East Meadow Man Arrested in County-Wide Illegal Weapons Bust

An East Meadow man was among nine people arrested following an undercover investigation into the sale of assault weapons at gun shops throughout the county, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced Thursday.

Michael Marinello, 41, an East Meadow resident and the owner of South Shore Sportsman in Merrick, was busted after a 10-month probe, in which four Nassau County gun shops illegally sold assault weapons to undercover DA investigators and members of the New York State Police, Rice said. As a result of the investigation, Rice’s office has arrested and charged four store owners and five of their employees.

“The nine men arrested today were openly breaking the law, making a practice of putting profits before the safety of our citizens, and flooding our streets with dangerous assault weapons,” Rice said.

Under New York State law, only police officers, peace officers, and duly authorized members of the military are legally permitted to possess assault weapons.

One category of an assault weapon is defined as a semi-automatic rifle with the ability to accept a magazine carrying more than five rounds of ammunition and that must also have at least two additional characteristics. These additional characteristics can include a folding or telescoping stock, a protruding pistol grip, a bayonette mount, a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor, or a grenade launcher.

Rice said that shop owners were breaking the law by temporarily modifying the weapons to appear as though they lacked the required characteristics of an assault weapon. However, the temporary modification was easily reversible, thereby making them full-fledged assault weapons. For example, a pin was placed in the stock of a weapon in an attempt to prevent its collapse. However, the pins were designed to be easily removable making the stock collapsible.

“Make no mistake, these are combat-specific weapons and not intended for hunting," Rice said. "They have no place on our streets or in the hands of civilians.”

Marinello and his business, South Shore Sportsman, are both charged with two counts of Manufacture, Transport, Disposition, Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Instruments and Appliances and two misdemeanor violations of Firearms Licensing provisions. Marinello is due back in court Feb. 22.

• Martin Tretola, 55, of Bellmore, the owner of two gun shops in Nassau County, is charged with Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Second Degree, Unlawfully Disposing of an Assault Weapon, and a misdemeanor violation of the Firearms Licensing Provisions. T&T Tactical was charged with Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First and Second Degrees. He faces up to 15 years in prison.
• Mark Wroobel, 40, of Smithtown. Wroobel and his business, Hunter Sports in Massapequa, are both charged with two counts of Manufacture, Transport, Disposition, Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Instruments and Appliances and two misdemeanor violations of Firearms Licensing provisions.
• Andrew Chernoff, 50, of Malverne. Chernoff and his business, Coliseum Gun Traders, LTD in Uniondale, are both charged with Manufacture, Transport, Disposition, Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Instruments and Appliances and a misdemeanor violation of Firearms Licensing provisions.
• Carmine Rotondo, 68, of Garden City. Rotondo, an employee of Coliseum Gun Traders, LTD, is charged with Manufacture, Transport, Disposition, Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Instruments and Appliances and a misdemeanor violation of Firearms Licensing provisions.
• Michael Marinello, 41, of East Meadow. Marinello and his business, South Shore Sportsman in Merrick, are both charged with two counts of Manufacture, Transport, Disposition, Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Instruments and Appliances and two misdemeanor violations of Firearms Licensing provisions.

Four of Martin Tretola’s employees were also charged as follows:

• Thomas Tretola, 24, of Bellmore. Thomas Tretola, an employee of T&T Gunnery in Seaford and Martin Tretola’s son, is charged with two counts of Manufacture, Transport, Disposition, Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Instruments and Appliances and a misdemeanor violation of Firearms Licensing provisions. T&T Gunnery is also charged and is owned by Martin Tretola.
• Stuart Sansevino, 59, of North Babylon. Sansevino, an employee of T&T Gunnery, is charged with three counts of Manufacture, Transport, Disposition, Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Instruments and Appliances and 12 misdemeanor violations of Firearms Licensing provisions.
• Hank Greenberg, 32, of Oceanside. Greenberg, an employee of T&T Gunnery, is charged with three counts of Manufacture, Transport, Disposition, Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Instruments and Appliances and three misdemeanor violations of Firearms Licensing provisions.
• Morgan Owens, 22, of West Islip. Owens, an employee of T&T Tactical, is charged with one count of Manufacture, Transport, Disposition, Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Instruments and Appliances and a misdemeanor violation of Firearms Licensing provisions.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.