Author Archive

newsday.com/Denise M. Bonilla

Matt Johnstone, a 34 year old longtime East Islip High School coach and teacher hasresigned, just days after he surrendered his teaching certificate to the state Department ofEducation and permanently waived his right to ever apply for any new state teaching oradministrative certificates.  He offered his resignation effective Oct. 8 and surrendered histeaching certificate on Oct. 4. Johnstone had been the high school’s assistant varsity footballcoach, varsity girls basketball coach and physical education teacher.  He had been working forthe district since 1999 but in October 2008 was

Newsday/Rick Brand

Photo Source: Newsday

Suffolk probation director John Desmond was hit with a 10-day suspension, without pay,recently from County Executive Steve Levy for improperly urging the early release of sexualoffenders last spring, according to Levy aides.  But Laura Ahearn, a victim right’s advocatewho first publicly complained about the issue, said Levy’s response is not strong enough andDesmond should be removed as head of the $42.7-million-a-year agency and placed in a less sensitivepost.  Desmond, a 38-year department veteran who has headed probation since 2004, wassuspended Oct. 11-22, which will cost him $5,070.

Pasadena Star-News

Jaime Elvis Elizondo, a 35 year old convicted sex offender from San
Gabriel, was sentenced this week to 30 years to life in prison for
molesting a 5 year old girl at a Borders bookstore in Arcadia in 2008.
He was convicted June 8 of committing a lewd act on a child.  Elizondo,
a registered sex offender, was tracked with the help of a witness, who
confronted him in the bookstore, then found his picture on the Megan’s
Law website and turned the information over to police.
(California)

The South Shore Press/Barbara LaMonica

A decision by Family Court Judge Andrew G. Tarantino, Jr., to permit overnight visitationbetween three children and their father, Dennis DeMille, II, a Registered Level 2 convicted sexoffender, has prompted the mother and Parents for Megan’s Law, outraged at Judge Tarantino’sdecision that Laura Ahearn, Executive Director filed a complaint to the New York State Commissionon Judicial Conduct to request an investigation into, in Ahearn’s words, the irreprehensiblemanner in which this case was handled…and further investigation into the bias that he appears toexude on cases involving

New York Law Journal/Mark Fass

Judge Andrew G. Tarantino, Jr., a Suffolk County judge who was the subject of a searingcomplaint by Parents for Megan’s Law, a children’s advocacy group, has been transferred from FamilyCourt to the County Court’s civil term.  According to the complaint, Tarantino granted afather who had been convicted of possessing child pornography and third-degree rape of a minorovernight visitation of his three children, supervised by his own parents.  During thevisitation hearing in January, Tarantino joked about child pornography, misstated the facts of thecase, refused to hear

Newsday/Andrew Strickler and Gary Dymski

Judge Andrew Tarantino, Jr., a Suffolk judge, was reassigned from his bench in a Riverheadfamily court Monday and state officials say they have received a complaint against the judge fromParents for Megan’s Law and the Crime Victims Center, a child advocacy group.  The groupalleges he joked about child pornography during a hearing involving Dennis DeMille, a registeredsex offender.  The complaint, filed Tuesday, alleges that Tarantino made Highlyinappropriate remarks during a spring hearing in Riverhead.  The hearing at issued was partof an ongoing Family Court dispute