Former Oyster Bay officials face misconduct charges

Two former senior Town of Oyster Bay officials and a Republican political leader were arraigned Thursday on charges that they orchestrated the hiring of a town employee at a substantially higher salary as a political favor and then later conspired to fire him, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.

Former Oyster Bay supervisor John Venditto, 68, former parks commissioner Frank Nocerino, 65, and GOP leader Richard Porcelli, 70, faced Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Charles Wood on June 29.

Venditto, a Republican of Massapequa, was charged with improperly exerting his public authority, a Class E felony, three counts of official misconduct and sixth-degree conspiracy. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.

The charges are on top of a federal public corruption indictment that he already faces stemming from a 2016 case involving Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, who was also charged with corruption, and Mangano’s wife, Linda.

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