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Suffolk County District Attorney's Office

Man Murdered Single Mom In Moriches Over Debt, DA Says Man Murdered Single Mom In Moriches Over Debt, DA Says
Man Murdered Single Mom In Moriches Over Debt, DA Says A Long Island man fatally shot his ex-girlfriend— a young single mom— outside her apartment in a cold-blooded act over a minor financial dispute, prosecutors alleged. James Quininchetta, 40, of Ridge, was arraigned on murder and weapons charges in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, June 18, in the killing of 33-year-old Rebecca Roth. Quininchetta took a rideshare to Roth’s Moriches apartment complex, Heatherwood Apartments, at around 12:30 a.m. on Friday, June 6, to confront her over money she allegedly owed him, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office. When Roth refused to pay, Quini…
2 Girls' Church Confession Lands Huntington Dad Nearly 50 Years Behind Bars: DA 2 Girls' Church Confession Lands Huntington Dad Nearly 50 Years Behind Bars: DA
2 Girls' Church Confession Lands Huntington Dad Nearly 50 Years Behind Bars: DA A Huntington man who repeatedly sexually abused his two young daughters has been sentenced to nearly five decades in prison, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Wednesday, June 18. The 50-year-old man, whose name is being withheld to protect the victims’ identities, was sentenced to 48 years in prison followed by 20 years of post-release supervision after a jury found him guilty of multiple violent felonies stemming from the abuse that began in 2012. The serious sentence sends a clear message to abusers that we will not tolerate child abuse in Suffolk Count…
Man Who Murdered Longtime Friend Outside Mastic Home Gets Decades Man Who Murdered Longtime Friend Outside Mastic Home Gets Decades
Man Who Murdered Longtime Friend Outside Mastic Home Gets Decades A Long Island man could spend the rest of his life in prison for fatally shooting his longtime friend in a chilling act of violence outside his home. James Brown, 45, was sentenced to 25 years to life behind bars in Suffolk County Court on Monday, June 16. It followed his May jury conviction for second-degree murder and related charges in the killing of Umar Elquhir. Brown and Elquhir were seen on surveillance video arguing on the evening of Nov. 7, 2023, on the Poospatuck Reservation, where the two men had lived as friends for years, the Suffolk County DA’s office said. After a brief phys…
Handshake Turned Deadly: Man Admits Killing Smoking Buddy Outside Copiague Deli Handshake Turned Deadly: Man Admits Killing Smoking Buddy Outside Copiague Deli
Handshake Turned Deadly: Man Admits Killing Smoking Buddy Outside Copiague Deli A man admitted to fatally stabbing another man outside a Long Island deli just moments after the two appeared to squash a heated argument. Gherson Lopez, 29, a Salvadoran national, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, June 11, for fatally stabbing 34-year-old Jose Argueta-Canalaes outside a Copiague deli in 2023. The attack happened on May 15, 2023, outside a neighborhood deli. Lopez and Argueta-Canales were smoking together when a verbal dispute escalated into a physical altercation, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office. When Lopez injured his hand, t…
Bay Shore Man Lured 11-Year-Old Boys Using Snapchat, Raping Them; More Victims Sought: DA Bay Shore Man Lured 11-Year-Old Boys Using Snapchat, Raping Them; More Victims Sought: DA
Bay Shore Man Lured 11-Year-Old Boys Using Snapchat, Raping Them; More Victims Sought: DA A Bay Shore man lured two 11-year-old boys using Snapchat before raping and abusing them in public bathrooms, prosecutors announced on Wednesday, June 11. Bradley Schioppa, 18, was indicted for three counts of Rape in the First Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney. Schioppa allegedly used the handle “paxonhotsg5” to join a Snapchat group chat with Smithtown-area boys in April 2025. Posing as a peer, he later began meeting the children in person, driving …
Daughter Of Accused Gilgo Beach Killer Rex Heuermann Believes He May Be Guilty: Docuseries Daughter Of Accused Gilgo Beach Killer Rex Heuermann Believes He May Be Guilty: Docuseries
Daughter Of Accused Gilgo Beach Killer Rex Heuermann Believes He May Be Guilty: Docuseries The daughter of accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann has broken her silence — and revealed a heartbreaking shift in belief: she now thinks her father may be guilty. For the first time since her dad’s arrest, Victoria Heuermann is speaking out publicly about the man she once looked up to — and how she’s grappling with the possibility that he lived a terrifying double life. In Peacock’s new three-part docuseries “The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets,” which premiered Tuesday, June 10, the 27-year-old opens up about her internal turmoil, detailing her emotional journey from unce…
Ridge Teacher Accused Of Requesting Nudes, Engaging In Sex Chats With Kids Charged Again Ridge Teacher Accused Of Requesting Nudes, Engaging In Sex Chats With Kids Charged Again
Ridge Teacher Accused Of Requesting Nudes, Engaging In Sex Chats With Kids Charged Again A Long Island teacher previously accused of posing as a juvenile and engaging in online sexual behavior with pre-teens is facing a fresh round of charges. Ryan McCaffery, 37, of Ridge, was arrested again Monday, May 12, by New York State Police and charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors connected to alleged online activity involving underage victims. McCaffery is accused of using a Snapchat account to engage in highly inappropriate and exploitative conversations with minors under the age of 14 in December 2024, police said. He now faces the following charges in Suffolk County: …
DA Blasts Suffolk Judge After Child Sex Abuse, Weapons Defendants Freed Without Bail DA Blasts Suffolk Judge After Child Sex Abuse, Weapons Defendants Freed Without Bail
DA Blasts Suffolk Judge After Child Sex Abuse, Weapons Defendants Freed Without Bail A rare clash between the bench and the prosecutor’s office is playing out on Long Island. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney publicly slammed District Court Judge John Zollo for releasing two felony defendants—one accused of child sex abuse and the other of gun possession—without bail. In a statement Friday, April 11, Tierney outlined the following cases that saw defendants walk out of jail with no financial conditions: Gun Case: Suspect Was Already Out On Bail In the first case, a Brentwood man already out on bail from a Brooklyn gun charge was arrested again—this time in S…
Toddler's Death From Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine Sees Manslaughter Conviction For Holbrook Dad Toddler's Death From Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine Sees Manslaughter Conviction For Holbrook Dad
Toddler's Death From Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine Sees Manslaughter Conviction For Holbrook Dad A New York father whose toddler son died from a lethal cocktail of fentanyl and other hard drugs pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Long Island resident Wilkens Adonis, 39, of Holbrook, entered the formal plea in Suffolk County Court on Monday, March 17, in the death of his 14-month-old son, Joseph. Suffolk County Police were called to Adonis’ residence on the morning of Jan. 3, 2024, for an unresponsive child, prosecutors said. They found the boy unconscious in a bedroom shared by Adonis and the boy’s mother, Daryllee Leibrook. The boy was taken by ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospita…
Masked Robber Pistol-Whips Employee At Flanders Deli Before Fleeing With $6K, DA Says Masked Robber Pistol-Whips Employee At Flanders Deli Before Fleeing With $6K, DA Says
Masked Robber Pistol-Whips Employee At Flanders Deli Before Fleeing With $6K, DA Says A 22-year-old man was formally charged in an armed robbery at a Long Island deli that left an employee injured. Demario Weston Jr., of Farmingdale, was indicted on over a dozen charges, including robbery, in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Jan. 23, in connection with a heist at the El Queztal Deli in Flanders. Donning a ski mask and armed with a handgun equipped with a laser light, Weston entered the deli shortly before noon on Sept. 23, 2024, and demanded cash from an employee, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office. He pistol-whipped the female clerk on her head and body before fl…
'Brutal' Cold Case Murder Of 88-Year-Old Widow In Bay Shore Solved With Forensics: DA 'Brutal' Cold Case Murder Of 88-Year-Old Widow In Bay Shore Solved With Forensics: DA
'Brutal' Cold Case Murder Of 88-Year-Old Widow In Bay Shore Solved With Forensics: DA A suspect has been arrested decades after what prosecutors described as one of the most brutal cold case killings on Long Island. Modern forensic technology and “determined detective work” helped police nab the culprit in the 2003 murder of Edna Schubert, the Suffolk County DA’s office announced Thursday, Feb. 6. Schubert, 88, was beaten to death by an intruder at her North Bay Shore residence on Fredrick Avenue on Dec. 12, 2003, The New York Times reported. The retired Department of Motor Vehicles employee, who lived alone since her husband died years prior, died from a violent assault, po…
Woman Set Fire To Occupied Home In East Quogue, Tried Starting 2 Other Fires: Jury Woman Set Fire To Occupied Home In East Quogue, Tried Starting 2 Other Fires: Jury
Woman Set Fire To Occupied Home In East Quogue, Tried Starting 2 Other Fires: Jury A Long Island woman tried burning down multiple occupied homes in the Hamptons, a jury found. Amanda Burnside, 42, of East Quogue, was found guilty of arson and related charges by a Suffolk County jury on Monday, Jan. 27. Burnside attempted, but ultimately failed, to start fires at two occupied homes in Hampton Bays and succeeded in starting a fire at a third home that was occupied by four people in November 2023, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office. At the third home, she ignited the fire by pouring gasoline onto a wicker bench on the front porch and lighting papers on fire, pro…
Selden Father Sentenced To 57 Years For Years Of Horrific Abuse Against His Children Selden Father Sentenced To 57 Years For Years Of Horrific Abuse Against His Children
Selden Father Sentenced To 57 Years For Years Of Horrific Abuse Against His Children A Selden father will spend up to 57 years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing three of his children over a 13-year period, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Friday, Jan. 10. The 68-year-old man subjected his children to years of unimaginable abuse between 1997 and 2010, prosecutors said. The victims, then just 7 to 13 years old, were too frightened to report the abuse, fearing separation from their siblings. “It is unconscionable that a father would subject his own children to years of such heinous acts of sexual violence,” District Attorney Ti…
'Deserved Better': DA Investigating Claims Animals Died From Neglect At Holtsville Preserve 'Deserved Better': DA Investigating Claims Animals Died From Neglect At Holtsville Preserve
'Deserved Better': DA Investigating Claims Animals Died From Neglect At Holtsville Preserve A formal investigation is underway into alleged animal neglect at a Long Island wildlife preserve following allegations by former employees. The Town of Brookhaven on Monday, Dec. 23, requested that the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office conduct an independent investigation into alleged neglect at the Holtsville Ecology Site & Animal Preserve. It followed claims by at least eight former employees that animals at the facility endured years of mistreatment. The Holtsville site is operated by the Town of Brookhaven under its Highway Department, which has faced criticism for its mana…
Suffolk County Father Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Daughter: DA Suffolk County Father Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Daughter: DA
Suffolk County Father Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Daughter: DA A 56-year-old man from Islip was convicted of sexually abusing his daughter over the course of two years, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Thursday, Dec. 12. The District Attorney’s Office is not naming the defendant in order to avoid identifying the victim of a sex crime. The jury found the defendant guilty of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and related charges for abusing his daughter, beginning when she was 15 years old, according to Tierney. In February 2023, the then 17-year-old victim disclosed the abuse to a teacher following a specific incident of s…
Pizzeria Stabbing: Father, Grandfather 'Happy To Be Alive' After Attack In Nesconset Pizzeria Stabbing: Father, Grandfather 'Happy To Be Alive' After Attack In Nesconset
Pizzeria Stabbing: Father, Grandfather 'Happy To Be Alive' After Attack In Nesconset A beloved pizzeria employee is facing a long road to recovery after he was allegedly stabbed by a co-worker while on the job on Long Island. Sal Polizzi suffered repeated stab wounds to his side at the hands of 34-year-old Paul Albinagorta as the two worked the kitchen at Gino’s of Nesconset on Sunday morning, Nov. 24, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office. Polizzi fled the shop along with several other employees as Albinagorta allegedly chased them, threatening further violence, police said. He was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. …
Farmingville Man Gets 18 Years For Raping, Choking Estranged Wife Unconscious Farmingville Man Gets 18 Years For Raping, Choking Estranged Wife Unconscious
Farmingville Man Gets 18 Years For Raping, Choking Estranged Wife Unconscious A Long Island man will spend nearly two decades behind bars after confessing to choking and raping his estranged wife. The Farmingville man, who prosecutors are not naming in order to protect the victim’s identity, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in Suffolk County Court on Monday, Nov. 18. Prosecutors said the defendant and victim were still living together while going through a divorce when he attacked her after she got out of the shower at around 6 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022. After breaking down the bathroom door, he dragged her into his bedroom and choked her until she lost consciousness…
Chaotic Street Takeover: Duo Nabbed After Cop Punched, Dragged By Car In Islip Chaotic Street Takeover: Duo Nabbed After Cop Punched, Dragged By Car In Islip
Chaotic Street Takeover: Duo Nabbed After Cop Punched, Dragged By Car In Islip Two men have been apprehended on charges in connection with a chaotic street takeover on Long Island in which a police officer was assaulted and dragged by a vehicle, officials said. The incident occurred early Sunday, Nov. 3,  in Islip. Suffolk County Police responded to multiple 911 calls about vehicles blocking traffic on westbound Sunrise Service Road near Commack Road at around 1 a.m. A Third Precinct officer arriving on the scene reportedly crashed into a pole while trying to avoid a pedestrian in the roadway. After exiting his vehicle, the officer confronted the driver of a bl…
Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After Noyac Fire That Killed 2 Sisters Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After Noyac Fire That Killed 2 Sisters
Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After Noyac Fire That Killed 2 Sisters A husband and wife will avoid jail after admitting fault in a fire at their New York vacation rental that killed two sisters. On Long Island, Peter Miller, age 56, and Pamela Miller, age 55, were each sentenced to community service in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the deaths of Lindsay and Jillian Wiener, CBS New York reports. The 19-year-old Lindsay and 21-year-old Jillian, both of Potomac, Maryland, were vacationing with their brother and parents at the Millers’ Noyac home when the blaze broke out on the morning of Aug. 3, 2022. Earlier Report: Sisters On Vacation K…
Sag Harbor Woman Cleans Out Bank Account To Fraudster Posing As Federal Agent, Police Say Sag Harbor Woman Cleans Out Bank Account To Fraudster Posing As Federal Agent, Police Say
Sag Harbor Woman Cleans Out Bank Account To Fraudster Posing As Federal Agent, Police Say A months-long investigation has led to the arrest of a man who authorities say impersonated a federal agent and used fear and intimidation to convince a Long Island victim to hand over money. On Friday, Oct. 25, the suspect, Om Parkash, age 31, of Queens, was charged with second-degree grand larceny (a Class C felony). In late July of 2023, Parkash contacted the victim in Sag Harbor stating she was involved in a fraud scheme involving large amounts of money, according to New York State Police.  From there, Parkash advised the victim she would have to give money to “federal a…
Central Islip Jail Guard Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Inmate Indicted By Grand Jury Central Islip Jail Guard Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Inmate Indicted By Grand Jury
Central Islip Jail Guard Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Inmate Indicted By Grand Jury A corrections officer at a Long Island jail will stand trial for allegedly sexually assaulting an inmate. Jason Middleton, age 35, of Central Islip, was indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury on Friday, Oct. 11, stemming from an alleged incident at the county jail in Riverhead. An investigation found that between April and September 2023, Middleton escorted an inmate into a utility walkway between jail cells where he knew was hidden from security camera view. Earlier Report: 'Disgusted': Jail Guard Forces Long Island Inmate Into Sex Act, DA Says Once in the camera’s blind spot, M…
Enough Fentanyl To Kill 3.5M People Seized From 'Major Trafficker's' Bellport Home, DA Says Enough Fentanyl To Kill 3.5M People Seized From 'Major Trafficker's' Bellport Home, DA Says
Enough Fentanyl To Kill 3.5M People Seized From 'Major Trafficker's' Bellport Home, DA Says Authorities seized enough fentanyl to kill millions of people from the Long Island home of a major drug trafficker, prosecutors said. Remon Gibson, age 43, of Bellport, was indicted for operating as a major trafficker and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, Oct. 9. It came after members of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Fentanyl Task Force executed a search warrant at Gibson’s Sunburst Lane residence on Wednesday, Sept. 25. According to prosecutors, officers found over 15 pounds of fentanyl, over 17 pounds of cocaine in brick form, and over a pound of xylazine, …
Man Lures House Cleaner To North Babylon Residence Before Attempted Knifepoint Robbery, DA Says Man Lures House Cleaner To North Babylon Residence Before Attempted Knifepoint Robbery, DA Says
Man Lures House Cleaner To North Babylon Residence Before Attempted Knifepoint Robbery, DA Says A Long Island man is accused of luring a house cleaner to his residence before attempting to rob her at knifepoint. The incident began in North Babylon at an apartment on Weeks Road, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said 66-year-old Christopher Doran lured a female house cleaner to his residence under the guise of hiring her on Monday, Sept. 2. When the victim arrived, Doran told her she needed to drive him in her car to a bank to withdraw money. After instructing the woman to drive him to several locations between Bay Shore and Babylon, Doran told th…
Gilgo Beach Murders: New Images Of 'Asian Doe' Released In Effort To ID Male Victim Gilgo Beach Murders: New Images Of 'Asian Doe' Released In Effort To ID Male Victim
Gilgo Beach Murders: New Images Of 'Asian Doe' Released In Effort To ID Male Victim Investigators are hoping newly released images will lead to the identification of another victim in the Gilgo Beach serial murders. On Long Island, the Gilgo Beach Task Force distributed facial reconstructions of who they've long referred to as "Asian Doe" during a press conference in Brentwood on Monday morning, Sept. 16. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said the man’s skeletal remains were found along Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach on April 4, 2011, though it’s believed he “suffered a violent death” sometime before 2006. Earlier Report: Heuermann Used 'Planning Doc' …
Ex-Leader Admits To Stealing $76K From Dix Hills Children's Soccer Club Ex-Leader Admits To Stealing $76K From Dix Hills Children's Soccer Club
Ex-Leader Admits To Stealing $76K From Dix Hills Children's Soccer Club A man who helped run a Long Island soccer club for children admitted in court that he embezzled more than $76,000 from the group to use on personal expenses, the authorities said.  Matthew Dickson, age 44, of Dix Hills, pleaded guilty on Friday, Sept. 6, to a single count of petit larceny, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said.  As part of his plea deal, Dickson must repay $76,237 to the soccer club, write a letter of apology to the board of directors, serve three years probation, and complete 400 hours of community service, the prosecutor said.  Dickson served …
School Bus Driver From Suffolk County Downloaded Images Of Child Sexual Abuse: DA School Bus Driver From Suffolk County Downloaded Images Of Child Sexual Abuse: DA
School Bus Driver From Suffolk County Downloaded Images Of Child Sexual Abuse: DA A Long Island school bus driver has been accused of downloading images and videos of child sexual abuse and then uploading them to his cloud storage account. Guenther Mayrhofer, age 71, of Mastic Beach, who worked for the William Floyd School District, was indicted on Thursday, Aug. 29 for 50 counts of promoting and possessing child sex abuse material. “There is nothing more important to my office than protecting children and tracking down predators in our community," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said. "It is deeply disturbing that this d…
'Not Justice': Family Angered After Drug Dealer Behind Copiague Man's Death Dodges Prison 'Not Justice': Family Angered After Drug Dealer Behind Copiague Man's Death Dodges Prison
'Not Justice': Family Angered After Drug Dealer Behind Copiague Man's Death Dodges Prison Prosecutors and relatives are outraged after an admitted drug dealer was allowed to dodge prison despite selling the fentanyl that killed a Long Island man. Omar Aitcheson, age 31, of North Amityville, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in Suffolk County Court on Tuesday, Aug. 13. According to prosecutors, Aitcheson sold a mix of fentanyl and tramadol to three Copiague men who thought they were buying cocaine in October 2023. Earlier Report: Deadly Cocktail: Long Island Dealer's Fentanyl Mix Kills Man, Causes 2 Other Overdoses, DA Says Fen…
‘Friend’ Who Stabbed Father Of 4 To Death, Attacked Victim's Wife On Long Island Sentenced ‘Friend’ Who Stabbed Father Of 4 To Death, Attacked Victim's Wife On Long Island Sentenced
‘Friend’ Who Stabbed Father Of 4 To Death, Attacked Victim's Wife On Long Island Sentenced A Long Island man will spend decades in prison for stabbing a father of four to death before turning the knife on the victim’s wife. Candelario Cordova, age 54, of Huntington Station, was sentenced to 30 years behind bars in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, July 24, for the murder of Roque Cisneros. Emergency crews in Huntington Station were called on Feb. 16, 2023, with reports of an altercation outside a home near Oakwood Road. Officers found the 58-year-old Cisneros and his wife suffering from multiple stab wounds outside their home. Earlier Report: Manslaughter Plea In Slaying…
Ex-Boston Prosecutor Gets 5-10 Years For 2021 Rape; Victim Says Her Life Full Of Fear, Paranoia Ex-Boston Prosecutor Gets 5-10 Years For 2021 Rape; Victim Says Her Life Full Of Fear, Paranoia
Ex-Boston Prosecutor Gets 5-10 Years For 2021 Rape; Victim Says Her Life Full Of Fear, Paranoia Gary Zerola, a well-known Boston defense attorney who served as a former prosecutor in Suffolk and Essex counties, was sentenced to five to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of 2021 rape, authorities said.  Zerola, 52, of Salem, was found guilty last month after prosecutors said he broke into a 21-year-old woman's home in the middle of the night and sexually assaulted her.  He had been accused and acquitted of several rapes in 2008, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said.  Zerola's victim submitted a letter to the court explaining how her life has chang…
Man Dismembered Body Of Woman Whose Remains Were Found Along Long Island Highway, DA Says Man Dismembered Body Of Woman Whose Remains Were Found Along Long Island Highway, DA Says
Man Dismembered Body Of Woman Whose Remains Were Found Along Long Island Highway, DA Says Authorities have released new details in the case of a Long Island man accused of concealing human remains that were found along a local highway. The gruesome discovery was made in East Patchogue, along Montauk Highway near County Road 101, on Thursday afternoon, June 27. Suffolk County Police homicide detectives later arrested Garry Cowell, age 72, of Patchogue, on suspicion of tampering with physical evidence and concealing a human corpse. Earlier Report: Man Hid Human Remains Found Along Montauk Highway: Police On Monday, July 8, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office ann…
Medford IT Director Stole From Law School To Fund His Band Sloth Machine: DA Medford IT Director Stole From Law School To Fund His Band Sloth Machine: DA
Medford IT Director Stole From Law School To Fund His Band Sloth Machine: DA A 52-year-old Medford man was arraigned on Wednesday, June 12, after police said he stole more than $65,000 worth of Amazon purchased, many of which were used for his band Sloth Machine.  Gareth Flanagan, of Medford, is charged with three counts of larceny over $1,200, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said.  Flanagan worked as the IT Director for the New England School of Law, where he had access to purchase things on the school's Amazon account below $5,000 without prior approval. The NESL hired an outside auditing firm to investigate some of the purchases made on t…