DA: LI man arrested in fireworks bust

An air traffic controller based at the Federal Aviation Administration command center in Ronkonkoma has been arrested, accused of possession of illegal fireworks, including Jumbo Jet Rockets, prosecutors said.

Kenneth Felser, 31, of Carl Street in Ronkonkoma, was arrested following the execution of a search warrant just before noon Monday, said Robert Clifford, spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota.

An FAA official said the agency was aware of the arrest. The official said Felser has not been suspended and his job status has not changed. Felser could not be reached for comment.

Officers from the Suffolk County Police Emergency Services Unit and investigators from the district attorney's office confiscated at least 30 cartons of fireworks with an approximate street value of $5,000, Clifford said. Clifford said the boxes were discovered in a detached garage at the home, which is two-tenths of a mile from a middle school.

Among the confiscated items were Jumbo Jet Rockets, Thunder Balls, Crystal Geyser, Symphony of Light, Evil Serpent and Old American Fountain. Clifford described most of the items seized as rockets.

Felser was charged with unlawful dealing with fireworks, a misdemeanor, and was released on bail at the police station.

He is scheduled to appear in First District Court in Central Islip on Aug. 16.

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In a statement released Tuesday, Spota said: "We're fortunate we didn't have a disaster on our hands considering the careless manner in which the defendant piled this highly flammable material next to a container of gasoline and within feet of a second gas can."