Bonilla sentencing adjourned

Mark Bonilla will have to wait another week to find out if his recent criminal conviction will result in jail time. The former Hempstead Town clerk was not sentenced on Sept. 26, as scheduled.

Bonilla was found guilty of one count of official misconduct stemming from sexual harassment allegations, which were investigated by town officials last year, on July 25. Chris Munzing, a representative from District Attorney Kathleen Rice’s office, confirmed that Bonilla’s sentencing was adjourned to Monday, Oct. 7. He faces up to one year in jail.

Justice Sharon Gianelli decided the case alone because Bonilla waived his right to a jury trial. Adrian DiLuzio, his Mineola-based attorney, said they made this decision because he did not believe the public could give an elected official a fair trial.

Bonilla, 51, of Bellmore, was arrested last Sept. 21 by investigators from Rice’s office. Town Supervisor Kate Murray said complaints of sexual harassment by Bonilla were made to the town’s Human Resources Department last August. The town attorney’s office began its own investigation of the claims before turning the case over to Rice.

Bonilla, the town clerk since 2003, faced misdemeanor charges of official misconduct, second-degree coercion and attempted petit larceny. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Sept. 22, 2012. He was convicted of the second official misconduct charge that was added to a revised complaint filed at First District Court on Sept. 27, according to the district attorney’s office.

Gianelli said she found Bonilla guilty of the second official misconduct charge because text messages that he sent to a clerk’s office employee to obtain intimate photographs of the woman who alleged he was harassing her were substantial evidence that he broke the law.

While Bonilla served as clerk throughout the trial, he was ordered to vacate his office this summer. Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent a letter to Town Supervisor Kate Murray on Aug. 8 in which he stated that he was notified by Nassau County District Court Clerk Kenneth Roll of Bonilla’s criminal conviction. Cuomo said that, based on Bonilla’s conviction of a crime that violated his oath of office, the clerk’s office became vacant.

Nasrin Ahmad, the Republican candidate for the position in this November’s election, was appointed to Bonilla’s post by the Town Board on Sept. 3. She succeeded First Deputy Town Clerk Phil Guarnieri, who assumed the role immediately after the office was vacated.