Suffolk Man Gets 22 Years For Assaulting Ex-Girlfriend W/ Machete: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — An Islandia man was sentenced to 22 years in prison after he was found guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of his children, with a machete after he illegally entered her home, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced Wednesday.

The 50-year-old man, who the DA is not naming to protect the identity of the woman, also faces five years of post-release supervision. He was convicted of burglary, assault, and other related charges.

"This sentence serves as a reminder that such despicable acts of domestic violence will be met with the full force of the law," Tierney stated. "You will be held to account for your actions. My office stands firm in protecting survivors and holding perpetrators accountable for their heinous actions."

On March 25, 2022, the woman returned home from work and noticed the gate to her backyard was open although she normally kept it closed, investigators said. She then saw the man standing outside of her house holding a crowbar and a hunting knife, officials said. The man immediately began to bang on the house window with the crowbar, but the woman called 911 and began screaming, causing the man to flee, authorities said.

A few weeks later, on the evening of April 8, 2022, an order of protection was in place that directed the man to stay away from the woman and their children, the DA said. The woman got home after working a 12-hour shift and took her 5- and 6-year-old children into the house, prosecutors said. She then returned outside to close a car door that was left open, officials said. When the woman went back outside, she screamed when she saw the man standing by the trunk of her car wearing a hooded sweatshirt, a scarf tied around the lower part of his face, and black gloves, the DA said.

The man pulled a machete out of a case attached to his pants and told the woman to shut up, get the kids, and give him the keys to her car, investigators said. The man then entered the house, and the woman immediately tried to get the children away from the man and out of the house, authorities said.

At that moment, the woman's upstairs neighbor came outside after hearing her screams and told his wife to call 911, the DA said.

The man chased both his ex-girlfriend and the neighbor with the machete, officials said. The woman tried to get inside her house and lock the door behind her, but she fell, and the man charged her, prosecutors said. As the two struggled to control the machete, the woman grabbed it to prevent the man from slashing her with it, causing deep cuts to the palms of her hands, authorities said.

The neighbor told the man that the police were on their way, the DA said. The man pointed the machete at his ex-girlfriend and told her she would "regret this" before running away, investigators said.

Police used K9 Brick to track the man, finding him a few blocks away crouched behind a truck, officials said. When the man saw the police officer and K9 Brick, he jumped over a fence and continued to run, the DA said. Police pursued the man and warned him that K9 Brick would bite the man if he didn’t stop and show his hands, prosecutors said. K9 Brick was then deployed and apprehended the man, authorities said.

The man was convicted of two counts of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree assault, one count of aggravated criminal contempt, one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of first-degree criminal contempt, five counts of second-degree criminal contempt, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of second-degree menacing.

The man was represented by Anthony LaPinta, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.