Ex-Suffolk Employee Who Accepted Bribes Sentenced To 1.5 to 3 Years In Prison: DA

WADING RIVER, NY — A former Suffolk County employee from Wading River was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to receiving bribes, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Brianna Hassett, 33, owas sentenced to 1 ½ to 3 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree attempted bribe receiving; she accepted bribes and falsified paperwork for license applications through her employment at the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs, Tierney said.

According to the investigation, Hassett was hired in June 2021 as an office assistant in the licensing unit of the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs, the DA said.

In late January 2025, Hassett was working in that role and, acting in concert with her husband, Esteban Bermudez, accepted a monetary bribe and falsified an application for a home improvement license, Tierney said.

In exchange for a separate cash bribe, Hassett also provided questions and answers to the proficiency examination required for Suffolk County to issue a vocational license, the DA said.

Hassett admitted to engaging in the criminal acts while acting in concert with Esteban Bermudez, who was not a Suffolk County employee, the DA said.

Hassett and Bermudez were both arrested on February 13, 2025, Tierney said.

Hassett resigned from her employment with Suffolk County on May 14, 2025, the DA said.

On March 25, 2026, Hassett pleaded guilty to third-degree attempted bribe receiving, a Class E felony, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven Pilewski, the DA said.

On the same day, Bermudez pleaded guilty to first-degree offering a false instrument, the DA said.

On May 27, Bermudez was sentenced to 5 years’ probation, the DA said; he was represented by Toni Marie Angeli.

On Thursday, Hassett was sentenced as a prior felony offender to 1 ½ to 3 years in prison, the DA said; she was represented by Michael Castro, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Public servants hold a position of trust, and any attempt to betray that trust through corruption strikes at the heart of fair and honest government," said Tierney. "This office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to undermine our institutions through bribery or other corrupt acts. I want to thank the County Executive for referring this matter to my office."

"Government employees work for the people, and when that trust is broken there needs to be consequences," said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. "Thank you to DA Tierney and his team for their work in preserving the public’s faith in its government and holding people accountable for their actions.”