Local Man Pleads Guilty to Six Counts of Burglary

An East Patchogue man charged with burglarizing homes in Bayport, Blue Point, Patchogue and Medford in August 2010 pled guilty on Wednesday to six counts of burglary.

Gazzola, 21, along with Ryan Rossi, 22, of Port Jefferson, were arrested last summer by Suffolk County Police and charged with allegedly burglarizing several homes throughout Brookhaven and Islip towns.

In September, Gazzola pled not guilty to all charges that included five counts of burglary in the second degree and one count of attempted burglary in the second degree.

Judge C. Randall Hinrichs set Gazzola’s sentencing date for August 24. The district attorney’s office will make a sentencing recommendation of a 12-year prison sentence with five years post-release supervision.

At Gazzola's September arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Ian Fitzgerald said Gazzola could face a 15-year sentence for each burglary charge and a seven year sentence for attempted burglary.

Last summer, Suffolk County Police 5th Precinct officers arrested Rossi at the scene of the burglary of a Bayview Avenue home, and Anthony Gazzola, 21, of East Patchogue, shortly thereafter.

Police said Gazzola climbed through the front window of the Bayport residence attempting to steal jewelry from inside the home. He fled the scene as police arrested Rossi, who was waiting in a car for Gazzola. Detectives James Walker and James Smith then responded and arrested Gazzola.

Further investigation by 5th Squad detectives revealed Gazzola and Rossi were involved in a burglary in Blue Point just days before as well as several other burglaries of residences in Bayport, East Patchogue and Medford. The first burglary by the pair occurred on July 12 in East Patchogue.

Rossi, who was charged with two counts of burglary in the second degree and one count of attempted burglary in the second degree, pled guilty in February. His  sentencing is set for June 29.