Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney has had one busy month.
Oftentimes announcing new charges his office has just levied, on Wednesday, Feb. 19th, he had the good fortune of announcing the prison sentencing of a pair of Suffolk County offenders he nabbed several months earlier.
Dwayne Jones, 46, of Central Islip, and co-defendant Randy Woods, 38, of Wyandanch, previously pled guilty to stealing tires and rims from 114 vehicles from July 1, 2022, to October 20, 2023. Woods will spend 5 to 10 years behind bars, while Jones is due for 4 to 8 himself.
Back in July, Woods owned up to one count of Auto Stripping in the First Degree (Class D felony) and one count of Auto Stripping in the Second Degree (Class E felony), plus one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree (a Class D felony) in a separate case.
Six months later, Jones pled guilty before the same Supreme Court Justice—Hon. John B. Collins—to two counts of Auto Stripping in the First Degree (Class D felonies).
Per DA Tierney, this case “showcases the extensive collaboration and significant resources that are brought to bear on pattern crimes.” He also expressed his team’s gratitude for “the specialized investigative support from the Suffolk County Police Department and National Insurance Crime Bureau.”
The latter’s regional director, Kevin Gallagher, was also quick to weigh in and mirror Tierney’s sentiments back unto him and his tireless investigations.
“Individuals who prey on consumers by stealing tires and rims from vehicles, not only cause financial loss, but disrupt every aspect of the consumer’s lives,” said Gallagher. “The sentences imposed on these individuals demonstrate the commitment by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office to address these crimes and illuminate the consequences to those who would contemplate participating in this nefarious activity.”
Per the investigation’s findings, this activity included targeting residents, car dealerships, and rental car companies countywide. Hondas, Toyotas, BMWs and SUVs sporting black rims were the vehicles Jones and Wood most prolifically pursued while on the prowl.
Interestingly, when Woods was first sentenced this past October, the judge determined the since-convicted defendants owe the victims a total of $193, 468.25 in restitution.
However, upon Jones’ sentencing on Feb. 13th, a revised sum was declared: #193, 468.19.
Rest assured, an attorney confirmed for The South Shore Press that the six-cent discrepancy can be chalked up to a common instance wherein a lawyer reveals they are not as slick at calculating as they are at trying cases.
One such prosecutor is DA Ray Tierney, whose re-election campaign year calendar has been filled to the brim with concrete evidence, like this case's swift conclusion, that verifies his penchant for jailing criminals; not letting them walk free.
“The successful arrest, conviction and sentencing of these two defendants underscores our commitment to combating theft and property crimes in Suffolk County,” said DA Tierney.