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The 50-year-old Islandia man, whose name was not released in order to protect the victim’s identity, was convicted of assault and a dozen other charges by a Suffolk County judge on Wednesday, March 6.
Prosecutors said the victim first called 911 in March 2022 after spotting the defendant standing outside of her home holding a crowbar and a hunting knife. He immediately began to bang on her window with the crowbar before fleeing when she called the police.
A Suffolk County judge issued an order of protection barring the man from having any contact with the woman or her children, ages 5 and 6.
The order was in effect when he returned to the woman’s house two weeks later, on April 8, 2022.
Prosecutors said the victim arrived after working a 12-hour shift and brought her children inside. When she went back outside to close a car door that was open, she screamed when she saw the defendant, who was dressed in a hooded sweatshirt, a scarf tied around his lower face, and black gloves.
According to investigators, the man pulled out a machete and told the woman to shut up, get the kids, and give him the keys to her car. He then went inside the home, where the victim tried to get her children away from him.
Hearing the woman screams, an upstairs neighbor came outside and told his wife to call 911. The defendant chased both the victim and the neighbor with the machete.
The woman tried going back inside her home, but she fell down and the man grabbed her. As the two struggled for control of the machete, she suffered deep cuts on the palm of her hands.
Prosecutors said the man took off running when the neighbor told him the police were on their way. As he fled, he pointed the machete at the neighbor and told her she would “regret this.”
Police located the man a few blocks away from the scene. He jumped over a fence and tried escaping but was tackled by a police K9.
In court Wednesday, the defendant was found guilty of the following counts after a bench trial:
- Two counts of burglary (felony)
- Assault (felony)
- Aggravated criminal contempt (felony)
- Criminal possession of a weapon (felony)
- Six counts of criminal contempt (felony and misdemeanor)
- Two counts of endangering the welfare of a child (misdemeanor)
- Menacing (misdemeanor)
“No one should ever feel unsafe in their own home. This courageous woman demonstrated incredible bravery during this incident, doing everything she could to protect herself and her children,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.
“We hope this conviction provides her with some measure of comfort knowing the defendant will be in prison while her children can grow up in peace.”
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