Suspects Arraigned In Long Island Knifepoint Robbery Spree
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The three people accused in 18 robberies across Long Island appeared in court Thursday.
The defendants are charged in more than a dozen knifepoint robberies across Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Shane Cashmore, 30 – formerly of Ronkonkoma, now homeless – was arrested on May 2 in connection with ten robberies in Nassau and eight robberies in Suffolk since February – mostly targeting ice cream and sandwich shops.
Two alleged accomplices -- 31-year-old Juliana Pantaleone and 26-year-old Paul Drab -- were also arrested the same day. Police said they were with Cashmore on the night of May 2 and were charged in the most recent holdup that occurred right before Cashmore was apprehended.
"We've had an opportunity to speak to the clerks that worked within those stores and I can tell you first hand that they were all terrified by this defendant's actions," Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney James Chalifoux said of Cashmore.
Chalifoux said Cashmore made admissions to the crimes and even signed photos from the robbery surveillance videos, admitting that he was the one who appeared in the pictures.
But Cashmore's attorney, Christopher Gioe, said his client is a heroin addict.
"As of right now, he is maintaining his innocence with respect to the charges that were brought before him by the DA's office, he is acknowledging that he does have a substantial heroin problem," Gioe said.
Cashmore was held on $2 million bond. Pantaleone and Drab were also arraigned Thursday and pleaded not guilty.