HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Two Long Island men were indicted on Friday for allegedly setting three PSEG Long Island substations on fire and stealing from nine businesses, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Frank Costa, 54, of Port Jefferson Station, and Jon Pucci, 29 of Middle Island, allegedly set the substations on fire believing they would cause power outages in the local community, which would distract law enforcement while they committed the burglaries between August 20, 2023, and Feb. 9, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney explained.
"These alleged criminal acts have not only caused extensive damage, but have also put the lives of Suffolk County residents and first responders at risk," Tierney said.
On Feb. 10, at around 12 a.m., detectives followed Costa and Pucci to a PSEGLI easement in Centereach and arrested them.
During a police search of the location, they found an ATM that was allegedly stolen from a Shell gas station a day before. Money from the ATM was also allegedly found in the suspects' pockets after their arrest.
Costa and Pucci set the PSEGLI Terryville Substation on fire on August 20, 2023, the PSEGLI Centereach Substation on Sept. 16, 2023, and the PSEGLI Medford/West Yaphank Substation on Feb, 5, 2024, prosecutors said.
The nine burglaries happened between December 2023 and February 2024, in which the suspects allegedly hit six gas stations, two delis, one laundromat and one car care business.
Each is facing charges of criminal possession of a weapon, nine counts of burglary, three counts of criminal mischief, attempted burglary, criminal possession of stolen property and three counts of arson.
Costa was arraigned on the indictment and was ordered to be held on $150,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or $1 million partially secured bond until his court date on March 19.
Pucci's case is pending. He is due back in court on March 12.
