Suffolk County Criminal Lawyers

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Riverhead Patch readers have decided the winner of this week's Readers' Choice poll.

Their choice for favorite seafood restaurant is Buoy One.

Readers' Choice is a weekly feature where we ask you -- our readers -- to tell us your top picks. Each Monday we'll list our nominees -- this week was the best place to go for seafood -- and ask for your recommendation.

Thanks for voting for your favorites. We'll have another contest beginning Monday.

A man arrested last week for attacking a woman at knifepoint is a convicted Level 3 sex offender, police say.

An attempted second-degree assault charge, a class-D felony, was leveled at Flanders resident Benjamin S. Griffin, 57, May 12 at 12:38 a.m. after police said he attempted to force a female victim into the woods in Riverside with a knife and attempted to assault her with the weapon. Griffin, said police, was apprehended shortly after the incident and taken into custody. He was additionally charged with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a class-D felony.

According to police, a woman was walking near the bus stop located at the traffic circle in Riverside at approximately 10 p.m. on May 12 when a man allegedly attacked her at knifepoint and dragged her into nearby woods.

The woman was able to successfully retreat after a brief struggle. According to the New York State Department of Justice's sex offender registry, Griffin is classified as a Level 3 sex offender -- considered to be at the highest risk to re-offend. He was remanded to the Suffolk County Correctional Facility.

For most residents, Thursday dawned an ordinary morning -- but for Norwegians living in Riverhead and the North Fork, the 17th of May means one thing -- Norwegian Constitution Day.

In Norway and in Norwegian communities around the world, the holiday, which marks the anniversary of Norway's constitution, adopted in 1814, is celebrated with parades, as Norwegian march in traditional folk attire, or bunards, proudly waving flags and cheering.

For members of the Aquebogue chapter of the Sons of Norway, a fraternal organization, the 17th of May means a festive celebration, with members traveling to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn every year for an annual 17th of May parade that draws proud Norwegians from across the country together to share memories and taste Norwegian favorites, including lefse, a traditional bread, fish pudding, and cream cakes.

Ernie Olsen, owner of Homeside Florist & Greenhouse in Riverhead, said he'd love to attend this year's parade in Brooklyn, which will be held on Saturday, but May is a busy season and he's short-staffed. Still, he said, his friend and fellow Sons of Norway member Aquebogue veterinarian Dr. John Andresen, will make the trip to Bay Ridge, bringing his Norwegian fjord horse.

The horse, Olsen said, plays an important role in the parade, leading the carriage that holds a bevy of former Miss Norway beauties who've been crowned in years' past. "He has a prime spot in the parade," Olsen said.

Riverhead Town Board member George Gabrielsen remembers childhoods when his Norwegian family would travel to Bay Ridge for the parade and a taste of Scandinavian fare -- although lutefisk, dried cod treated with lye, is not his personal favorite.

Olsen, however, loves lutefisk, and a traditional codfish dinner held at the Old Steeple Church in Aquebogue every October; the fish is flown in fresh from Iceland.

To celebrate 17th of May, Olsen and his family often share a traditional codfish dinner. Thinking of Norway, Olsen, who grew up in Bay Ridge and was once a merchant seaman, like so many Norwegians, said he yearns for a taste of gammelost, a traditonal cheese. He also remembers his journeys on Norway's breathtaking fjords, where, he said, each vista is "as pretty as a postcard."

Olsen said his family has double reason to celebrate 17th of May -- his son, Kris, was born on the Norwegian holiday.

For Gabrielsen, growing up Norwegian meant a community of family and friends who shared a deep common bond and values. "Norwegians share a fierce pride in their shared history," he said. "They're hardworking honest  -- and fearless."

And, he added, Norwegians, once Vikings, have a rich history, eventually becoming a peaceful, Christian population.

Taught by his father, Gabrielsen said, that, like his family before him, he'd stand one against 1000 to defend the values he believes in. "Norwegians are very principled," he said.

Residents who live in the town's historic district can paint their home any color.

The myth that a home in the historic destrict can't be painted is one Richard Wines, president of the town's landmark and preservation commission, seeks to shatter with a new educational outreach for residents.

Wines came before the town board at a weekly work session on Thursday to discuss a draft letter to be sent to all property owners in the town's historic district -- with an eye toward raising awareness.

Councilwoman Jodi Giglio said while the downtown historic district was designated by the town board in 2006, many residents who live in the area do not know exactly what that means.

"People don't know that they are in the historic district and, if they make improvements, they can save up to 40 perent in tax credits," Giglio said.

The letter explains that the purpose of the district is to preserve the character and architecture of the area, enhance quality of life, encourage tourism, and boost real estate values.

Property owners can receive federal and state restoration tax credits for improvements in sections of the the district eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

The letter explains that before undertaking alterations to the exterior of a buiding a resident should contact the building department to see if a permit and review are necessary.

A review by the Landmarks Commission will not delay the project -- that's another myth, Wines said -- last year, the average review time was seven days.

Wines directed residents to the town's website for further information.

In addition, Wines will soon be erecting historic district signs in the community.

In March, a section of downtown stretching from Griffing Avenue to just east of Maple Avenue was approved for listing on the New York State Register of Historic Places.

With state approval behind it, the application for Riverhead Main Street Historic District will be forwarded for consideration on the National Register of Historic Places sometime later this month or early June, which one state official said "shouldn't be a problem" following the state approval.

"Riverhead was the financial, commercial, and banking center of the East End starting in the 1840s all the way through the middle decades of the 20th century," said Wines at the time. "The area has a lot of historic integrity."

The following information was supplied by police departments on the East End. A criminal charge is only an accusation and does not indicate guilt.

Westhampton-Hampton Bays

• New York State Police are reporting that they charged an East Hampton man with DWI and various traffic violations after they say he tried to leave the scene of an accident on Sunrise Highway near the Flanders Road exit.
Police said that after they were gged down by a motorist involved in a crash, Julio Parapi, 32, tried to drive off when officers attempted to stop him. Police said Parapi "stumbled out of his car."
• On May 11, Bryce Danowski, 18, of Flanders, was charged with third-degree criminal mischief, a class-E felony, after police reported that Danowski kicked and broke the glass on the front door of the United Artists movie theater in Hampton Bays on West Montauk Highway at 10:46 p.m. He was transported to police headquarters in Hampton Bays and processed for arraignment the following day.

North Fork

• Joshua Georges, 30, of Jamesport, was charged with petit larceny on May 12 at 2:20 a.m., after he drove into the rear parking lot of Country Time Cycle in Mattituck, where he physically removed the sides to a utility trailer and then drove off with it, police said. Georges was found later in the day at his residence with the trailer parts in his back yard, police said. Georges was arrested and transported to police headquarters in Peconic for processing.

• Vasilios Tsisinos, 72, of Orient, was charged with numerous vehicle and traffic infractions and a violation of Southold Town Code on May 15 at 8:55 a.m., after police observed him operating his unregistered ATV eastbound on North Sea Drive in Orient, police said. Vasilios became confrontational with the officer on the scene when he was told that his actions were in violation of the Southold Town Code, police said.
While police attempted to impound the ATV, Vasilios attempted to chain and lock the ATV in a gated area. When another officer attempted to get Vasilios to refrain from his actions, Vasilios shoved the officer away with both hands, police said. Vasilios reportedly refused to provide police with his hands and resisted arrest. Vasilios was arrested, processed, released on bail, and ordered to appear before Southold Town Justice Court at a later date.

• Carrie McCabe, 38, of Cutchogue, was charged with DWI, expired registration and unregistered vehicle on May 13 at 7:24 p.m., after police responded to a call of an erratic driver operating a vehicle westbound on Route 25 in the Mattituck area, police said. The defendant was located, observed to be failing to maintain her lane of traffic and was found to be intoxicated after she failed roadside sobriety tests, police said. McCabe was arrested, transported to police headquarters, processed and held overnight pending arraignment.

Southampton

• Kerri Ligouri, 46, of East Moriches, was arrested May 8 at 11:08 p.m. on Old Riverhead Road West in Hampton Bays and charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, a class-E felony. Police said Ligouri had attempted to pawn an item of jewelry that had been stolen in the jurisdiction of the town of Southampton. She was processed at police headquarters and released on an appearance ticket to appear at a later date in court.

• Nicholas Reisini, 25, of Bethel, Conn., was arrested May 13 at 1:51 a.m. in North Sea at the corner of Noyac Road and Cove Road. Police said that Reisini was stopped for a vehicular equipment violation and further investigation revealed that he had in his possession an illegal weapon and he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, which is classified as a class-A misdemeanor. Additionally Reisini was found to be in possession of a quantity of marijuana, which police described as concentrated cannabis, defined as hash oil, in the fifth degree, a class-D felony.

• A Noyac man complained to police May 12 that a neighbor yelled at his daughter and threatened to shoot her dog because the dog was, according to the police report, doing damage on Ridge Drive. The girl and a friend were walking the dog at the time of the incident, police said. No arrests have been made. Police are monitoring the situation.

East Hampton

• Christopher J. Reale, 32, of East Hampton, was arrested on a charge of driving while ability impaired by drugs, a felony due to two prior convictions in the past 10 years, after an accident in Amagansett on May 4. East Hampton Town police said his 2002 Toyota struck multiple trees along Montauk Highway, near Mitchell Dunes Lane, when he left the roadway shortly after noon. Reale consented to a blood test at police headquarters. He was held overnight for arraignment. East Hampton Town Justice Lisa R. Rana ordered him held without bail. According to police, Reale's last conviction was on Jan. 24.

• East Hampton Town police responded to a burglary in progress on North Main Street, just outside the village, on Monday at about 1:25 a.m. A woman said she heard glass break and saw a man running north on North Main Street. Police found that a glass window at the Empire Gas Station had been shattered. Police searched the area and brought in a Suffolk County Sheriff's K-9 unit was brought in to canvas the area, but the suspect was not located. When the manager arrived, he didn't say whether any items had been taken, police said.

A man charged with murder after Mirian Garcia, 29, was found dead last week behind the Department of Motor Vehicles in Riverhead allegedly strangled her with a belt after raping her.

Suffolk County homicide detectives arrested Guillermo Alfonso Alvarado-Ajcuc, 21, of Riverhead for the alleged murder of Mirian Garcia, 29 on Wednesday at approximately 6 p.m. 

Alvarado-Ajcuc, a Guatamalan resident who is in the United States without a green card, was charged with one count of murder in the second degree and rape in the first degree. He was held overnight before his arraignment at the Riverhead Town Court Thursday morning.

Garcia, of Flanders, was found dead at a Riverhead shopping center on May 7. The Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner determined the woman’s death was a homicide.

Thursday morning, assistant district attorney Glenn Kurtzrock said Alvarado-Ajcuc gave a full confession stating that on the night of May 6, during the course of raping Garcia, he strangled her with a belt.

Alvarado-Ajcuc, wearing a brown shirt and jeans, spoke through an intepreter and told Justice Allen Smith that he lives with his father, a day laborer who works in landscaping, in Riverhead, and has been living in the United States for four years. He is not a United States citizen, he said.

"This is a very serious charge," Smith said.

Due to the nature of the charge, no bail was set and the defendant was remanded to the Suffolk County Correctional facility. He is represented by Riverhead attorney Eileen Powers, who said she will be entering a plea of not guilty and request a jury trial. The case was adjourned until May 22.

The defendant faces 25 years to life on the murder charge, Kurtzrock said. "Obviously, it's a brutal crime," he said. "The Suffolk County Police Department's homicide squad worked very hard and was able to apprehend the defendant."

Hours after residents passed the Riverhead school district's adopted $111.7 million budget for the 2012-2013 school year, Superintendent Nancy Carney had two words for voters: Thank you.

After a vote on Tuesday, the budget passed with 1703 voting yes, and 1061 voting no.

"I was very pleased to see that an overwhelming majority of voters supported the budget put forward by the Board of Education," Carney said on Wednesday. "The board members worked hard to craft a budget that was responsive to the needs of the taxpayers and responsible to the students of the district."

In additon, the public voted for two new Board of Education members, Sue Koukounas and Tom Carson, who ran uncontested for two open seats. Koukounas received 1,842 votes and Tom Carson received 1,678.

"I look forward to another year of learning and growth for all students and staff in the district," Carney added.

In the past, Carney has said if the budget did not pass, results could have been dire: "The consequences of not participating, and going to the contingency budget, are serious," she said eaarlier this month. "The district would have to cut an additional $1.6 million out of the budget."

Town officials are coming together to say a big thank you to all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to battle the raging wildfires that ravaged areas of Manorville and Ridge in April.

A "Volunteer Emergency Services Appreciation Day" will be held Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. at the Brookhaven Ampitheater. The event will include a free concert open to the public, dedicated to the volunteer emergency service workers who tackled the wildfires on April 9 and 10.

Also featured at the event will be activities and games for kids; a slate of rock and country themed acts will perform.

"The valiant efforts of our fire fighters and emergency responders helped to save people’s lives and homes,” said County Executive Steve Bellone, when the concert was announced.  “This day to honor our first responders is well deserved and serves as a token of our appreciation for all of their efforts and sacrifices."

Added Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter, "Riverhead is proud to be a sponsor of the Volunteer Emergency Services Appreciation Day to honor the men and women who worked around the clock to heroically battle the dangerous brushfires. I thank them for their bravery every day."

Riverhead will make a splash on the big screen when a new Coen brothers film, which was shot in town in March, debuts next year.

With an eye toward future film endeavors that could be shot utilizing Riverhead's natual bucolic vistas, a public hearing will be held on Wednesday night at Town Hall on a new chapter of the town code that outlines fees for location filming in town.

The fee schedule outlined in the new chapter of the code includes procedures and permitting processes aimed at making shooting safer for pedestrians and ensuring public safety.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter said the goal is to create consistency and ease for potential filmmakers and also, to streamline the process, so that not every new project needs be green lighted through a town board resolution.

According to the new code, a permit will be required of any person or organization filming or photographing a commercial, movie, documentary, television program catalog or magazine layout on town property.

The only exception is for a film with a cast of five or less.

Should the code be adopted, would-be filmmakers would be required to fill out an application and pay a $500 application fee, a film fee of $100 per day, a cleanup fee for each day of filming in the amount of $250, a traffic control fee of $1000 per day, and beach parking fees, if the beach is used. In addition, a certificate of insurance and an indemnification agreement must be completed.

Films can be an economic generator for the town; the production company of the Coen brothers' film, "Inside Llewyn Davis," paid Riverhead Town $10,000 for police services and rental of the town's water district property at the corner of Northville Turnpike and Route 105. A private barn on Northville Turnpike was also used.

The film release is set for 2013 and the movie, expected to spotlight the New York folk music scene during the 1960a, will feature a cast including Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, Carrie Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, and Oscar Isaac as Llewyn Davis.

In recent years, other films have captured the beauty of areas on the East End, including The Romantics, which filmed in Southold, and "Margot at the Wedding," starring Nicole Kidman, which filmed in Greenport, Shelter Island, and other East End locales.

The new Riverhead Town code is meant to add some continuity to the permitting and procedural process.