'No Safe Haven': LI Contractor Gave Client Fake Building Permit: DA

GREAT RIVER, NY — A Long Island contractor is facing charges after allegedly providing a client with a forged building permit, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.

Robert Cortese, 37, of Huntington, was charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, for allegedly presenting a forged Town of Islip building permit to a customer in 2021, and at the time, Cortese, the owner of Tool Time Construction, Inc., did not a valid license to operate the business, the DA said.

"Unlicensed contractors have no safe haven in Suffolk County," Tierney said. "We continually work with the Department of Consumer Affairs to warn homeowners against hiring unlicensed contractors to work on their homes and caution unsuspecting owners to always check with the Department before signing a contract so they can be assured they are contracting with licensed home improvement contractors on whom they can depend."

According to the investigation, in May of 2021, a client contracted with Cortese for a construction project at the client’s home in Great River to install a pool and build a pool house at their home, the DA said.

Cortese allegedly assured the homeowner that he would obtain all the necessary permits from the Town of Islip in order to comply with the town’s building code, the DA said. In October 2021, Cortese allegedly presented the client with what he claimed was a legitimate Town of Islip building permit after the homeowner repeatedly requested a copy of the permit to show compliance, the DA said.

According to the DA, the homeowner contacted the Town of Islip Building Department after questioning some of the work completed on the project and learned that the permit Cortese gave him was fraudulent and not issued by the town, the DA said. In addition, the client also allegedly learned that no applications for a building permit had been filed for his pool project, the permit Cortese presented was fraudulent and Cortese had allegedly never filed any permits with the Town of Islip, the DA said. The homeowner also discovered that Cortese did not have a valid license to work as a home improvement contractor in Suffolk County, the DA said.

On June 25, Cortese surrendered to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and was arrested, the DA said. The same day, Cortese was arraigned before District Court Judge Steven Weissbard and charged with second-degree Criminal Possession of a forged instrument, a Class D felony, the DA said.

Weissbard ordered Cortese released from jail without bail because his charge is considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail, the DA said.

Cortese is due back in court on Aug.6, 2025, and faces up to 2 1/3 years to 7 years in prison if convicted on the top count, the DA said.

He is being represented by Marc Gann, who was not immediately available for comment.

Anyone who believes they have been victimized by Cortese may call the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office at 631-853-5602.