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Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney publicly slammed District Court Judge John Zollo for releasing two felony defendants—one accused of child sex abuse and the other of gun possession—without bail.
In a statement Friday, April 11, Tierney outlined the following cases that saw defendants walk out of jail with no financial conditions:
Gun Case: Suspect Was Already Out On Bail
In the first case, a Brentwood man already out on bail from a Brooklyn gun charge was arrested again—this time in Shirley—after investigators say he posted videos online of himself posing with firearms.
Prosecutors say police recovered a loaded 9mm pistol from his residence that matched the one seen in the social media videos. He was arrested along with five others, including a violent felon on probation.
Despite a detailed bail request of $250,000, Judge Zollo released the defendant on his own recognizance, with no financial conditions. He’s due back in court April 14.
Child Sex Abuse Case: Father Released Without Bail
The second case involved a father accused of sexually abusing his 8-year-old daughter over a four-month period. Prosecutors say the man was extradited from Orange County to Suffolk to face a charge of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
Prosecutors requested $150,000 cash bail and a stay-away order for the child victim. But again, Judge Zollo ordered the defendant released without bail or monitoring. He’s due back in court April 29.
Tierney went on to criticize New York’s bail reform legislation, passed by state lawmakers in 2019, calling them “an abject failure.”
“New York, unlike 48 other states and the federal system, precludes public safety from being considered in the determination of pre-trial release. Our lawmakers should prioritize fixing this reckless policy before more residents get hurt or killed,” Tierney said.
“That being said, both of these defendants also fit the definition of a flight risk, and it is disappointing that the court chose to release them without any means of financial security whatsoever.”
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