A Brentwood man has been indicted for shooting into the Central Islip home after his girlfriend told him she did not want to move in with him.
On October 20, the victim and her two children were visiting her parents at their home in Central Islip. While inside the residence with multiple family members, including at least five children, the occupants heard a loud bang from outside. One of the downstairs residents ran upstairs to report a bullet was shot through the downstairs of the home, penetrated through several walls, a television, and a child’s bedroom. The bullet narrowly missed one of the adult occupants who, at the time, was watching a program on the television that the bullet passed through.
There were many young children in the house who were playing in the downstairs apartment when the bullet penetrated the walls of the home. Home surveillance footage captured the shooting, and the family could allegedly see the shot coming from Joaquin Orantes Franco’s truck, which immediately drove away.
Following an investigation, police located both Orantes Franco and a 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol. At the time of its discovery, the pistol was loaded with a high-capacity magazine with a live cartridge jammed in the chamber. Members of the Suffolk County Police Department further conducted a search of Orantes Franco’s truck and allegedly found a live pistol cartridge and one spent cartridge casing. The pistol was examined and authorities determined that the serial number was missing.
On November 18, Orantes Franco, 42, was arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz for the following charges contained in the indictment:
- two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both Class C felonies
- one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class D felony
- one count of first-degree reckless endangerment, a Class D felony
- two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both Class A misdemeanors
- four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, all Class A misdemeanors
Horowitz ordered Orantes Franco held on $100,000 cash, $250,000 bond or $1 million partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Orantes Franco is due back in court on December 19 and faces 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count.
“The allegations in this case represent an egregious act of domestic violence that put innocent lives at risk,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Our office takes acts of domestic violence extremely seriously, particularly those involving firearms and the endangerment of children.”