Search warrant, obtained in response to complaints, leads to charges
Huntington Station -- Eleven summonses have been issued to the owner of a Huntington Station property, following execution of a search warrant obtained in response to complaints about illegal apartments and overcrowding at the address.
The summonses were issued this week to Splinters Realty LLC and the firm’s owner, William Wark, following the February 22 execution of the search warrant at 5 W. 14th St., Huntington Station. The Town obtained the search warrant, following an investigation into complaints, and Town code enforcement officers joined Suffolk County police in executing the warrant.
Once on the property, the investigators discovered a detached garage that had been illegally converted into an apartment, a basement that had also been illegally finished and converted into an apartment and commercial vehicles stored on the property, also in violation of Town code.
Summonses were issued for:
• Illegal Basement Apartment
• Illegal Garage Apartment
• Finished Basement without a certificate of occupancy.
• Egress windows installed in basement without permit
• Two dwellings on one lot
• Illegally converting a detached garage to habitable space
• No permit for plumbing in garage
• No permit for plumbing in basement
• Converted garage without permit
• Enclosed exterior basement entrance
• Commercial vehicle storage
Notices of violation were also issued for missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and lack of the required rental permit.
“The Town takes seriously complaints about illegal housing and investigates them fully, including obtaining search warrants when appropriate and necessary, as was the case here,” Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said. “We continue to work closely with the Suffolk County Police Department in responding to issues affecting the community’s quality of life, whether the issues are at residential or commercial properties.”
The summonses are returnable April 26 in Third District Court.