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2008 News Releases


December
12-31-2008	District Attorney's Office to be Featured on 60 Minutes - National news program scheduled to profile District Attorney Rice's fight against drunk driving
12-23-2008	422 Illegal Guns Turned in to Law Enforcement - DA-Police-Clergy ‘buy-back’ initiative gets 422 illegal weapons off the street
12-22-2008	Sadian Gets 3 to 9 Years in Prison for Hit-and-Run Fatality - Criminally Negligent Homicide conviction stemmed from fatal 2007 Roslyn Heights hit-and-run
12-17-2008	Rice, Suozzi and PD Announce Gun Buy-Back Program - Local churches team up with DA and PD, who will pay $200 to anonymous donors of guns this Saturday
12-16-2008	Five Charged in Worker's Comp/Disability Fraud Sweep - Suspects received more than $97K in undeserved benefits
12-12-2008	Child Molester Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison - DA's Office convicts molester of 6-year-old; judge sends Johnson to prison for 25 years
12-11-2008	Alloco Gets 4 to 12 Years in Prison for Two Rapes, Possessing Child Pornography - Baldwin man admitted to rapes after search warrant revealed dozens of images and videos on a home computer
12-10-2008	'Diamond Note' Bank Robber Gets 7 to 21 Years in Prison for Two-Year Crime Spree - Miller pleaded guilty to 17 bank robberies he committed since October 2006
12-04-2008	Woman Convicted in Stabbing Death of Boyfriend - Jury rejects Davis' claim of battered woman's syndrome, finds her guilty of manslaughter in Uniondale killing
12-04-2008	Queens Teen Pleads Guilty to Masterminding Internet Robbery Ring - Banach will serve five years in prison for robberies in Baldwin and Freeport
12-01-2008	DA Responds to Neighbors' Complaints in Takedown of West Hempstead Social Club - Four, including club's two owners, face drug, gambling charges
12-01-2008	Glen Cove Man Receives Prison Term for 2007 Drugged Driving Fatality - Moss gets 2 - 6 years after victim's family speaks at sentencing

November
11-25-2008	Doctor Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter after Failed Suicide Pact with Terminally Ill Wife - Authorities confirm killing was a voluntary suicide pact; Sham to receive probation, psychological help
11-25-2008	DA Announces Auction of 43 Seized Vehicles - Luxury sedans and SUVs available for purchase; proceeds fund law enforcement
11-24-2008	DA Rice Welcomes Future Lawyers and Judges of the Hempstead High School Youth Court - Youth Court will mediate conflicts of HHS freshmen
11-18-2008	Prison Guard Convicted of Rape, Kidnapping and Robbery Charges - Walters used his work-registered gun to rob women, force them into sexual acts
11-17-2008	Seven Charged with Bilking County Agency of More Than $70,000 in Undeserved Welfare Benefits - One suspect reported the living father of her child as 'dead'
11-12-2008	12 Charged in $30 Million Sports Gambling Ring - Suspects include suspected ringleaders of Queens-based operation, five Nassau County residents
11-07-2008	Sadian Found Guilty in Hit-and-Run Fatality - Criminally negligent homicide conviction stems from fatal 2007 Roslyn Heights hit-and-run
11-05-2008	Westbury Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Heroin; Left Buyer as She Overdosed in Parking Lot - Sorrentino pleads to top count against him; will receive 3 1/2 years in prison

October
10-30-2008	Former Hewlett Attorney Gets 3 to 9 Years in Prison for Stealing More Than $400K from Six Clients - Levine must also pay full restitution to a client protection fund
10-29-2008	Baldwin Woman Charged With Stealing More Than $25,000 from Garden City Park Employer - Torres charged with grand larceny and forgery
10-29-2008	Freeport Woman Sentenced to 6 Months in Jail for Cheating Tax Department; Must Pay Back $278K - Stole McDonald's sales tax revenue, worked with NYPD detective and State Tax Dept. employee to cheat system
10-20-2008	DA Rice Offers Tips for a Safe and Fun Halloween - Rice urges local media to publish tips for a safe holiday
10-16-2008	'Operation Dirty Feet' Nabs Podiatrist Who Stole Samples of Medication, Sold Them to Unscrupulous Pharmacist - Woodmere man pleads guilty to 10 counts, including larceny and drug felones; will serve a year in jail
10-15-2008	Oceanside Man Gets 6 Months, 5 Years Probation for Drunk Driving Crash That Injured 17-Year-old High School Girl - Passanisi pleaded guilty to drunk driving and vehicular assault
10-08-2008	Santos Gets 3 to 9 Years in Prison for Killing Valley Stream Woman in 2007 Drunk Driving Crash - Albertson woman pleaded guilty to entire indictment, including aggravated vehicular homicide, assault and DWI

September
09-22-2008	Ex-NYPD Cop Gets Five Years in Prison for Gun, Drug Charges - Roslyn Heights resident sold guns reported 'missing' from evidence locker of precinct
09-16-2008	McPherson Sentenced to 25-life in DWI Murder - McPherson drove wrong way on Southern State Parkway after nightclub shooting; BAC was more than twice the legal limit
09-15-2008	East Rockaway Woman Gets Probation for Poisoning Ex-Roommate with Visine - Anzalone pleaded guilty to assault charges after giving ex-roommate a laced beverage
09-10-2008	Career Criminal with 99 Arrests Gets 12 to 24 Years in Prison for Multiple Garden City Area Burglaries - Hempstead man stole computers from office building and credit union
09-09-2008	Glen Cove Man Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter after Killing Connecticut Woman in Multiple Car Crash - Moss pleads guilty to entire indictment after causing a chain-reaction crash that killed a former college professor
09-08-2008	Santos Pleads Guilty to DWI Homicide Charges - Albertson woman pleads guilty to entire indictment, including aggravated vehicular homicide, assault and DWI
09-08-2008	Blackman Sentenced to Probation - Judge sentences Suffolk County woman to probation for her role in a 2006 Freeport murder
09-03-2008	Huntington Station Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Jericho Rape - 2003 attack in a Jericho motel room went unsolved until authorities matched Diggs' DNA sample to one taken at crime scene

August
08-18-2008	Judge Sentences Merrick Woman to 21 Years in Prison for Killing Newlywed Husband - After being convicted in June of strangling her husband with an electrical cord, Judge sends Kelly Forbes to prison for 21 years
08-13-2008	Hempstead Man Guilty of Molesting Best Friend's Son - Johnson assaulted the 6-year-old for 2 1/2 years at his home and three Nassau County hotels
08-11-2008	Hempstead Man and Girlfriend Charged with Bilking Medicaid of more than $90,000 - Girlfriend, in the U.S. illegally, impersonates sister for personal aide position
08-08-2008	Hempstead Man Gets 25 Years to Life for Murder - Marsden killed Freeport electrician during 2006 robbery attempt

July
07-31-2008	Rice Commends Young Writers, Actors and Producers Committed to Making Local Schools Safer - Students learn peaceful conflict resolution through Peacemakers program
07-31-2008	Hempstead Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Role in Multiple Armed Robberies - Jackson was part of a crew that robbed two banks and a casino ship
07-25-2008	Accountant Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $1.1 Million from Lake Success Client - Rubenoff funneled money through daughter's college fund; Faces nine years in prison
07-23-2008	Roosevelt Man Sentenced to 100 Years to Life on Robbery, Kidnapping, and Rape Charges - Pearce broke into woman's house, stole ATM cash and raped victim at gunpoint
07-23-2008	Rice & Cops: 11 Arrested in Car Dealership Scam - Detectives investigating 2007 homicide work with prosecutors to uncover massive financial fraud ring operating out of Five Towns car dealerships
07-18-2008	Westbury Man Guilty of Robbing Local Bank - Williams convicted of robbing bank, assaulting manager who tried to stop him
07-17-2008	Top North Hempstead Building Department Official Sentenced to One Year in Jail - Wasserman pleaded guilty to top charges, including five felonies
07-14-2008	Former Hewlett Attorney Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $400K from Six Clients - Levine will serve 3 to 9 years in prison, pay full restitution
07-10-2008	Drugged Driver in Crash that Killed Uncle Gets 7 to 12 Years in Prison - Townsley was convicted of manslaughter following August 2007 drugged driving crash on the Southern State Parkway in Malverne
07-10-2008	Rockville Centre Man Guilty of Manslaughter in Hempstead Shotgun Death - Rodriguez caught in Coney Island after appearing on America's Most Wanted; Faces 15 years for Terrace Avenue shooting
07-09-2008	DA, Police Department Smash Heroin Distribution Ring - Tagged phones, surveillance lead to 10 arrests, including the ex-boyfriend of a Massapequa girl who was the victim of a heroin-related death last month

June
06-30-2008	Freeport Man Sentenced to 14 to 17 Years for Providing Gun that Killed Anti-Gang Activist - Corse also sentenced for illegally selling four guns while in jail
06-30-2008	Jury Returns DWI Murder Verdict - McPherson found guilty on all counts, including murder and DWI; now facing life in prison
06-26-2008	51 Unlicensed Contractors Nabbed in Countywide Sweep - Four charged with felonies after investigation discovers theft and shoddy craftsmanship
06-24-2008	New Cassel Man Found Guilty of Murdering Wife - Toxtle stabbed wife multiple times after she admitted affair
06-23-2008	Nine Charged in Unemployment Fraud Sweep - State Department of Labor calculates loss to nine Nassau County residents as more than $70,000
06-23-2008	Freeport Men Sentenced to 20-life for 2007 Murder - After admitting to murder, judge gives Mendez and Murcia 20-life
06-17-2008	Scam Artist Who Targeted Seniors Sentenced to 5-15 Years in Prison - Dawson bilked 53 people out of more than $11M in Ponzi investment scheme
06-16-2008	Merrick Woman Found Guilty of Killing Husband - Kelly Forbes is convicted of manslaughter for strangling her husband with an electric cord
06-16-2008	Rice: Griffin Was Drinking in Car When He Hit Cop - Indictment unsealed; new details emerge in the case of an officer critically by accused drunk driver
06-13-2008	Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Letter Written by Teddy Roosevelt - Renehan also awaiting sentencing in federal court for stealing and selling letters written by Abraham Lincoln and George Washington
06-12-2008	Plainview Man Pleads Guilty to Fleecing Little League - Green admits stealing more than $38K from Little League; expected to receive 16 weekends in jail
06-06-2008	Accountant Gets 2 ½ - 7 ½ Years in Prison for $4M Law Firm Theft - Rice: Galasso lived in lap of luxury on brother's law firm's dime
06-02-2008	Queens Village Man Charged in DWI Fatality on Southern State Parkway in Valley Stream - Backseat passenger killed after being ejected from speeding Infiniti

May
05-30-2008	Former Priest Sentenced in Sex Predator Sting - Pennsylvania priest who came to Nassau to meet "14-year-old boy" is sentenced to 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison
05-27-2008	Top Building Department Official Pleads Guilty - Wasserman pleads guilty to top charges, including five felonies; expected to receive a year in jail
05-23-2008	Rice Joins Family of Slain NCPD Officer to Fight Parole of Cop Killer - Rice urges barole board to deny Mackenzie
05-21-2008	Unlicensed RVC Contractor Arraigned for Theft - Knott charged with stealing nearly $40K intended for home renovations in Oyster Bay Cove and Muttontown
05-21-2008	CRASH! Driver Education Program Debuts in Nassau - Rice says program teaches new drivers, through physics, the real-life consequences of vehicle crashes and their causes
05-20-2008	Brooklyn Man Convicted of Manslaughter in Drug-Impaired Traffic Crash that Claimed Passenger's Life - Townsley faces 15 years in prison following August 2007 drugged driving crash on the Southern State Parkway near Malverne
05-16-2008	DNA Match Leads to Rape Conviction - Diggs convicted of 2003 rape after DNA sample taken years later links him to the scene of the crime
05-15-2008	Charles Zizi, Ricardo Francois pleaded guilty to stealing more than $314,000 from taxpayers
05-12-2008	New Hyde Park Man Arrested for Stealing Nearly $300K in Undeserved Disability Payments - While supposedly unfit to work and confined to a wheelchair, Kumar is caught walking, driving, and working a full-tme job
05-09-2008	Ex-NYPD Cop Pleads Guilty to Gun, Drug Charges - Roslyn Heights resident sold guns reported 'missing' from evidence locker of precinct; expected to receive five years in prison
05-08-2008	Vicodin-Dealing Pharmacist Sentenced to 30 Days in Jail - Oceanside pharmacist filled prescriptions written in crayon
05-07-2008	Suffolk Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $220K from Garden City Employer - Peterson added zeroes to company's invoicese; now facing 15 years
05-06-2008	Queens Man Arraigned After South Shore Chase - Leads cops on 80 M.P.H. chase from Oceanside to Malverne
05-05-2008	Freeport Man to Get 20 Years to Life for 2007 Murder - Maynor Murcia pleaded guilty to each of five counts against him
05-02-2008	Roosevelt Man Convicted of Robbery, Kidnapping, Rape - Pearce broke into woman's house, stole ATM cash and raped victim at gunpoint

April
04-28-2008	Rice Urges Senate to Pass Microstamping Legislation - Rice announces support for law that would help police link crime scene shell casings to firearm owners
04-25-2008	Conviction Reversed in Child Sex Abuse Case - Appellate court rules that defense attorney failed to “protect the interests” of a woman convicted of sexually abusing her children
04-23-2008	Queens Man Gets Probation for Long Beach Arson - Man claims he set fire to mother’s car in an attempt to cover up accident
04-11-2008	Bronx Man, Not Twin, Indicted on Burglary Charge - Career criminal charged after DNA evidence implicated twin brother
04-10-2008	DA: Tax Fraud Probe Nets CPA, Lawyer, Accountant
04-10-2008	Press Conference TODAY, 2:30 P.M.
04-03-2008	Former Town Official Sentenced - After pleading guilty to applying for permit after renovations, judge gives Lomonaco probation & community service, orders restitution

March
03-19-2008	Heidgen Sentenced on Tampering Charge - Heidgen will serve 1-3 years in prison in addition to his 18-life murder sentence
03-12-2008	DA Arrests Jericho Doctor for ‘Billing the Dead’ - Rice’s healthcare fraud unit uncovers another $30k in fraudulent billing, announces Medicaid/Medicare fraud hotline

February
02-28-2008 -	Stephens Sentenced to Prison - Convicted of killing newborn, judge sentences Brooklyn woman to 3 1/3 – 10 years in prison
02-05-2008 -	Grand Jury Returns DWI Murder Indictment - Rice: McPherson was fleeing gun shots, traveled wrong way on parkway for 5 miles with .19 BAC and a gun in the car
02-04-2008	Heidgen Pleads Guilty To Tampering Charge - Court Allows Heidgen To Plead Guilty Without Admitting Guilt; Will Sentence Defendant Next Month

January
01-28-2008 -	Plainview Man Charged with Fleecing Little League - Rice says Green stole more than $38k from Little League
01-22-2008 -	Former Plans Examiner in Bldg. Dept. Gets Jail - Acierno is first of five to be convicted and sentenced in North Hempstead building department probe
01-14-2008 -	Police Step Up Enforcement in Hempstead Neighborhood - After uprooting more than 35 suspected drug dealers, Hempstead police department targets non-residents converging on neighborhood to buy drugs