Northport Court Report

Eliceo Ramirez Cruz
Eliceo Ramirez Cruz, 24, of Huntington appeared in Northport court for sentencing after pleading guilty to a charge of aggravated DWI (a violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law 1192-2A). Seven other charges against Cruz were dropped.

Cruz was originally arrested on December 11 of last year at 3:09 a.m. after being pulled over following three lane violations while driving a 1998 Ford Escort along Fort Salonga Road in Northport. A breathalyzer test at the scene revealed a blood alcohol content level of .230, nearly three times the legal limit. Cruz confessed to drinking bottles of beer that night, estimating the total number to be "about nine."

Cruz has been in custody since the time of the arrest, as he was unable to post bail at the time of his arraignment. He was brought out to his court appearance in his prisoner's outfit and in handcuffs. A translator was also on scene as Cruz does not speak English. This caused a problem for Northport Village Judge Paul Senzer, who was asked to repeat several statements by the judge through the translator.

Senzer also expressed concerned regarding whether the defendant could understand what was being said to him because he stopped receiving schooling at the age of 13. A conversation with the defendant's attorney by request of the judge straightened things out.

Cruz was sentenced to 90 days incarceration, with time already served applied, and a conditional discharge following the completion of the incarceration period. His license was revoked for one year, and he was also required to install an ignition interlock device in any vehicle he pwned or planned to operate within the next 10 days.

A $2,500 fine and $400 surcharge was also levied against Cruz. Payment was scheduled to be due on or before May 16, but Judge Senzer said an extension could be agreed upon if the defendant had trouble paying by that date. Judge Senzer also added that he had no control over the decisions of immigration services once they found out that Cruz was convicted of the crime.

Eileen K. Schneider
Eileen K. Schneider was sentenced in Northport court after pleading guilty to one count of driving while intoxicated, a violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law 1192-2. Schneider was originally arrested on October 21 of last year and charged with two counts of DWI. Her blood alcohol content level was not stated at the sentencing but was over the legal limit of .08 (as stated in the charge she violated). Three other charges were dismissed.

Judge Senzer noted Schneider's history of criminal justice issues in the past related to substance use. He told the defendant to deal with them or else she'd have to be re-sentenced. "The decision is entirely up to you," he told her.

Schneider was sentenced to three years probation. An alcohol condition stating that Schneider was unable to use alcoholic beverages or enter locations where alcoholic beverages were consumed was added, as was a narcotics condition prohibiting Schneider from possessing or using any illegal drugs. Schneider submitted to drug and alcohol testing, and was told that she would need to enter a psychiatric, narcotics and/or alcohol treatment facility if New York State services deemed it necessary. Failure to follow any of these conditions would violate probation and result in re-sentencing, which, in all likelihood, would lead to jail time. 

Judge Senzer recommended that Schneider attend a Suffolk County Victim and Impact panel within the next six months, telling the defendant that she would "get a hell of a lot more out of that than anything I say here."

She was also required to install an ignition interlock device in any car she owned or operated. Her privilege to operate a vehicle in New York State was revoked and she received a $1,000 fine with a $400 surcharge, which was paid immediately after her appearance in court.

Robert Sterner
45-year-old Northport resident Robert C. Sterner was back in court following . The arrest was made after Sterner violated a temporary order of protection against a woman who he previously had a child with.

Two issues were addressed during this court appearance. A new temporary order of protection was issued for Sterner against the woman, effective immediately and effective until Feburary 13 of next year. In addition, Sterner's bail, a point of contention with Sterner's attorney, Edward Yule, last week, was exonerated, with Sterner being released on his own recognizance. It was previously set at $2,500, which Yule found unreasonable. (Yule's other claim from the previous week, that Sterner's crime should not be tried as a felony, was unaddressed in this court appearance.) Sterner is due back in court next month.

Miscellaneous
Two 17-year-olds (and their parents), also represented by Yule, faced the judge on charges of marijuana posession. They were each issued an adjourment with contemplation of dismissal, meaning that the charge would be dismissed one year from the date of their court appearance as long as they stayed out of trouble. Judge Senzer noted that he was impressed that they were both taking the charge seriously. He also told them that they were lucky to have the support of their parents.

An attorney for a 77-year-old Oyster Bay Cove resident appeared in court on behalf of his client, who faced charges of second-degree aggravated harassment.The case was previously adjourned on December 13, and a criminal summons for the date of this court appearance was issued for the defendant in lieu of an arrest.

The attorney said that he was unaware that his client needed to appear in court; Judge Senzer noted that it was a hassle for the defendant to get to Northport, but stated that the client needed to be processed and fingerprinted. The case was adjourned until February 28.

There was only one traffic case heard by the court, which was a conference over a parking ticket. The defendant decided to plead guilty to the ticket after accepting a new job in Iowa made the defendant unable to complete a driver's course. The defendant was assessed a $25 fine.

The Northport Village Court will be closed next week in observance of President's Day. The next session will be on February 28.