Blakeman Reacts To Nassau's 1st Mask Ban Arrest

MINEOLA, NY — Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said the Mask Ban law led to its first arrest this week.

A man was wearing a mask on the border of Levittown and Hicksville on Sunday night.

"A concerned resident called 911 to alert police that someone had a mask," Blakeman said. "A weapon was uncovered from this individual, who we believe was about to commit a serious crime."

Blakeman signed the Mask Transparency Act into law earlier this month.

"It's another tool in the toolbox for our police department," he said at a Wednesday news conference.

Police acted swiftly upon getting information from the 911 call.

"Eight o'clock at night wearing a ski mask on an 80-degree night is suspicious in itself," Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said.

Officers questioned the man, Wesslin Omar Ramirez Castillo, who said, according to Ryder: "I'm wearing the mask. They told me to wear it and they gave me the knife to do a robbery."

A butcher-style 14-inch knife was found on the 18-year-old man, who lives in Hicksville, about a mile from where the incident took place, Ryder said.

Born in Guatemala, Ryder said, Ramirez Castillo entered the U.S. illegally in 2019 at the border in Texas.

Along with violating the new mask ban, he was also charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Ryder said.

"I don't believe that someone would have called 911, but for the fact that they were aware that we do have this mask law, which has been widely reported," Blakeman said.