Crimes Nearby: Large Amounts of Marijuana Found in Riverhead, Water Mill

The following information was supplied by the East End police departments. A criminal charge is only an accusation and does not indicate guilt.

RIVERHEAD

• A sting operation conducted by New York State Police on Monday night led to charges being filed against three clerks for selling alcohol to minors at three separate locations in Riverhead and Flanders.

At the Flanders Deli, on Flanders Road, a 16-year-old clerk from Flanders was charged with one count of unlawful dealing with a child and one count of prohibited sale of an alcoholic beverage.

At the Garden Deli, also on Flanders Road., Flanders. The clerk, a 28-year-old Flanders woman was also issued tickets for one count of unlawful dealing with a child and one count of prohibited sale of an alcoholic beverage. 

And at Gulf Gas & Food Mart, on East Main Street in Riverhead, a 60-year-old man from Riverhead, was charged the same as the Flanders clerks.

All three clerks were issued appearance tickets and are due in court at a later date.

• A Calverton man was arrested Sunday after police said he stabbed his girlfriend during a domestic dispute at Tanger.

Paul C. Thompson, Jr., 24, of Calverton, was arrested Sunday at 8:37 p.m. in Mastic Beach and charged with assault in the second degree, a felony, grand larceny in the fourth degree, a felony, petty larceny, a misdemeanor, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor, and criminal obstruction of breathing, a misdemeanor, police said.

Earlier Sunday, police asked for the public's help to locate Thompson, after his girlfriend was allegedly stabbed by her boyfriend at Tanger Outlet Center in Riverhead, and then forced to drive him to another spot before she was able to escape Saturday night, police said.

• Federal agents have charged a Riverhead man after they found 1,689 marijuana plants, worth $3.8 million growing inside his Osborne Avenue home earlier this week.

According to a report on Newsday, Edward Dispirito, 55, of Riverhead was charged along with James Ford, 70, of Seaford, with conspiracy to distribute marijuana after federal agents raided their homes.

SOUTHAMPTON

• Over 10 pounds of freshly harvested marijuana was discovered during a traffic stop in Water Mill on Saturday night, landing two men in jail, Southampton Town police said. 

Police stopped a 2002 Ford Windstar minivan on Deerfield Road, north of Head of Pond Road, at 9:08 p.m., according to Sgt. Todd Spencer. The driver, Daniel Dost, a 38-year-old Centereach resident, was allegedly speeding and failing to maintain his lane of travel, Spencer said. 

The officer noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the minivan, and a subsequent search revealed two large garbage bags filled with the marijuana behind the back seat, in the rear cargo area, police said.

Dost and his passenger, William Whelan, a 43-year-old Lake Grove resident, were arrested and charged with criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree, a felony, unlawfully growing marijuana, a misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation. 

• An opportunistic thief stole more than $6,000 worth of valuables during an estate sale on East Northview Hills on Sept. 21. According to the report, the victims were holding an all-weekend sale and had people come in and out of the home throughout the day. After the sale was over, the victims said they noticed items missing that weren’t sold. Stolen was a coin collection, valued at $3,600, a coral necklace, valued at $2,000 and copper wire with lights, worth about $500. The investigation is ongoing.

• Someone broke into a house on Chestnut Street and stole a number of rings and $5,000 in cash on Sept. 23. According to police a woman called 911 at around 2:30 after she returned home to find several locked boxes and drawers had been opened and rummaged through. Stolen was the cash and four rings of undetermined value. The victim said the burglary took place sometime between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.