Crimes Nearby: Springs Man Indicted on Rape, Child Endangerment

EAST HAMPTON

• A 33-year-old Springs man has been indicted on rape, sexual abuse and child endangerment charges in Suffolk County Criminal Court and is being held at the county jail. An investigation began on Jan. 24, when East Hampton Town police said they found Kleber A. Sigcha in a car with someone younger than 15 at a rest-stop in Wainscott. Sigcha denied that anything sexual had occurred, according to his arrest report.

• An East Hampton man was charged with a felony on Wednesday, after a woman found a small surveillance camera attached to her desk in her bedroom. Juan I. Martinez Martinez, 30, of East Hampton, was charged with unlawful surveillance in the second-degree and released on $2,000 bail following an arraignment in East Hampton Justice Court. According to town police, Martinez installed the camera to catch the 38-year-old woman dressing and undressing without her knowledge.

• Danny S. Verdugo-Nieto, 32, of East Hampton, was arrested on a driving while intoxicated charge after an accident in Springs on Jan. 22 at 2:40 a.m. Police said they found a 1996 Ford van had crashed into a tree on the side of Three Mile Harbor Road, near Gann Road, but that the driver had fled the scene. The officer found footprints in the snow leading to a nearby residence. Verdugo-Nieto allegedly took off after he saw the officer and after a short foot pursuit, he surrendered himself by putting his hands in the air and getting down on his knees.

RIVERHEAD

• A Riverside woman was arrested and hit with felony weapons charges shortly after midnight on Thursday. According to Southampton Police, Valderine Smithen, 40, threatened a Vail Avenue resident with a razor during an argument.
Police said she was found in the vicinity of the incident and arrested for criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a felony, and menacing in the second degree, a misdemeanor.

• A Southold man was arrested early Friday morning on DWI charges after State Police said he hit a curb while speeding around the Riverside traffic circle.
According to police, Paul Reinckens, 24, was pulled over just after 2 a.m. while driving a gray Mercury. Police said he struck a curb and after being asked to pull over, Reinckens stopped in the middle of the road and had to be instructed again to pull to the side of the road. Police said a strong odor of alcohol was detected on his breath, and he failed field sobriety tests. He was charged with DWI and speeding, and is due back at Southampton Town Justice Court on Feb. 12.

SOUTHAMPTON

• Tania Copenhavern, 39, of Calverton, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a felony, on Jan. 29 after she was stopped on County Road 39 in Southampton near Tuckahoe Road for a traffic infraction, Southampton Town police said. Police said Copenhaver was pulled over for moving from a lane unsafely when it was discovered that she had in her possession a metal knuckle knife, which is illegal in New York. According to the New York State Penal Law, "metal knuckle knife" means "a weapon that, when closed, cannot function as a set of metal knuckles, nor as a knife and when open, can function as both a set of metal knuckles as well as a knife."

• A 16-year-old girl from East Hampton was arrested Jan. 27 at 12:07 a.m. and charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument in the third degree, a misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation. Southampton Village police said they observed a vehicle stop on North Sea Road and place an empty beer can in the road. After stopping the vehicle, an officer found four 16-year-olds from East Hampton with a case of beer in the vehicle and some marijuana, police said. Two of the 16-year-olds had fake IDs, police said. All were processed and released to their parents; two posted $100 bail.

• Zoli Zhagui, 24, of Sag Harbor, was arrested Jan. 24 at 10:41 p.m. and charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. Sag Harbor police said Zhagui left a 7-year-old and 4-year-old home alone while she went to work in Bridgehampton. According to the arrest report, Zhagui told police she left the Cuffee Drive home at 8:30 p.m. Another occupant of the house reported arriving home at 9:50 p.m. and finding the children alone. Zhagui was booked at police headquarters and released on an appearance ticket. Child Protective Services was notified.

MILLER PLACE - ROCKY POINT

• Debra Joyce Hotzoglou, of Mastic Beach, was arrested Jan. 25 in Rocky Point and charged with second degree harassment. She allegedly struck a man in the back of the head in September of 2011 and was arrested on an arrest warrant on Jan 25.