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More Charges for Tree Thief

Wed, 02/19/2020 - 23:27

A Flanders man who confessed late last month to stealing trees from a Peconic Land Trust property in Northwest has been hit with more charges.

Cesar A. Sarpes-Santos was arrested for a second time on Feb. 13. Lt. Peter Powers of the East Hampton Town Police Department said he had also dug up and made off with more than $3,000 worth of eastern white pine trees from a private property on Country Lane. The homeowner was out of town when police began their investigation, the lieutenant said, and police could not bring charges without the proper documentation.     

Mr. Sarpes-Santos was charged with criminal possession of stolen property and grand larceny, both felonies, and trespass, a violation. He was arrested on Jan. 26 after digging up 350 saplings from the Wilson’s Grove Preserve, a 34-acre white pine and oak forest that is part of the Paumanok Path trail system and owned by the land trust. He was hit with similar charges at that time.

He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in East Hampton Town Justice Court next Thursday.

A man threatened his sister-in-law with a knife on Feb. 8 during an argument at their Atwell Street, East Hampton, house, police said. Brandon Baez, 20, pulled out a Cobra steel-bladed knife, about 17 inches long, during a verbal and physical altercation at about 2:30 p.m., according to the report. Police said he held it at his side and did not use it, but its mere presence caused a reasonable fear of injury or death. He was charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon, a misdemeanor.

Mr. Baez was released with an appearance ticket and will be arraigned in Justice Court today.

Christian A. Huanga, 25, of East Hampton was arrested on Feb. 13, the day after a domestic incident at a house on Birdie Lane in Springs. According to police, he put both his hands around the neck of the victim, whose name was not released, and applied pressure, causing her to be unable to breathe. He was charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, a misdemeanor, and held overnight for arraignment, after which he was released on his own recognizance.      

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