'Dangerous' LI Man Sentenced To 13 Years For Violent Home Invasion: DA

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – A Long Island man was sentenced to 13 years in prison for holding three people at gunpoint during a violent home invasion, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.

Beresford Hall, 45, of Wyandanch, pled guilty in March to first-degree burglary, a Class B violent felony, forcibly entering a Central Islip home armed with a gun while a family was inside, pistol whipping a teenager, zip-tying multiple people and stealing more than $6,000 in cash and jewelry, the DA said.

On Tuesday, acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz sentenced Hall to 13 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision, the DA said.

According to the investigation, in his guilty plea Hall admitted that on April 8, 2023, when he saw a man open the front door of his home, he ran up to the man, put a handgun in the victim’s face and pushed him into the house.

The man’s girlfriend watched the incident from another location via a doorbell notification on her cell phone and called 911.

Meanwhile, Hall forced the man and his girlfriend’s 19-year-old and 16-year-old sons to lay on the floor face down, Tierney said. Hall proceeded to zip-tie their hands behind their backs, pistol-whipped the 16-year-old and stole more than $6,000 in cash and jewelry, a wallet and car keys; Hall also threatened a 10-year-old and a 4-month-old, the DA said.

While Hall was assaulting the residents, Suffolk County police had surrounded the house. When Hall noticed the police presence, he cut the zip-ties off of the victims with a knife and, in turn, cut their hands, according to the DA.

Hall allowed all the victims to walk out into police custody and also exited the home, the DA said. According to the DA, police ordered Hall to place his hands behind his back but he ran away and was eventually apprehended by police with the help of Officer Bryan Lawrence and K9 Officer Rafeh.

"This defendant forcibly entered a home armed with a gun with multiple family members inside. Thanks to the victim’s girlfriend who saw the incident through the home’s doorbell video, she called the police who were able to apprehend the defendant before he could get away," Tierney said. "This dangerous individual is now off of our streets thanks to the hard work of my prosecutors and members of the Suffolk County Police Department, including Police Officer Bryan Lawrence and K9 Officer Rafeh."

At the time of the home invasion, Hall was charged in Onondaga County for five counts of first-degree robbery for allegedly holding up an auto parts store, two convenience stores and a gas station in Syracuse, the DA said. He was also charged in Onondaga County with weapons possession after police alleged found a loaded handgun while searching his home, Tierney said. He was released on $200,000 bond. Those charges are still pending in Onondaga County, according to the DA.

Hall was represented by Caner Demirayak, Esq. He was not immediately available for comment.