Anthony Gianatiempo, of Hicksville, arrested on drug and explosives charges, Nassau police say
Police photo shows what the department called an improvised explosive device found in the home of Anthony Gianatiempo, of Hicksville. Credit: NCPD
A Hicksville man was charged Tuesday with possessing large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, along with multiple improvised explosive devices, according to the Nassau County Police Department's Narcotics Vice Squad.
Anthony Gianatiempo, 34, of Cantiague Lane, was arraigned on Wednesday in First District Court in Hempstead and held without bail.
He pleaded not guilty to five counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count each of fourth- and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count each of second-, third- and fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, first-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of explosives storage and one count of explosives, licenses and certificates.
The Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, which represented Gianatiempo during his arraignment, did not respond to a request for comment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration's Long Island Task Force, which comprises state, county and village law enforcement agencies, arrested Gianatiempo following an investigation on Tuesday at 4:10 p.m. at his home in Hicksville.
Detectives said they found Gianatiempo in possession of 59 pills believed to be pressed fentanyl, 47 pills believed to be pressed methamphetamine and 10 glass vials containing a liquid believed to be fentanyl.
During a search of Gianatiempo's home, detectives found multiple devices identified as explosives, police said. The Nassau police Arson Bomb Squad removed five improvised explosive devices, along with 25 one-pound containers of smokeless gunpowder and one eight-pound container of smokeless gunpowder, authorities said.
Detectives also recovered 750 grams of a substance believed to be fentanyl, 190 grams of a substance believed to be cocaine and 200 grams of a substance believed to be methamphetamine, police said.
Gianatiempo is due back in court on Friday.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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