4 Indicted In Connection With Gunpoint Robbery In Middle Island: DA

RIVERSIDE, NY — An indictment has been handed down in connection with a gunpoint robbery in Middle Island in October, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Wednesday.

Aubre Vandunk, 18, of Oceanside, Isaac Brutus, 19, of Lindenhurst, a 16-year-old from East Patchogue, and a 17-year-old from Shirley were indicted on charges including first-degree robbery, according to his office.

In addition to first-degree robbery, the group was also charged with one count of first-degree criminal use of a firearm, and six counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, the DA said.

The names of the juveniles were not released due to their ages.

Each faces up to 25 years in prison and five years post-release supervision if convicted of the top count, the DA said.

The four were ordered held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or $2,500,000 partially secured bond, Tierney said.

Brutus' defense attorney, Chase Brown of Central Islip, said his client "maintains his innocence in this matter, and looks forward to fighting these charges in court.”

The 16-year-old 's attorney, William Sammis of Copiague, declined comment on the case.

Vandunk's attorney, Eric Besso of Sayville, as well as the 17-year-old's attorney, Peggy Foy of Patchogue, could not be reached.

Tierney said that "gunpoint robberies such as the crime alleged here will not be tolerated in Suffolk County, adding that his office is committed to holding people "who use guns to commit crimes fully accountable and to protecting the safety" of the county's residents.

On Oct. 9, the group contacted the victim to purchase clothing that the victim had advertised for sale on social media, and at around 5 p.m. the same day, the victim met with the 17-year-old and Brutus in the parking lot of a Middle Island apartment complex; shortly after, the 16-year-old and Vandunk arrived, prosecutors said.

During the interaction, which started out as a discussion about the clothing for sale, Brutus
tried to steal the victim’s car, and when the victim tried to stop him, he and Vandunk each flashed firearms and fought with the victim while the other two of the group took around $6,000 worth of clothing from inside the victim’s vehicle, according to prosecutors.

The group then ran to a friend’s apartment within the complex, and Suffolk police
were notified, prosecutors said.

A K-9 tracker led to the recovery of some of the stolen property, and officers were also
able to find where the group were hiding out, and surrounded the location, but the
group called 911 and surrendered peacefully, according to prosecutors.

Police later searched the apartment where the group was hiding out and retrieved three loaded illegal firearms, ammunition, a BB gun, which was designed to look like a firearm, and some of the victim’s stolen property, prosecutors said.

All four are due to appear in court over the next few weeks.