation, but Judge Senzer indicated that he had reservations that the defendant will use a substance that would violate that probation. The three-year probation agreement was upheld, but special narcotic and alcohol conditions were added. The defendant will violate their probation if they used or possessed illegal drugs or alcohol or if they entered a place where alcohol is served. The defendant may also need to enter a facility for narcotics or alcohol rehabilitation if the Suffolk County probation office determines it necessary. The defendant was also assessed a $1000 fine and a $205 surcharge (payable over six months) and $310 in restitution payments (over a seven-month period).

There were several cases where defendants pleaded guilty to one charge of disorderly conduct. A 42-year-old Makamah Road, Peter Connolly, resident was given a one-year conditional discharge, a $250 fine, and a $125 surcharge after pleading guilty to one charge of disorderly conduct. The incident took place last October 14, when the defendant took an 18-pack of 12-ounce Budweiser cans from the King Kullen Supermarket at 395G Fort Salonga Road.

A 20-year-old Woodbine Avenue resident pleaded guilty to one count of disorderly conduct stemming from an incident last May 2 at 525 Fort Salonga Road at 3:46 AM. The incident was described as an act that "served no lawful purpose." The defendant was given a one-year conditional discharge, a $250 fine, and a $125 surcharge. A second count against the defendant was dismissed.

An 18-year-old Northport resident received a $100 fine and a $125 surcharge after pleading guilty to one charge of disorderly conduct. The incident took place at Highland Avenue last July 16 at 4:26 AM. The judge requested that the defendant either get a job or some sort of schooling as well as undergo psychiatric treatment. The judge also added a condition that the defendant could not inhale and/or ingest marijuana. A violation of the condition could cause a warrant to be issued for the defendant's arrest and a re-sentencing. The fine and surcharge are due on or before April 4. As the defendant was leaving, Judge Senzer told him "Don't come back here."

A 43-year-old resident of 82 Main Street pleaded guilty to count 2 disorderly conduct. The defendant's charge stemmed from an incident last April 13 at Scudder Avenue where the defendant raised a baseball bat in the street at another man at 12:08 AM. The defendant already had time served on his record, and that was used in lieu of a fine. A $125 surcharge was also issued, which was partially paid for by a previous bail posting.

There were several traffic citations handled in court. The most notable was of a college student charged by the Suffolk district attorney with a 2-point moving violation (failure to obey a traffic control device). Judge Senzer seemed puzzled by the DA's decision, considering that the student had a terrible driving record and would have had his license suspended if charged with a speeding infraction. The judge told the student that he should be put in jail for his infractions, an incredibly rare occurrence in Judge Senzer's years of experience, he said. The student was given a $150 fine and an $85 surcharge.