LI CRIME BRIEFS
Not guilty in shooting
A Port Jefferson Station man Tuesday was found not guilty of assault charges, in which he was accused of shooting a man in the face and blinding him.
Michael Perkowski, 23, faced 25 years in prison in the shotgun shooting of Raymond Kaine, 21, in front of Perkowski's house.
Perkowski's lawyer, Edward Palermo of Hauppauge, argued in State Supreme Court in Riverhead that Kaine and friends were the aggressors, advancing across Perkowski's lawn and threatening him with an ax handle -- even after Perkowski fired warning shots. "Anything he did was justified," Palermo said. "He's ecstatic, happy as can be. I've never seen anyone leave the courthouse happier."
Witnesses testified during the trial that Perkowski told his brother to call police while he got the shotgun in the December 2009 incident. He fired three shots -- one into the ground, one at the sport utility vehicle the men arrived in and the third shot, which may have ricocheted a small number of pellets into Kaine's face.
Kaine testified that Perkowski started the confrontation by yelling racial slurs at him. But after it seemed to be over, Kaine and friends returned to confront Perkowski again, witnesses testified. -- ANDREW SMITH
Man stabbed during fight
A 26-year-old man was stabbed during an altercation in Babylon Tuesday evening, Suffolk police said.
The man, who suffered nonlife-threatening injuries, was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip for treatment, and one person was arrested, police said.
The identities of those involved, and the arrest charges were not immediately available from police.
The stabbing took place about 6:30 p.m. in front of 11 Railroad Ave., police said.
-- BILL MASON
2 face robbery charges
Two men were arrested and charged with the robbery of a Shirley bank Tuesday after a Suffolk police lieutenant said he saw them trying to get away in a taxi, police said.
Paul Lynch, 28, of 118 River Rd., Shirley, and Christopher Catalano, 28, of 43 Woodland Dr., Mastic Beach, were charged with second-degree robbery just 20 minutes after the Bridgehampton National Bank at 630 Montauk Hwy. was robbed, police said.
There were no injuries.
After giving a note to a teller demanding cash, Lynch and Catalano fled with the money on foot at 3:05 p.m., police said, but then telephoned for a taxicab.
Their descriptions already were broadcast to area officers, and Seventh Precinct Lt. Timothy Dillon saw two men who fit the descriptions in the cab, police said.
Officers stopped the taxi at Auborn Avenue and Beatrice Drive at 3:20 p.m., police said, and the two were arrested.
All of the bank's money was recovered, police said.
Both men were to expected be arraigned Wednesday at First District Court in Central Islip.
-- BILL MASON
Child porn charges
A Bohemia man faces felony child pornography charges after a six-month investigation ended with investigators finding "numerous images" on his home computer, State Police said Tuesday.
The New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit in Farmingdale arrested Ciro Martinez, 49, of 44 Buckingham Lane, Tuesday after receiving a tip that he had sent an email containing child pornography, according to a news release.
Martinez faces one count of promoting the sexual performance of a child and seven counts of possession of a sexual performance of a child.
-- GARY DYMSKI
