Crimes in the Workplace

Three local men charged in separate incidents with workplace-related crimes were arraigned recently in East Hampton Town Justice Court.

One arrest involved the Ralph Lauren store on Main Street in East Hampton Village. Jose R. Almanzar of Springs, 19, a store employee, was charged with felony grand larceny in connection with three false returns of merchandise, according to East Hampton Village police, all occurring between July 9 and July 17.

 Mr. Almanzar admitting having randomly selected three credit card sales, issuing refunds for them, and directing the moneys to his personal debit card. The three transactions totaled $1,295.30.

Brian Fuller, the store manager, called police on July 24. The company had red-flagged the first false return, he said. He confronted Mr. Almanzar on July 22.

Mr. Almanzar told police that recent changes at the store had made him uncomfortable. “I didn’t feel happy with my working environment,” he said, adding that “I never meant to be malicious or hurt anyone.”

He was arraigned in East Hampton Town Justice Court on Aug. 20, as was another Springs man, Luis Prado, 38, who was arrested on Aug. 1, accused of stealing a Billy Goat ground blower while working in 2013 for Richard Sperber Landscaping Associates.

Mr. Prado, also facing a grand larceny charge, told police he had worked for the company from April 2012 to the end of 2013, but became disenchanted with the job in 2012, when he did not receive a Christmas bonus and also saw his hours cut. In August or September 2013, he stated, he got to work early, took the blower, and drove a work truck to his house, where he unloaded it.

He painted it red, he told police, but never covered the company initials R.S.L.A. on the side. After leaving the company, he used the machine as his own.

This past June the machine stopped working, Mr. Prado stated, so he took it to be repaired at Power Equipment Plus on Springs-Fireplace Road in East Hampton. The clerk was suspicious and checked the serial number, which led to Mr. Prado’s arrest.

“I made a mistake and I want to make things right,” Mr. Prado’s statement concluded.

The third man, Edgar L. Ortiz-Luna of Hampton Bays, 28, was working at a Wigwam View Lane house in Northwest Woods between July 17 and Aug. 15, when he allegedly stole a 65-inch Samsung Smart TV. The homeowner, Christopher Lockhart, told East Hampton Town police the TV cost him $3,000.

“I took the TV from the crawl space of the house,” Mr. Ortiz-Luna told detectives. He was charged with felony burglary.

Mr. Ortiz-Luna’s lawyer, David V. Falkner, questioned the charge during his client’s arraignment on Aug. 20, saying that Mr. Ortiz-Luna had permission to enter Mr. Lockhart’s house. A burglary charge involves trespassing, which, the lawyer  said, was not the case.

Justice Lisa R. Rana issued an order of protection for Mr. Lockhart, explaining to Mr. Ortiz-Luna that he could have no contact of any sort with Mr. Lockhart.

“What do I do if he owes me money?” the defendant asked. Justice Rana advised him to consult with Mr. Falkner.

Another recent work-related felony charge involved two cab drivers.

An East Hampton driver who lives in the town, James E. Wyeth, 47, was released from custody on Aug. 20 after spending five days in county jail. He had been arrested on Aug. 14 on three charges, including felony criminal mischief.

According to police, a fellow cabbie, Richard Weisman, was told by the company’s owner to pick up the van Mr. Wyeth was driving. Mr. Weisman, who was driving his personal car, told police that he pulled up alongside Mr. Wyeth, who was seated behind the wheel of the van at the train station on Railroad Avenue.

According to Mr. Weisman, Mr. Wyeth began shouting at him, got out of the van, kicked the front quarter panel of Mr. Weisman’s car, reached in through the front passenger window, and grabbed a Tommy Hilfiger gym bag that was on the seat.

The two men struggled over the bag, Mr. Weisman said, until it tore, spilling the contents on the ground. Mr. Wyeth then allegedly threw a jar and a credit card reader at Mr. Weisman, who said he was afraid to get out of his car. He drove away from the station and called police.

In court a couple of hours later, East Hampton Town Justice Steven Tekulsky, after being told that Mr. Wyeth has two prior felony convictions, ordered him to the county jail without bail, as state law requires in such a case. Mr. Wyeth thereupon unleashed a stream of profanities at the bench.

Justice Tekulsky told the defendant that since he was already headed to jail, he would not be found in contempt of court, but if the behavior was repeated at his next court date, the court would revisit that question.

When Mr. Wyeth was brought back to court, Justice Rana was on the bench. Under state law, if a defendant accused of a felony has not been indicted within five days, he must be released. After the district attorney’s office confirmed that there was no indictment in the offing, Mr. Wyeth was set free, with a future date on Justice Tekulsky’s criminal calendar.