It’s Saturday. An NYPD officer from Lake Grove has been indicted on more than 100 counts of child porn. Prosecutors said Steven Marksberry, 50, had screenshots and saved images of girls as young as four years old being sexually abused. He pleaded not guilty to 50 counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child and 69 counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child.
Marksberry, who was suspended from the force without pay last month, is being held on $100,000 cash, $250,000 bond or $2.5 million partially secured bond. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
A hacker emailed the UConn community falsely claiming that university president Radenka Maric had died. The hacker was an unauthorized user that gained access to the university’s listserv system, according to a UConn spokesperson. The incident is being investigated by IT and UConn police.
Connecticut farmers can apply for disaster assistance from the federal government. Governor Ned Lamont requested a federal agricultural disaster declaration after abnormal sub-freezing weather in May harmed crops across the state. Farmers now have eight months to apply for emergency loans.
A Suffolk County judge has ruled against Mather Hospital in a 2015 rape case. Acting State Supreme Court Justice James Quinn ruled that the hospital should have informed a cab driver that the patient she was picking up had schizophrenia and a violent history. The man raped the cab driver minutes into his ride.
An Ansonia man has been charged with kidnapping and drugging a Norwalk resident. Enrique Rivas-Castillo, 23, repeatedly assaulted the victim and led the police on a highway chase, including jumping off the I-95 overpass in Stamford. He has been charged with kidnapping, unlawful restrain and other crimes.
Huntington Station residents are planning for a $10 million downtown makeover. The money comes from a New York Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant. Residents at a local planning committee meeting said they want the money to go toward creating a walkable downtown area, recreation center, and street lighting and seating.
A Waterbury organization has received $1 million for community reinvestment. The money, which has been awarded to Neighborhood Housing Services, is from the state’s Social Equity Council. The money is intended to support organizations that address the impact of drugs on communities.
Three Suffolk County beaches are closed to swimmers. West Islip Beach in West Islip, Eagle Dock Beach in Cold Spring Harbor and Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club Beach in Cold Spring Harbor all have high levels of bacteria that make the water unsafe for bathing.
Connecticut officials are urging timeliness in West Haven contract negotiations. This comes after the city missed a state deadline by one hour that would have given them a chance to upgrade the high school’s track and field at a discounted price. The Municipal Accountability Review Board has to review all non-labor contracts that cost more than $50,000— and the board only meets once a month.
