A Bellport man was convicted of assault after striking a fellow resident of a sober house in the head with a metal bat, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced Friday.
Reginald Sonds, 60, was found guilty on April 23, 2026, of Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D violent felony, following a bench trial before Acting Supreme Court Justice Anthony S. Senft Jr.
According to prosecutors, the attack occurred on September 11, 2022, inside a sober living residence in Bellport. Suffolk County police responded to a 911 call reporting an assault and found the victim suffering from a large laceration to the left side of his forehead. He was transported to Long Island Community Hospital for treatment.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Sonds and the victim had an interaction inside the residence before the victim returned to his bedroom. Sonds then went to his own room, retrieved a metal baseball bat, entered the victim’s room, and began striking him.
After the assault, Sonds returned to his room and attempted to hide the bat between his roommate’s bed and the wall, according to prosecutors. Surveillance video from inside the home captured key moments leading up to the attack.
District Attorney Tierney said the victim had been living in a sober house intended to provide safety and stability when the assault occurred, describing the attack as violent and deliberate.
Sonds now faces significant prison time. As a Class D violent felony, Assault in the Second Degree carries a potential sentence of up to seven years behind bars.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2026. Sonds is represented by defense attorney Luigi Belcastro.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Patrick J. Mullen and Patrick Fedun of the Major Crime Bureau. The investigation was led by Suffolk County Police Fifth Squad Detective Steven Capparelli, with assistance from members of the District Attorney’s Office.
Photo: SCDA
