Judge OKs monitoring East Northport home

A Suffolk district court judge will appoint a temporary receiver authorized to make unannounced visits to an East Northport home, install security cameras on its exterior and hire security agents to monitor the residence that police say has been the site of repeated criminal activity.

Town of Huntington officials had sought legal action to force the homeowner, Salvatore Napoli, from his home at 42 Norton Dr. because they said the site had repeated code violations and because they said he was promoting criminal activity. Napoli has been arrested three times this year on various drug and prostitution charges, officials said. All charges are pending.

Judge C. Stephen Hackeling said in his order that the receiver can visit the house twice a week without prior notice.

The judge issued the order Friday after a hearing during which neighbors detailed what they said were illegal activities at the home and in the surrounding neighborhood, according to the order. Hackeling also ordered Napoli to refrain from communicating with any neighbors who filed affidavits or testified, and from breaking any town or state laws.

Town officials must give the judge three names as possible receivers. Supervisor Frank Petrone said the town would submit the names by Wednesday.

"Our concern all along centered on how the activity at 42 Norton had created a public nuisance that seriously was affecting neighbors' quality of life," Petrone said. "Judge Hackeling's order is a good first step toward eliminating the activity that produced the nuisance and restoring to neighborhood residents the peaceful enjoyment of their own property and of the neighborhood that they so richly deserve."

Napoli's attorney, George Harmel of Central Islip, said his client is "going to comply with what the town says.

The town sought all sorts of things but the judge didn't give them anything that they wanted except appointing someone to come to the house to make sure the house is not being used in violation of any New York State statutes or laws. Using a rarely employed strategy, the board last month voted unanimously to deem Napoli's property "a repeat public nuisance." Officials said Napoli was in violation of Chapter 50 of town code, which cites offenses such as possession of illegal drugs and prostitution.

Harmel said he has filed an action in State Supreme Court in Riverhead to declare the town ordinance unconstitutional. "It's a novel issue: Is the ordinance unconstitutional because it's giving penalties where the presumption of innocence still exists?"

Napoli was arrested by Suffolk police on March 3 and on May 21 on charges including possession of controlled substances with intent to sell, possession of controlled substances, and criminal nuisance for unlawfully conducting or maintaining premises where people gather for drug transactions, town officials said.

On Aug. 11, Napoli was arrested again at his home on some of the same charges. He also was charged with unlawful conduct for engaging in acts of prostitution and illegal drug transactions stemming from incidents that happened May 29 near his home, police said.

Napoli pleaded not guilty in relation to the March 3 arrest and posted $5,000 bail, said a Suffolk County district attorney spokesman. Napoli is due back in court on Sept. 13.The May 21 and Aug. 11 charges are misdemeanors and will be handled in district court.