Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Wednesday, Sept. 25 that Carleton Pulley, 48, of Bay Shore, pleaded guilty to Endangering Public Health, Safety, or the Environment in the Second Degree, for illegally dumping hazardous waste and old tires at the former Pilgrim State Psychiatric Center in April 2023.
“This defendant illegally disposed of hazardous waste in order to avoid the fees that he would have been required to pay had he disposed of them properly. Thankfully, the damage to the environment was mitigated due to the immediate discovery of the waste by law enforcement and the quick remediation by the Town of Islip and the property owner,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I would like to remind everyone that, through our Evergreen Initiative, we have significantly increased monetary rewards for anyone who reports illegally dumping activity. I encourage anyone with information to speak up.”
According to court documents and the defendant’s admission during his guilty plea allocution, on April 23, 2023, a New York State Office of Mental Health Police Officer was patrolling the grounds of the former Pilgrim State Psychiatric Center when he observed Pulley rolling a tire out of the back of a tractor trailer in an area closed to the public.
Once the officer approached, it became apparent Pulley had already unloaded multiple tires and other items, including hazardous waste that was stored in multiple large containers.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Town of Islip’s HAZMAT Unit responded to the scene and immediately began to clean up the site and collect evidence. The pollutants were tested and were determined to contain hazardous waste including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead. The site has since been fully remediated, at a cost exceeding thirty thousand dollars.
On Sept. 5, 2024, Pulley pleaded guilty to Endangering Public Health, Safety or the Environment in the Second Degree, a Class D felony, before the Honorable Steven A. Pilweski.
As part of his Evergreen Initiative, the District Attorney requires environmental offenders to directly contribute to the restoration and protection of Suffolk’s natural areas and ecosystems. Accordingly, as a condition of his plea, Pulley is required to accumulate a target number of “Green Points,” which are accumulated on a set schedule through both extensive community service arrangements and financial penalties. All such service and financial penalty goes directly towards the improvement of Suffolk County’s environment. Pulley’s ultimate term of incarceration can be reduced by the amount of Green Points that he accrues.
Pulley is due back in court in February 2025 to check on his progress, and he is being represented by Peter Brill, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Robert Kerr of the Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team (BEAST), with investigative assistance from Environmental Conservation Officer Christopher DeRose of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Police Division and Office of Mental Health Police Officer John Decandia.
To report illegal dumping directly to the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website suffolkcountyny.gov/da and click “contact us.”
