Crimes Nearby: Man Gets 3 to 9 Years for Death of Pregnant Fiancée

The following information was supplied by police departments and courts on the East End. A criminal charge is only an accusation and does not indicate convictions.

EAST HAMPTON

• Matthew Byank, whose pregnant 19-year-old fiancée Lauren M. Parris died when he crashed his motorcycle in Amagansett two years ago while fleeing from police, was in state prison on Wednesday, the maximum under the cap the judge promised when Byank pleaded guilty in May. Suffolk County Criminal Court Judge C. Randall Hinrichs handed down the sentence following an emotional morning in court on Wednesday. Lauren's family chastised Byank for his carelessness and Byank told the judge he loved Lauren deeply and was sorry.  Byank, a 21-year-old from Mastic, as part of a negotiated plea deal with the court on May 9. In exchange, Judge Hinrichs promised him no less than two and a half to seven and a half years. He opted for the longer sentence, though the Suffolk County District Attorney's office had recommended four to 12 years. Negotiated pleas are not deals with the DA's office, but rather with the court.

• Braulio Lucero, 30, of East Hampton, was arrested on a felony drunken driving charges following an accident on Three Mile Harbor Road, near Jackson Street, in East Hampton, on July 8. Lucero was driving a black sport utility vehicle in the opposite lane of travel, according to police. A driver of a 2002 Chevrolet tried to swerve into the shoulder to avoid him, but was sideswiped instead at about 12:50 a.m. Lucero made a left into the driveway, remained in the car, and was found 20 minutes later. The other driver was injured, but took himself to the hospital.

• William B. DePetris, 23, of Sag Harbor, was arrested on drug charges on July 14 in the Amagansett Square. Police said they saw a truck parked in the square's parking lot with the engine running and the doors open. When police put a spotlight on the man standing at the rear of the vehicle, the man threw something under the truck. Police said a marijuana smell was emanating from the DePetris' clothes and breath. A search of the vehicle revealed a rolled $100 bill with residue of a white powdery substance. Police found the same substance in two paper envelopes. Two more envelopes with the same substance in it were found under the truck. It later tested positive for heroin.

• Theodor Marinescu, 22, of East Hampton, was also charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, in East Hampton Village on July 9 at 3:45 a.m. Village police were on a routine patrol on Buell Lane, in the area of Buell Lane Extension, when a vehicle pulled over suddenly and the car alarm went off. Police approached the driver and smelled alcohol. Marinescu, who lives nearby, passed all field sobriety tests, however he ignored the officer's instructions on one test. Police asked him if he had anything illegal on him, and he admitted to having two bags of cocaine in his pocket. He was arrested and processed. Police released him on $200 bail.

RIVERHEAD

• Brian Bifulco, 44, of Shirley, was arrested on July 10 and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, possession of a hypodermic instrument, and resisting arrest. Police responded to a call of someone asking for money at Burger King on Route 58, according to reports. Upon arrival police said they noticed someone running in the road, and when police stopped him he reportedly appeared under the influence of drugs.
Reports state Bifulco had a spoon with a burned bottom that he had dropped to the ground, and after Bifulco consented to a police search, police reportedly found five packages that appeared to be heroin inside his hat. He then fled on foot behind the Riverhead Car Wash, reports state, where he resisted arrest.
After he was apprehended, he was transported to police headquarters for processing

• Glen Marx, 49, of Miller Place, was arrested on July 12 and charged with DWI and leaving the scene of an accident. According to police records, Marx was seen pulling over a Chevrolet Suburban on E. Main Street downtown, in front of Cody's BBQ, when he backed into another car around 8:00 p.m. Police said he proceeded to drive off eastbound on E. Main Street, pull onto Maple Avenue, and was stopped in the Woolworth parking lot. After a roadside sobriety test, records show, Marx was taken to headquarters and charged. Police said the car Marx hit had minor scratches to its rear end.

• Riverhead police arrested Kyle Stoddard on July 16 on felony charges of burglary in the third degree. Police arrested Stoddard after investigating a burglary at the Riverhead Middle School which occurred in October of 2011. Police responded to an incident on Oct. 29 of last year, after it was reported that two cafeteria windows were smashed with a brick and a register containing cash was stolen, as were two fire extinguishers.

WESTHAMPTON-HAMPTON BAYS

• Jowil A. Paulino, 23, Jamaica, was arrested July 14 at 8:44 p.m. in Hampton Bays and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third, fourth and seventh degrees, with the top charges being felonies and the latter being a misdemeanor. Police said Paulino stopped his vehicle in the middle of Dune Road, preventing traffic from safely passing. According to the arrest report, a strong odor of marijuana was emanating from the vehicle. In addition to possessing marijuana, he also had ecstasy and ketamine, police said. He was additionally charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation, and standing on pavement, a traffic infraction.

• Douglas Gotay, 42, of Garnerville, was arrested July 15 at 10:19 a.m. on Dune Road in Hampton Bays and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree, a felony, and DWI, a misdemeanor. Police said they responded to a 911 call of an erratic driver and located and pulled over Gotay.

• Darren Stein, 37, of Riverside, was arrested July 10 at 6:33 a.m. in Westhampton and charged with failure to register as a sex offender, a felony. Police said Stein was arrested at the homeless sex offender trailer in Westhampton after failing to register his address change.

NORTH FORK

• Donald F. Lechtrecker, 65, of Orient, was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on July 17 at 4:06 p.m., after responded to a report of someone firing a rifle at construction workers at a job site on Stephenson Road in Orient, police said. Police located Lechtrecker to the rear of his residence, where he was found to be in possession of a Winchester 30/30 lever action rifle, police said. He was placed under arrest and transported to Southold Ppolice headquarters for processing. Further investigation revealed that he had discharged the rifle several times at five construction workers at a job site to the rear of the suspect's residence, police said. The construction workers were not injured during the incident, but their construction vehicles were damaged by the rifle fire. Lechtrecker may be charged for other offenses after a review of the incident by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, police said.

• Herman Milton, 29, of Greenport, was charged with DWI and drug possession on July 15 at 1:53 a.m., after police stopped him for a traffic violation on Bay Avenue in Mattituck, police said. He was found to be impaired by drugs and to be in possession of crack cocaine and marijuana, police said. Milton was transported to police headquarters and was processed and held for arraignment.