Newburgh Man Convicted of Drug Sales, Endangering Welfare of a Child

CARMEL, NEW YORK – November 2, 2022 – Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy announced today that 26-year-old Malik Ellis, of Newburgh, was sentenced on Tuesday to five years in state prison with a post-release supervision period of two years after pleading guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Ellis was arrested on February 7, 2022, after a two-month investigation conducted by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit (NEU). He was charged with selling a quantity of Fentanyl on three separate occasions to a person working in conjunction with the NEU. The sales took place between December 2021 and February 2022. In addition, while housed at the Putnam County Correctional Facility awaiting trial, Investigators discovered that Ellis had solicited a minor with whom he had a prior relationship to perform an obscene sexual act. Ellis plead guilty on August 30, 2022.

The investigations were conducted and the arrests were made by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Breanne Smith.

22-06-PUTNAM-DA-PRESS-RELEASE-Malik Ellis

Carmel Man Convicted Of Domestic Violence Assault

CARMEL, NEW YORK – October 21, 2022 – District Attorney Robert Tendy announced today that Carmel resident Jeff Hanlon was convicted at trial for assaulting his wife with a crowbar on December 17, 2020.

Hanlon had been verbally and physically abusing his wife for two days when she attempted to leave the residence. As she was leaving, he hit her in the back of the head with a crowbar which left a large cut to the back of her head. She was eventually able to leave the residence and fled to her father’s house in Pelham where the Pelham and Carmel Police Department responded. Hanlon was arrested that night and has been in jail since.

The trial began on Monday, October 17 before the Hon. Anthony Mole. Midway through trial on Thursday, October 20, Hanlon pled guilty to Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a class C felony. He will serve eight years in State prison with five years post release supervision.

The case was personally brought to trial by District Attorney Robert Tendy. “Preventing domestic violence and bringing to justice those who perpetuate it is one of my top priorities. It can leave a lifetime of psychological scars on the victims and their families. In this case the victim was very brave and cooperated with the prosecution despite understandable personal fear.”

District Attorney Tendy thanks Carmel PD Investigator Brian Forde, Detective Sgt. Mike Nagle (Ret.), and Putnam County Sheriff’s Investigator Corinne Pitt, all of whom worked very hard to put together a strong case for trial. “I was so impressed with their professionalism. They all did a great job on this case,” Tendy said.

22-05 PUTNAM DA PRESS RELEASE – Jeff Hanlon

MAN CONVICTED OF KILLING EX-GIRLFRIEND’S PETS

CARMEL, NEW YORK – April 28, 2022 – Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced today the conviction of Matthew Savinovich, a New Jersey resident, who systematically and brutally killed his ex-girlfriends’ pets in her Lake Peekskill home. Savinovich pled guilty on April 26 to two counts of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, one count of Torturing Animals, and one count of Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree. The defendant faces between three and seven years in state prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 5, 2022.

Savinovich admitted to killing two of his ex-girlfriend’s chihuahua’s by slamming them against a wall in the ex-girlfriend’s Lake Peekskill home. Savinovich also admitted to killing his ex-girlfriend’s ferret by crushing it to death by intentionally dropping a mattress and box spring on top of it.

“This is one of the worst examples of Animal Cruelty that I have ever seen” said Tendy. The case took a lot of time and work to put together—there were no witnesses, and no one knew what had happened or why. The team did a phenomenal job, and as a result this defendant will serve state prison time for the brutality that he intentionally inflicted on these innocent and defenseless animals”.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nicholas LaStella. District Attorney Tendy thanked Criminal Investigator Jaemie Caban, also of the District Attorney’s Office, as well as Chief Kenneth Ross of the Putnam County SPCA, Detective Sergeant Kenneth Ross III, also of the Putnam County SPCA, and Investigators Matthew Shelters and Paul Piazza of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the case.

22-04 PUTNAM DA PRESS RELEASE – Matthew Savinovich

Drunk Driver Sentenced For Aggravated Vehicular Homicide

CARMEL, NEW YORK – March 31, 2022 – District Attorney Robert Tendy announced today that Mahopac resident Maggie Deperna will be spending the next 6 to 18 years in state prison for driving while drunk and fatally striking a pedestrian on June 25, 2021.

Deperna plead guilty to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide on February 2, 2022, and was sentenced on March 30, 2022, by County Court Judge Anthony Molé to a maximum of 18 years and a minimum of 6 years in state prison for causing the death of James Crecco, Sr.

On the evening of June 25th, James “Jimmy” Crecco, Sr. was getting into his car that was parked in front of his brother’s Lake Mahopac lake house on Route 6N when Deperna struck Crecco with her vehicle and fled the scene. Crecco was transported to Westchester Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. An exhaustive search throughout the night for the driver conducted by members of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the Carmel Police Department led them to Deperna’s home, where drone surveillance revealed her Jeep Cherokee hidden in the brush and trees behind her home with extensive damage to the front passenger’s side consistent with having struck a person. Specifically, her vehicle was missing the right-side rear-view mirror that had been recovered at the crash scene.

Putnam County District Attorney
Members of law enforcement, led by the Sheriff’s Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit (NEU), searched tirelessly through the night and days immediately following the incident to determine Deperna’s whereabouts leading up to the fatal crash. Video surveillance, license plate reader technology, and GPS location tracking data revealed that Deperna purchased alcohol from a liquor store on the morning of the crash and again approximately an hour before the crash on June 25th, while driving to several places in between including a nail salon and McDonalds. At approximately 7:30 PM, video surveillance showed Deperna consuming a margarita at a nearby restaurant before getting into her car, pulling onto 6N, and swerving into oncoming traffic, almost causing a head- on collision with another driver, within seconds of turning the bend and striking Crecco. GPS data concluded that after the crash, Deperna did not stop and drove directly home, where the empty bottles of wine that Deperna was on video having purchased that day were later recovered. Deperna was arrested the following morning, on June 26, 2021, after a member of NEU conducted a traffic stop on a rental car being driven by a still-intoxicated Deperna.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Joseph Charbonneau and Breanne Smith. DA Tendy commended the members of the Sheriff’s Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit for their exhaustive efforts in tracking down the vehicle involved, and praised their use of all forms of available technology, as well as the overwhelming amount of manpower, used to make an arrest and bring closure to this case. He also praised the cooperative efforts of the Sheriff’s Department and the Carmel Police Department.

“Everybody collaborated so professionally on this case. From the Sheriff’s office, the Carmel PD, ADA Charbonneau and Smith, and the Crecco family–It was a tremendous effort,” Tendy said. “My heart goes out to the Crecco family—and everyone impacted by the tragedies brought about by drunk driving. It’s a stupid and senseless thing to do. There’s no reason for it.”<a

22-03 PUTNAM DA PRESS RELEASE – Deperna

Mahopac Man Sentenced For Drug Sale And Weapons Possession

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE NUMBER 22-002

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT: CHRISTINA RIZZO
(845)-808-1055

 

CARMEL, NEW YORK – January 27, 2022, District Attorney Robert Tendy announced today that 27-year-old Kyle Novotny, of Mahopac, will serve a total of seven years in state prison after pleading guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Firearm. All are felonies.
On August 13, 2020, Novotny drove to a location in the Town of Somers and sold a heroin to a person working for the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit (NEU). As part of an ongoing investigation into Novotny’s criminal activities, NEU secured an arrest warrant for Novotny and took him into custody inside his Mahopac residence on November 4, 2020. While inside, members of NEU recovered an unregistered and loaded Glock 44 handgun, which Novotny admitted was his.
Novotny pled guilty on December 1, 2021. On January 26, 2022, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Mole imposed a sentence of 7 years incarceration followed by 2 years post release supervision.
The investigation was conducted by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Enforcement Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Breanne Smith.

District Attorney Tendy Announces Creation Of Financial Crimes and Special Victims Units

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE NUMBER 22-001

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT: CHRISTINA RIZZO
(845)-808-1055

CARMEL, NEW YORK – January 14, 2022, District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced today two major initiatives for his office.

“A few years back, we created the first narcotics unit in the history of the Putnam County District Attorney’s office. This consists of Assistant District Attorneys who have a major focus on the investigation and prosecution of narcotics related cases. We also created the immigration affairs initiative with a confidential immigrant affairs hotline and email address.
“Beginning this year, our office will now have its first Major Financial Crimes Unit and its first Special Victims Unit. The Major Financial Crimes Unit will have three ADAs who will be investigating and prosecuting cases which involve crimes of significant amounts of monetary theft, tax evasion, corporate/business theft, fraud, insurance fraud and other serious financial crimes. We have had a number of these prosecutions and they have all been successful—the most recent being the prosecution of a criminal who defrauded a senior citizen of over $100,000 dollars. It only makes sense to have ADAs trained specifically in these types of crimes. This will be in addition to their usual duties and case load,” Tendy said.
The Special Victims Unit will have two Assistant District Attorneys and one investigator dedicated to the prosecution of cases involving children, seniors, and sex abuse victims. “The Special Victims Unit has two ADAs and an investigator who have extensive training in these types of cases which often involve very sensitive information and particularly vulnerable citizens. Having personnel dedicated to these types of crimes will be a great help to those most vulnerable persons in our county.”
All the personnel in these units either have received or will receive extensive training in their individual areas of expertise.
Tendy also wants to notify the public that law enforcement’s best tool is often civilian tips. “We have received phone calls, letters—often anonymous—which have led to successful large-scale investigations and very serious allegations of abuse. Some have been quite significant, and I urge members of the public to contact my office if you are aware of anything that may be criminal activity.”

District Attorney Robert V. Tendy Announces Sentencings of Louis Weber IV and James Mcinerney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE NUMBER 21-009

District Attorney Robert V. Tendy Announces Sentencings of Louis Weber IV and James Mcinerney

CARMEL, NEW YORK – November 16, 2021, Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced today that on November 9, 2021, Louis Weber IV, of Philipstown, New York, was sentenced by the Honorable Joseph J. Spofford to an aggregate sentence of 20 years in state prison with 5 years post-release supervision. Weber, 21, had pleaded guilty on August 24, 2021, to Manslaughter in the First Degree and Arson in the Third Degree for killing his father, Louis Weber III.
Weber was sentenced after the Court heard heartfelt statements from the victim’s daughter and two of his brothers, who described what the loss of the victim meant to them. The District Attorney’s Office also informed the Court that the defendant admitted to going to his father’s house in the middle of the night and killing him in his sleep, and that he did so because he believed his father was keeping money he received as child support for himself instead of spending it on the defendant.
District Attorney Tendy also announced today that on November 9, 2021, James Mcinerney, of Coram, New York, was sentenced by the Honorable Joseph J. Spofford to an aggregate sentence of 7 œ to 15 years in state prison. Mcinerney, 52, had been convicted after a jury trial of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and Resisting Arrest. As proven at trial, Mcinerney had stolen $103,050 from an 85-year-old woman in Cold Spring over the course of six months by making false representations and promises to her.
When imposing the sentence, Judge Spofford stated that Mcinerney was a “career criminal” who “preyed upon” his victim and committed a “despicable” crime. In addition to the sentence described above, Judge Spofford issued a criminal order of restitution for the victim in the full amount of the theft and issued an order of protection prohibiting the defendant from having any contact with her.
The case against Louis Weber IV was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Larry Glasser and Assistant District Attorney Breanne Smith. The case against James Mcinerney was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Larry Glasser and Assistant District Attorney Mackenzie Ferguson.

 

Career Car Thief Convicted by Putnam County Jury

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE NUMBER 21-008

 

Career Car Thief Convicted by Putnam County Jury

CARMEL, NEW YORK – October 26, 2021, Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced today that Derek Sloane was convicted after a jury trial on October 26, 2021 of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree.
On December 15, 2020, shortly after 3:00 PM, the defendant stole a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado owned by a small business in Cold Spring, New York. The manager of the business witnessed this brazen daylight heist and quickly reported the incident to 911.
Thanks to the quick response of both the New York State Police and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the defendant was apprehended approximately 20 minutes later while still driving the stolen pickup truck in Peekskill, New York.
The defendant, whose criminal history of stealing cars dates back to the 1980s faces a sentence of up to 3 œ to 7 years in state prison, or, if the Court finds him to be a persistent felony offender, a sentence of up to 25 years to life. Sentencing is scheduled for December 21, 2021 before the Honorable Joseph J. Spofford, Jr.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nicholas LaStella and Assistant District Attorney Kevin Douchkoff. District Attorney Tendy also thanked First Assistant District Attorney Larry Glasser and District Attorney Investigator Jaemie Caban for their assistance in this case. District Attorney Tendy also thanked the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police Cortlandt barracks for their efforts in bringing the defendant to justice.

Heather Licari sentenced for an intentional hit and run of a Man in Patterson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE NUMBER 21-007

Heather Licari sentenced for an Intentional Hit and Run of a Man in Patterson

CARMEL, NEW YORK – October 4, 2021, Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced today the conviction and sentencing of Heather Genevieve Licari for Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a class C violent felony offense. Licari was remanded without bail to the Putnam County Correctional Facility immediately upon her conviction on July 15, 2021. Licari was sentenced last week to 4 years in State Prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision by the by Putnam County Court Judge Joseph J. Spofford, Jr.
Licari was convicted after video surveillance captured her intentionally swerving her car in order to hit her sister’s boyfriend on December 19, 2019, in the Town of Patterson. Licari struck the victim head on while he was walking down his driveway. The impact hurled the victim into the air and onto an adjacent front lawn. Licari then quickly drove away from the scene. Licari, who has an extensive criminal history and who was on Probation in Dutchess County at the time the crime was committed, was apprehended later that day by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
While the impact left the victim with serious injuries requiring surgery, the victim is “very lucky to be alive” said Tendy. “This conviction ensures that the defendant will be held accountable for her actions and hopefully sends a message that crimes of violence will not be tolerated in Putnam County”.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nicholas LaStella. District Attorney Tendy also thanked Senior Criminal Investigator Michael Benvie and Criminal Investigator Jaemie Caban, also of the District Attorney’s Office, and Investigator Corinne Pitt of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation for their hard work in this case.

Joseph Fregosi Conviction for Wage Theft, Falsifying Business Records, and Perjury

CARMEL, NEW YORK – AUGUST 26, 2021 Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy announced today that Joseph Fregosi, of Fregosi Landscaping Inc., pled guilty to perjury in the Third Degree, and his corporation pled guilty to Willful Failure to Pay the Prevailing Wage and Falsifying Business Records in The First Degree.

During the summer and fall of 2020, Fregosi Landscaping Inc. was a subcontractor on a project at the Putnam County Golf Course. The Putnam County District Attorney’s Office received a complaint about the project and together with the New York State Police launched an investigation.

It was discovered that the company failed to pay its employees the prevailing wage rate as required by New York State law—cheating the workers of $46,889 dollars. Fregosi through his corporation sought to conceal this by filing certified reports containing false payroll information. The paperwork indicated that the money was paid to employees when in fact it had not been paid.

As a result, Fregosi Landscaping Inc. pleaded guilty in Putnam County Court to Willful Failure to Pay the Prevailing Rate of Wage and Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, both felonies. In addition, the company’s principal, Joseph Fregosi, pleaded guilty to Perjury in the Third Degree. In addition to pleading guilty and paying the workers what they were owed, Fregosi and his company will pay $20,000 dollars in fines. The New York State Police and the District Attorney’s office saw to it that the workers were eventually paid in full.

Tendy stated that “wage theft in New York, particularly on government projects, is a big problem and it takes hard earned money away from those who deserve it the most. We won’t tolerate it. This investigation was the result of a tip—and we ask anyone with information about wage theft in our county to contact us. Everything is kept confidential, and we take this very seriously.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Nicholas LaStella and David Rosenberg