Robert Cortese, 37, of Huntington, was arraigned on a felony charge of possessing a forged instrument in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, June 25, after presenting a phony permit to a Great River homeowner in 2021, the district attorney’s office said.
At the time, Cortese–the owner of Tool Time Construction–was not licensed to operate as a home improvement contractor in Suffolk County.
The homeowner hired Cortese in May 2021 for a backyard construction project that included installing a pool and building a pool house. Cortese assured the client he would handle the necessary permits—and after months of delays and repeated requests, the homeowner was handed what appeared to be an official permit from the Town of Islip, prosecutors said.
But when the homeowner reached out to the town’s Building Department with concerns, he was told the permit was fake and no application had ever been filed for the project.
Cortese surrendered to prosecutors on Wednesday and was released without bail following his arraignment, as the charge is not bail-eligible under current New York law. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison.
“Unlicensed contractors have no safe haven in Suffolk County,” said District Attorney Raymond Tierney. He urged homeowners to always verify contractor credentials with the Department of Consumer Affairs before hiring anyone.
Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Cortese is asked to contact the Suffolk County DA’s office at 631-853-5602.
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