By:Nicole Falco
Twenty North High School students -- 19 seniors and one junior -- and one alumnus were arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead on Friday, each charged with second-degree criminal mischief and fifth-degree conspiracy.
"We're very disappointed with the behavior of the students who might have been involved," said Dr. Marc F. Bernstein, high school superintendent. "They showed total disrespect for the school and community. This is not a prank. This is vandalism."
According to police, at about 2 a.m. Thursday, the suspected group of 21 young men and women allegedly used squeegees to apply tar to at least 20 of the school's windows. In addition, the group is accused of breaking two security cameras, damaging the school's lawn sign and sealing several door locks and hinges using foam insulation, which, when it dries, hardens similar to concrete, according to Detective Lt. Kevin Smith, a Nassau County Police Department spokesman. Smith conducted a press conference at police headquarters in Mineola Thursday afternoon.
Additionally, said Anthony Iadevaio, Board of Education president, chocolate sauce, Gummy Bears and feathers were also found scattered at the scene.
Bernstein said he learned about the incident in a 5 a.m. phone call from the school's principal, Dr. Thomas Troisi. Bernstein said a school security guard had discovered the mess shortly after 3 a.m. The guard also spotted a car at the scene -- the students allegedly parked their cars on the street. The security guard wrote down the license plate of the vehicle he saw and called police and school officials. By 7 a.m., 21 suspects were in police custody at the Fifth Precinct Station house in Elmont.
Arrested and charged were five Malverne residents, seven from Valley Stream, six from Franklin Square, two from Elmont and one from Freeport.
According to Iadevaio the one student who police said lives in Freeport, was allowed to finish high school at North after her family moved out of district -- a privilege the Board of Education sometimes extends to seniors.
Many of the accused are star athletes and academic achievers. Tauber is an All-County baseball player and was quarterback of the football team. Anastacio and Alman were also on the football team. Forgione and Iervolino played baseball. Fassainer played first base for the Lady Spartans' varsity softball team, and Platia was an outfielder. Cifuentes, Hamilton and Amante were named to the school's most recent High Honor Roll for maintaining an average of at least 90.
Iadevaio said many of the suspects' parents believed that their children were at a friend's house for a sleepover. "These parents thought that their kids were safe at whatever sleepover they said they were going to," Iadevaio said. "And not in the elements of the pouring rain and lightning that night."
Despite the damage, Bernstein said the school day began on schedule. School maintenance workers removed the tar using gasoline, cleaned up the chocolate sauce, feathers and candy, and managed to open the school's doors, Iadevaio said.
Besides a police investigation, the district will conduct its own internal investigation to determine what, if any, disciplinary actions it will take against the alleged vandals. Finals are about two weeks away, and graduation is scheduled for June 25. Bernstein said he could not elaborate on what disciplinary actions the students might face.
Iadevaio said the district would be seeking remuneration for the damages. "Police estimated the damage to be about $50,000," Iadevaio said. "We have not determined if that is really [the cost] of the damage. We are definitely going to seek money from the parents of the guilty parties to pay for the damage to the property. We are in the education business. We are not in the business of paying for kids' pranks that go awry."
Jeff Lipton contributed to this story.
