Brentwood's Roberto Clemente Park closed amid criminal dumping probe

An Islip Town-owned park was temporarily closed Wednesday amid a probe by the Suffolk County district attorney over illegal dumping, officials said.

State and county authorities asked the town to close Roberto Clemente Park in Brentwood "to allow them to conduct a full investigation into alleged misuse of the public park by a private entity," the town said in a news release.

On Monday, the district attorney issued a grand jury subpoena to the town for information on construction projects at the 27.9-acre park since June 1, 2013.

An "anonymous complaint" was made to the town that a private contractor, not named in the release, "may have spread illegal fill during the construction of donated athletic fields on Town-owned parkland."

In April 2013, an offer was made to the town by a local church, Iglesia de Jesucristo Palabra Miel, to create two new soccer fields on 3.75 acres of land for the church's adult and youth leagues. Issues began in the summer when work commenced without proper clearing and grading permits from the town, officials said.

Residents complained to the town about suspected illegal dumping in August, officials said, and the state Department of Environmental Conservation investigated a dumping complaint in January. The DEC began investigating a new claim about three weeks ago, officials said.

"In the event it is discovered that wrongdoing occurred, we will ensure that the wrongdoers are held accountable," Councilman Anthony Senft said in a statement.