Secret Video, High School Feud Result in Charges
East Hampton Town police arrests this week varied from an East Hampton man charged with a felony for which bail was set at $10,000 and the arrests of three teenagers who were released without bail on misdemeanor and other charges.
Dennis E. McGuire, a resident of the mobile home park on Oakview Highway, was arrested Monday night and charged with videoing a woman as she was using the shower in his residence. According to police, Mr. McGuire, who turned 49 this month, shot the video using a Samsung cellphone at about 2 p.m. on Saturday. The woman, whose name was not released, had been visiting him and his wife, police said.
Capt. Chris Anderson said on Tuesday that police were contacted Saturday night “by a third party,” triggering an investigation. Mr. McGuire came into police headquarters on his own Monday and was arrested shortly after 9 p.m. According to police, he had confessed during questioning. “It was stupid,” he told detectives, adding that he had erased the video. However, the captain said, “We have recovered some physical evidence.”
During his arraignment in East Hampton Town Justice Court on Tuesday morning, Justice Lisa R. Rana reviewed his criminal record as she weighed the district attorney’s office’s request to have bail set at $10,000. She noted his prior arrests, several of which were on drunken driving charges, occurred more than 20 years ago. She issued an order of protection for his alleged victim, and told Mr. McGuire that he could only return to the trailer, which he owns, once, accompanied by police, to retrieve his belongings.
“You may be facing some jail time,” Justice Rana said, agreeing to the $10,000 bail request. Bail was posted.
Three teenagers, two who are enrolled at East Hampton High School and a former 10th grader who recently dropped out, were arrested early Saturday morning, after a fight at 330 Three Mile Harbor Road in East Hampton. The identity of the youths, who were reportedly 17 or 16 years old, has been withheld.
Captain Anderson said there had been a feud between the three arrested youths and visitors to the house, whose names were not released. According to the report, police had been called to the house two days earlier to investigate alleged vandalism. A car parked there apparently had been spray-painted, but its owner declined to press charges.
On Saturday, the three young men allegedly followed someone in a vehicle to the house. Police said a fight broke out when they entered the property. A watch belonging to one of the residents allegedly fell to the ground, and, according to the report, one of the three picked it up and pocketed it.
All three were charged with trespassing as a violation, although the individual who allegedly scooped up the watch was also charged with petty larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, as misdemeanors.
Because of the timing of the arrest, the three were held at headquarters all day Saturday and arraigned the next morning. They were released without having to post bail, but only after a dressing down by Justice Rana, who told their parents to set strict curfews for their sons. She warned the two enrolled students not to miss any classes, and ordered them to bring a report to that effect to their next court appearance. As for the youth who had dropped out of 10th grade, she posed a question: “How is that working out for you?”
In another arrest this week, the resident of another trailer park, the Montauk Shores Condominium, is facing a felony charge. George B. Fuchs, 73, who also has an address in East Quogue, was arrested Friday night charged with criminal mischief.
According to police, the manager of the park, Matt S. Yudelson, was getting ready for bed when the Arlo Security app on his phone went off, alerting him that someone was at the perimeter of his trailer. Looking outside, he saw a figure near his parked vehicles. “I have a red Jeep, a Porsche, and a 1952 Ford,” he told police. The furtive figure began walking away through the park, Mr. Yudelson said, and he followed.
As the person entered another trailer, a light went on allowing Mr. Yudelson to recognize Mr. Fuchs. Mr. Yudelson alleged that as manager of the park for 10 years, there had been times that “Mr. Fuchs did not follow the rules,” and had to be warned.
Mr. Yudelson told police that as he returned to his trailer, he noticed a chemical smell near his vehicles. It appeared, he said, that paint stripper had been poured over the hood and sides of the 1952 Ford van, causing the paint to peel. He phoned police, who soon had Mr. Fuchs in custody. Bail was set the next morning at $500, which was posted.