Inside the Port Chester Courthouse

Here's a look at what happened during Port Chester Court's June 24 session. Court is in session every Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Heroin Possession Case Adjourned

Mark Varbero, 40, of Harrison, was arrested June 22 after a bike officer witnessed him tossing three small bags of heroin under his white pickup truck on Abendroth Avenue. According to police, Varbero was parked at the village marina and he threw the bags away when he spotted the officer.

Varbero is charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned Thursday and assigned a public defender. He told Judge Joseph Vita that he couldn't afford an attorney because he was recently laid off from his job in construction.

The case was adjourned to next week.

New Charges in Assault Case

Angelo Pintado is charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, after allegedly attacking a local woman last month and stealing a small amount of money from her. On Thursday he was arraigned on a charge of criminal contempt after violating a temporary order of protection taken out against him. Pintado said he contacted the woman so he could offer to give the money back, but Judge Joseph Vita warned him that the order can't be violated for any reason.

"You have to comply with an order of protection, even if your intentions are good," Vita said.

Pintado's case was adjourned to July 1.

Felony Charges Reduced in Larceny Case

Veronica Matos was charged with felony grand larceny after allegedly stealing around $10,000. The details of the case were not clear at press time.

On Thursday, the charges were reduced to petit larceny, a misdemeanor, on the condition that Matos pays back the $10,000 in restitution. She pleaded guilty to the charge, and was also sentenced to three years probation. The $7,500 Matos put up for bail will be put toward the restitution.

Matos will also have to submit to a having a DNA sample taken and added to the state's database.

Attorney: Merrero was Falsely IDed in La Dolce Vita Bar Robbery

Hector Merrero, 28, of Port Chester, is charged with felony robbery after allegedly brandishing a weapon at the La Dolce Vita Bar on Main Street Monday night and making off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
He entered a plea of not guilty when he was arraigned on Tuesday.

On Thursday a bail bondsman appeared with Merrero to put up $5,000 bail, which Judge Joseph Vita approved.

But Merrero's attorney claimed that his client was falsely identified by police, who were using eyewitness accounts of the robber.

A witness "said the robber was wearing sunglasses and a dark shirt, but [Merrero] was wearing a white shirt and his regular [prescription] glasses" when he was arrested.

The attorney also said that Merrero, who works for a valet parking company, has not been in trouble with the law since 2003, and pointed out that he's a family man with four children and a fiancee. The fiancee was in court Thursday with the couple's newborn baby.

A hearing in the case was set for July 1.