Community Corner

Nearby: Sexual Predator Guilty; Drunk Bus Driver Sentenced

Patch reports on major news stories from around Long Island.

(This story was posted by Joe Dowd; it was written and reported by Patch Staff members.)

Here is a summary of major news from around Long Island this week. To see the full stories, click on the headlines:

Sexual Predator Could Spend Life in Jail

Fidel Castro-Brito, charged with 70 felonies related to child sex abuse in what was the biggest case the East Hampton Town Police Department put together, pleaded guilty on Thursday.

He pleaded guilty to the two indictments brought against him last year and a Suffolk County Judge promised a sentence of at least 20 years to life with 20 years of post-release supervision.

The sentence recommendation from the Suffolk County District Attorney's office is the maximum allowable by law of 50 years to life. He will be sentenced on June 21.

In April 2012, Castro-Brito was charged with seven sex crimes, including three charges of first-degree rape, after a man said he saw Castro-Brito jumping out of his 12-year-old daughter's bedroom window. He told police he had confronted Castro-Brito months earlier on Facebook and advised him to stay away from his daughter.

Bus Driver to Serve Year in Prison

A bus driver who was drunk at the wheel when he crashed a bus carrying five students into a Syosset home will serve one year in prison, according to the Nassau District Attorney's office.

Frederick Flowers, 67, of Massapequa Park, pleaded guilty to charges and was sentenced Monday to one year in prison, said the DA's office. Flowers admitted to Leandra's Law violations, DWI, reckless endangerment in the second degree, and endangering the welfare of a child.

Flowers had been drunk at the wheel when he reportedly drove a bus into a Teibrook Avenue home at about 3:20 p.m. Oct. 4.

Five children between the ages of 5 and 9 were on board at the time of the incident. None of the children were injured, according to reports.

Rangers Affiliate at Coliseum?

Hockey fans on Long Island could end up swapping their Brooklyn-bound Islanders for the rival Rangers' top minor league affiliate if Cablevision's MSG Company has its way.

In a presentation on Thursday, MSG executives said they intend to bring one of their professional sports franchises to Nassau County should their proposal for a reimagined Coliseum be accepted. Franchises mentioned were the WNBA’s New York Liberty, the Knicks’ D-League affiliate, the Erie Bayhawks, and the Rangers’ AHL affiliate, the Connecticut Whale.

Port Washington Chief Honored on Retirement

Celebrating his 39 years of service to the Port Washington Police District, well-wishers honored Police Chief William J. Kilfoil Monday on his last day of duty.  

Attending the ceremony were members of the Port Washington Police District and its commissioners, as well as officials from other villages and Nassau County.

Calling him an “icon” in the law enforcement community, James Salerno, who will begin serving as acting chief, noted that Kilfoil is the ninth police chief in the district, and the longest-serving chief in the district’s history.

Allergy Season Expected to bring Misery: Sandy to Blame

Mold spores and their impact on allergy sufferers are among the lingering legacies of Hurricane Sandy, six months after the super storm tore across the East Coast, experts say.

Medical experts say Long Island is going through one of its worst allergy seasons in memory, in part because of the mold spawned and left to grow in moisture-prone places. Countless millions of mold spores are rising from the warming earth, causing allergy misery across Long Island. In fact, a recent survey indicates that Long Island is the fifth-worst place in the country right now for allergy sufferers.

"This year's allergy season is particularly bad, and a lot of it is because of the moisture, part of which was that left by Hurricane Sandy and lingering since the fall," said Dr. Ken Spaeth, director of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at North Shore LIJ Hospital.

It may get worse, as well: “It is possible that we may see more people experiencing allergies as a result of Hurricane Sandy or pollen in general in the coming weeks," said Dr. Punita Ponda, assistant division chief of allergy and immunology at Cohen Children’s Medical Center.

Guilty Plea from Former Nassau Top Cop

John Hunter, a former Nassau County Police Department chief, pleaded guilty Wednesday after he conspired to prevent Merrick resident Zachary Parker's arrest in May of 2009.

In return for pleading guilty to conspiracy and official misconduct, Hunter was sentenced to With prosecutors’ agreement, three years of probation, 500 hours of community service unrelated to law enforcement or EMS, he's required to film a police training video to help recruits avoid his illegal mistakes.

A jury convicted Flanagan for his role in this conspiracy in February. “We brought these cases to make sure that there isn’t one set of rules for the rich and connected and another for everyone else, said Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. "John Hunter violated his oath and the law when he gave special treatment to a wealthy friend’s son, and today’s guilty plea ensures that he will face serious consequences for his conduct.”




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