Hewlett pharmacist Ilya Ostrovskiy accused of possession of illegal weapons
A Hewlett pharmacist pleaded not guilty Wednesday at his arraignment on a 122-count indictment for illegal weapons possession and was ordered held on bail set at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond with a passport surrender, Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced.
Ilya Ostrovskiy, 38, who owns two pharmacies in Brooklyn, was arraigned before Judge Howard Sturim in Mineola, charged with first-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, 101 counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, 18 counts of criminal possession of a firearm and one count of unlawful purchase of body armor. Court records show Ostrovskiy was released on cash bail — and is due back in court on Jan. 3.
According to the indictment against Ostrovskiy, police recovered 23 assault weapons, 18 semiautomatic weapons, 78 high-capacity magazines and body armor during a search of his home in Hewlett — a search sparked by a shots-fired incident at the house in July.
Authorities said that Nassau County police responded to a 911 call reporting a burglary in progress at Ostrovskiy's Hewlett home at about 5 a.m. on July 14 and that during the subsequent investigation learned Ostrovskiy fired a pistol “three times toward the street in the direction of the suspected burglars,” prosecutors
With the consent of Ostrovskiy, police “retrieved the firearm that was discharged” — and, also, recovered four additional unregistered pistols. Authorities said that Ostrovskiy was placed in custody, given Miranda warnings, and consented to “a further search of his home.”
However, the district attorney’s office said a lawyer representing Ostrovskiy then contacted police and withdrew that consent — at which time detectives applied for a search warrant. When they obtained one, investigators found the additional weapons, magazines and body armor.
The burglary investigation remains ongoing, authorities said.
If convicted of the top charge, Ostrovskiy faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.
When reached Thursday morning, Ostrovskiy's attorney of record, John Carman, said he would have no comment at this time.
In a statement, Donnelly said: “This defendant allegedly possessed an arsenal of assault weapons, unlicensed semiautomatic pistols, high-capacity magazines and body armor at his Hewlett home. The flow of illegal weapons into New York is endangering countless lives.”
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
