A Ronkonkoma man is facing a fifth public lewdness charge after a woman told investigators she recognized him from news reports about other alleged incidents, Suffolk County prosecutors said.
Nicholas Critelli, 20, was arraigned Friday, Oct. 23, on one count of public lewdness, a class B misdemeanor, in connection with an alleged February incident in the parking lot of AMC Stony Brook 17.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Critelli was driving a dark gray Nissan Altima through the movie theater parking lot at about 10:22 a.m. on Feb. 26 when he allegedly pulled up to a woman who was loading items into her car. Prosecutors said Critelli made eye contact with the woman and began masturbating.
The woman later identified Critelli after recognizing him in a news story about his recent arraignment on other public lewdness charges, prosecutors said. Critelli was arrested Oct. 22 in connection with the February incident.
Prosecutors said Critelli had previously been arrested and arraigned on public lewdness charges stemming from alleged incidents involving two women on June 4 and June 6. He was released on his own recognizance before being arrested again over alleged incidents involving two additional women on Oct. 1 and Oct. 14, according to the DA’s office.
Critelli was placed on supervised release following those cases. The DA’s office said the five alleged offenses remain non-bail eligible under current New York law, meaning prosecutors cannot request bail and a judge cannot set it.
“How many more victims must come forward before State lawmakers realize that our bail laws are completely failing law abiding citizens?” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said. “This is now the defendant’s fifth criminal case alleging deplorable behavior against women who are simply going about their day.”
Critelli was arraigned before District Court Judge Steve Weissbard and is scheduled to return to court Nov. 4. He is represented by the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County.
Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Critelli is asked to contact the Suffolk County Police Department at 631-854-8452.
The case is being prosecuted by Alexa Cahill of the DA’s Intake & Discovery Compliance Bureau. The investigation was conducted by Suffolk County Police Detective Michael Turansky of the Fourth Squad.
The charge is an accusation. Critelli is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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