NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A prior felon from Long Island was sentenced to prison on Friday after he was found guilty for assaulting two police officers and carrying an illegal handgun in 2022, prosecutors said.
Matthew Esposito, 50, of Miller Place, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in the and other charges in April, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.
“We will not tolerate attacks on those who protect and serve,” Tierney said. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that our streets belong to law abiding citizens, not to criminals who disregard our laws and attack police officers who are working to keep our communities safe.”
On Sept.9, 2022, the Suffolk Police Department responded to a shooting report at the Bellport train station. Two officers arrived at the scene to help find the suspect. While searching, the officers spotted Esposito who came out from the woods about a block south of the train station, according to prosecutors.
Esposito then hid behind a car parked on the roadside. When the officers approached, they found a pistol under the car where Esposito was hiding.
As they tried to arrest him, Esposito resisted and attacked the officers. Both officers were injured in the struggle but managed to take Esposito into custody, prosecutors said.
One officer sustained a concussion, a head laceration, and a torn quadricep muscle. The other officer broke three bones in his wrist, suffered a torn ligament in his wrist, and sprained his shoulder.
During Esposito’s arrest, officers found a high-capacity magazine in his pocket. They later discovered that the pistol found under the vehicle was also loaded with a high-capacity magazine identical to the one found in Esposito’s pocket.
On April 2, Esposito was convicted of multiple charges. He was found guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree. Additionally, he was convicted of two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, two counts of assault in the second degree, and one count of resisting arrest.
According to court documents, Esposito was convicted in 1993 and served time in prison for criminally negligent homicide and other charges. In 1998, Esposito was convicted a second time and charged with assault and five other felonies for which he served 12 years in prison.
Esposito was determined to be a persistent felony offender and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.