DA seizes Smithtown clerk's documents

The Suffolk district attorney's office has seized documents from the Smithtown town clerk's office and two town officials say they have been called to testify before a grand jury, the officials told Newsday Thursday.

"There is a grand jury convened in Smithtown," said Councilman Edward Wehrheim, who said he has been subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury next week. "It's been going on for some time."

Suffolk investigators seized documents as recently as several weeks ago, town officials said, and the town's planning chief said Thursday he has been contacted in connection with the probe. Grand jury proceedings are secret under state law.

Town Clerk Vincent Puleo said he testified before the grand jury for two minutes to verify that documents seized by authorities came from his office. He said those documents, including a copy of the town code, "really don't indicate much."

Planning director Frank DeRubeis said he has been contacted by the district attorney's office. Asked whether he testified, DeRubeis said he was instructed not to discuss the matter and he declined to comment.

Town Supervisor Patrick Vecchio did not return calls Thursday.

District Attorney Thomas Spota's office declined to comment.

Puleo said the documents taken by investigators included records related to former town assessor Gregory Hild and to several properties owned by East Hampton developer Salvatore DiCarlo.

Hild, now a consultant to Nassau County, retired last year after 27 years as Smithtown's assessor. He could not be reached for comment. An attorney for DiCarlo also could not be reached for comment.

Newsday has reported that DiCarlo owns two properties that have been investigated by the district attorney's office -- a defunct lumber yard across the street from Town Hall and a now-closed hospital at Routes 111 and 347.

After retiring from the town, Hild took a volunteer position assisting Vecchio on budget matters. He resigned that post later.

A copy of the town board resolution naming Hild to serve in the volunteer position was among documents seized in a recent raid of the town clerk's office, Puleo said.

Wehrheim said Hild performed his job well in Smithtown and helped attract business to the town. "He did excellent work for Smithtown throughout his career," Wehrheim said.

Wehrheim said authorities also took copies of an audit of town finances completed last year.

With Sandra Peddie