A woman from Wading River who was a Suffolk County employee was sentenced to 1½ to three years in prison after pleading guilty to accepting bribes and falsifying paperwork for license applications while working at the county Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs.
According to the investigation, Brianna Hassett was hired in June 2021 as an office assistant in the licensing unit of the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs.
In late January 2025, Hassett was working in that role and, acting in concert with her husband, Esteban Bermudez, accepted a monetary bribe and falsified an application for a home improvement license.
In exchange for a separate cash bribe, Hassett also provided questions and answers to the proficiency examination required for Suffolk County to issue a vocational license.
Hassett admitted to engaging in these criminal acts while acting in concert with Esteban Bermudez, who was not a Suffolk County employee. Hassett and Bermudez were both arrested on February 13, 2025.
Hassett resigned from her employment with Suffolk County on May 14, 2025.
On March 25, 2026, Hassett pleaded guilty to Attempted Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree, a Class E felony, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski. On the same day, Bermudez pleaded guilty to Offering a False Instrument in the First Degree.
On May 27, 2026, Bermudez was sentenced to five years’ probation.
On June 11, 2026, Hassett, 33, was sentenced as a prior felony offender to 1½ to three years in prison.
“Public servants hold a position of trust, and any attempt to betray that trust through corruption strikes at the heart of fair and honest government,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “This office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to undermine our institutions through bribery or other corrupt acts. I want to thank the County Executive for referring this matter to my office.”
“Government employees work for the people, and when that trust is broken, there needs to be consequences,” said County Executive Ed Romaine. “Thank you to DA Tierney and his team for their work in preserving the public’s faith in its government and holding people accountable for their actions.”