The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office was recently notified by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of the Treasury that in response to requests by the Ray Tierney administration, with the assistance of Congressmen Andrew Garbarino (R-Patchogue) and Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point), the Suffolk DA’s Office would be readmitted to federal Equitable Sharing Programs, resulting in funding estimated at approximately $13 million.
Upon taking office, Tierney learned that on September 11, 2020, then-DA Timothy D. Sini received a subpoena as part of a federal investigation into the use of forfeiture program funds and money laundering operations of the Sini administration, as well as those of the administration of former DA Thomas Spota. Concurrent with the subpoena, the DA’s Office was notified by DOJ that it was suspended from the DOJ’s Equitable Sharing program.
That same day, Sini was notified by the Treasury Department that, because of the federal investigation, he was suspended from the separate Treasury Department Equitable Sharing program as well.
Following Tierney’s efforts to resolve the investigation, with Garbarino and LaLota’s assistance,, Tierney was informed on February 28, 2025, that DOJ had closed its investigation. Thereafter, Tierney applied for readmission to both Equitable Sharing Programs, to secure this important law enforcement funding to protect the people of Suffolk County. As a result, Tierney said he expects that approximately $13 million in funding will become available for law enforcement priorities.
“For the past four years, the people of Suffolk County have not been receiving this significant law enforcement funding due to the investigation of prior Suffolk DA administrations,” Tierney stated. “I applaud Attorney General [Pam] Bondi for swiftly getting the Department of Justice and Treasury Department to readmit the Suffolk DA’s Office to these vital funding programs. This funding will be used for the Gilgo Homicide prosecution, as well as fighting deadly fentanyl, human trafficking, gang activity, illegal firearms and all manner of criminal activity. I would also like to thank Congressmen Garbarino and LaLota for their tremendous assistance in helping to resolve this important issue for us in Washington.”
“Restoring Suffolk County’s access to Equitable Sharing funding is a matter of public safety. These resources are critical to ensuring our law enforcement agencies have what they need to fight crime, prosecute major cases, and do their jobs effectively,” Garbarino said. “I applaud the administration’s decision to readmit the District Attorney’s Office to these programs and was proud to work alongside District Attorney Tierney to help resolve this issue and secure the tools our prosecutors and investigators need to protect the people of Suffolk County.”
“Accountability in government is essential to maintaining the trust and safety of our communities. The resolution of the Department of Justice’s investigation into the actions of previous administrations, along with the reinstatement of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in the federal Equitable Sharing Programs under District Attorney Tierney’s leadership, is a win for Suffolk County and law and order,” said LaLota. “This decision restores Suffolk County’s access to critical federal resources that will bolster Law Enforcement efforts, enhance public safety, and keep Suffolk County families secure. I remain committed to ensuring our local Law Enforcement agencies have the tools and support they need to protect and serve our communities effectively.”
As detailed in the Guide to Equitable Sharing for State, Local, and Tribal Law Enforcement Agencies, put out by DOJ and the Treasury Department:
Asset forfeiture is the taking of property by the government without compensation because of the property’s connection to criminal activity. It is a legal tool that enables the federal government to recover property that can be used to compensate victims of the crime underlying the forfeiture, among other important law enforcement interests.
To keep the public safe, federal Equitable Sharing funding is commonly used for a variety of important law enforcement functions including:
- Purchasing equipment and conducting investigations into online crimes, such as Darkweb drug dealing and child exploitation;
- Costs related to service animals;
- Translation and language services for victims
- Technical equipment for locating missing persons
- Setting up wire room facilities for court-ordered wiretaps into violent gang and drug activity
- Cold case DNA testing
- Obtaining training for prosecutors and investigators on such topics as ethics, drug enterprises, child exploitation, financial crimes, elder abuse, gang intelligence, government corruption and environmental and hazmat crime scene training
- Purchasing equipment to enhance intelligence gathering by investigators and to enhance prosecutions, including cameras and covert equipment
- Purchasing equipment to upgrade and enhance the District Attorney’s Technical Services Unit in the collection and analysis of digital evidence obtained from cell phones, computers, tablets and other electronic devices
- Expenses for community drug prevention and various programs, including literature, Naloxone, and child identification kits
- Purchasing software and equipment to enhance prosecutions
- Paying subject matter experts necessary to testify in prosecutions, including environmental crime scene experts, DNA laboratory experts, child trauma experts and geospatial and cell site analysis experts..