Crimes Nearby: Justice Pleads Guilty to Swindling Elderly Woman

A round-up of recent notable arrests and incidents from other areas on the East End:

NORTH FORK

Katherine Pope, who served as from 1998 to 2002, pleaded guilty on Nov. 15 to fourth-degree identity theft, a misdemeanor, and her husband, Wayne Pope, pleaded guilty to fourth degree grand larceny, a felony,

The Popes stole the money from the victim, Mary Abbot Estabrook, over a period of four years, according to the D.A. Mr. Pope had worked as a handyman for Estabrook and had allegedly obtained power of attorney from her, then used that power to write checks to benefit himself.

Estabrook died on July 4, 2009 at the age of 89. The couple will be sentenced by Suffolk County Supreme Court Judge Stephen Braslow on Jan. 10, 2012.

-----

A Greenport man was arrested on second-degree assault charges on Nov. 19 after at the Five Towns Shopping Center in North Woodmere.

According to Nassau County detectives, around 3 p.m., Steven Pirrera, 36, approached a male victim who was working as a security guard in a security guard vehicle in the parking lot of Five Towns Shopping Center, and attempted to open one of the car's doors. Pirrera, who had lost keys hours earlier, was reportedly upset that the security guard wasn’t able to find his keys. The victim, not knowing why the defendant would try to open his car door, drove a short distance away.

Pirrera approached the victim a second time, forcibly removed him from the car, threw him to the pavement and punched him several times on the head and face, police said. The victim then called police.

SOUTHAMPTON

Juan Matias, 29, of Riverhead, was arrested Thursday at 10:59 a.m. at the corner of County Road 39 and Tuckahoe Road in Southampton and charged with DWI, a misdemeanor. Police received a call about an erratic driver running other motorists off the road, identified him as Matias and pulled him over. Police then discovered he appeared intoxicated.

-----

Philip Monfoletto, 22, of Deer Park, was arrested Sunday at 1:59 a.m. at the corner of County Road 39 and Magee Street and charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, a misdemeanor. Monfoletto was stopped for not using his blinker when an officer discovered he smelled of marijuana, police said. Monfoletto admitted that he had smoked marijuana several hours ago, according to police reports.

RIVERHEAD

Juan Matias, 29, of Riverhead was arrested Nov. 17 at 10:59 a.m. at the corner of County Road 39 and Tuckahoe Road in Southampton and charged with DWI, a misdemeanor. After receiving a call about an erratic driver running other cars off the road, police identified Matias and pulled him over, according to police reports. Police said he appeared intoxicated.

-----

Jason Rogers, 22, of Westhampton Beach was arrested Nov. 20 at 1:42 a.m. at the intersection of County Road 104 and County Road 105 in Flanders and charged with first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a felony, and DWI, a misdemeanor. Rogers was stopped for speeding when police saw that he was intoxicated and had a suspended license, officers said.

WESTHAMPTON-HAMPTON BAYS

Nicolas Santamaria, 46, of Riverhead, was arrested Saturday at 7:22 p.m. on Montauk Highway in East Quogue and charged with DWI, a misdemeanor. Police received a call about an erratic driver on Montauk Highway, pulled Santamaria over and then saw that he was intoxicated, according to reports.