In a striking lawsuit filed on January 23, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, a man alleges severe misconduct by local law enforcement. The complaint was lodged by John N. Bartolotti against the County of Nassau and several officers from the Nassau County Police Department, accusing them of false arrest, excessive force, and other violations of his civil rights.
John N. Bartolotti's ordeal began on November 27, 2024, when he was allegedly wrongfully arrested by Nassau County police officers outside his mother's home at 7 Highland Avenue in Glenwood Landing. According to the complaint filed through his attorneys at Capetola & Divins, P.C., Bartolotti claims that despite a court order allowing him to be present at his mother's residence due to his role as her primary caretaker, he was falsely accused of violating an order of protection issued after a neighbor dispute. The document outlines how Bartolotti's presence at the location was legally sanctioned by Judge Geoffrey N. Prime's order on November 21, 2024, which permitted incidental contact necessary for his caregiving duties.
Bartolotti's legal team argues that the arresting officers ignored this crucial detail and instead relied on allegedly false accusations from neighbors with connections to the police department. The lawsuit details an intense encounter where officers reportedly disregarded Bartolotti’s explanations and body camera evidence showing compliance with the court order. "The actions were not only unjustified but executed with reckless disregard for Mr. Bartolotti’s rights," states one part of the complaint.
The plaintiff accuses the defendants of multiple violations under federal law including false arrest under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and malicious prosecution following charges that were eventually dismissed in October 2025 after a trial delay attributed to "officer unavailability." The suit also claims emotional distress caused by public humiliation during his arrest and subsequent legal battles which included significant financial costs amounting to over $80,000 in legal fees.
Bartolotti seeks substantial damages exceeding three million dollars for each claim related to false arrest, failure to supervise by police leadership, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, failure to intervene by fellow officers during his wrongful detention, municipal liability for unconstitutional practices within Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), fabrication of evidence against him during investigations, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Represented by Alexandra D. Mule from Capetola & Divins P.C., Bartolotti demands accountability from both individual officers named in their official capacities—such as Officer Alfred R. Cascio—and broader institutional changes within NCPD itself regarding their handling of citizen complaints and internal discipline processes. This case has been assigned Case ID: 2:26-cv-00421 under Judge [Name not provided].
Source: 226cv00421_Bartolotti_v_County_of_Nassau_Complaint_Eastern_District_New_York.pdf