Crime Nearby: Woman Accused of Prostitution at Spa

North Massapequa

A Queens women was arrrested Thursday at a North Massapequa spa for prostitution, police said. Chun Ping Zhao, 43, of Flushing allegedly offered to engage in a sex act with an undercover officer for an undisclosed amount of money at Day Spa, located at 903A Broadway. Zhao was arrested for prostitution and was also charged with practicing massage without a license. Guiyue Xu, 49, was also arrested at the establishment by police for not having the proper paperwork necessary to practice a massage. police said.

Huntington Station

Suffolk County Police arrested two men Saturday night and charged them with robbing a restaurant employee at gunpoint in Huntington Station. They gave this account: Two men entered Kennedy Fried Chicken at 182 Depot Road, Huntington Station at approximately 10:30 p.m. and approached an employee behind the counter. One man pulled a gun and demanded money while the other grabbed the victim and pushed him to the floor. The suspects removed an undetermined amount of cash from the victim and fled. After further investigation, Second Squad detectives charged Nick Marothiere, 22, of 55 10th Ave., Huntington Station, with first-degree robbery, first-degree criminal use of a Firearm, and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. The other suspect, James Patron III, 21, of 91 Wyman Ave., Huntington Station was charged with first-degree robbery.

New Hyde Park

A New Hyde Park woman allegedly involved in the Long Island Rail Road disability fraud conspiracy has entered a guilty plea in Federal court. Regina Walsh, 64, the former director of employee services, entered a plea of guilty in Manhattan Federal court on Friday according to officials in Manhattan Federal court and the United States District Attorney’s Office. Her plea joins 15 other defendants who have entered guilty pleas in the case out of 32 total defendants charged. In the scheme, LIRR retirees were allegedly helped in preparing medical stories by doctors to obtain disability claims that could have cost more than $1 billion to the federal railroad retirement board. As part of her plea, Walsh admitted her claim was false and agreed to pay back $55,364. She faces up to five years in prison if convicted. She is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 11, 2013. Walsh is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, 2013.

Port Jefferson

Police said a Port Jefferson Station woman was recently arrested after she was caught attempting to scam people for donations that she said were for a children's educational program, while using the money to buy drugs. Cops said they found Ellen Burkheimer pretending to represent Head Start, which provides education and health services for children in low-income families.
She was charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, a felony, as well as misdemeanor charges of scheme to defraud in the second degree and criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Farmingdale

Narcotics/Vice Squad detectives arrested Joseph Lulenski, 36, of 191 Grand Blvd., Brentwood, after they found him with 96 Oxycodone pills, police said. Detectives were conducted a surveillance of the parking lot off Hempstead Tpke., where Lulenski rents space as a dance instructor, police said. The arrest took place about 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 8. Lulenski is being charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was arraigned Wednesday in First District Court, Hempstead.

Haupauge

James Merrigan, 47, of Seaford, was arrested on Jan. 2 in Hauppauge on first-degree promoting gambling charges, a felony. Reports state Merrigan knowingly made profits off of unlawful gambling activities. Police said Merrigan was in concert with others in book making and accepting bets totalling more than $5,000.

North Massapequa

A Queens women was arrrested Thursday at a North Massapequa spa for prostitution, police said. Chun Ping Zhao, 43, of Flushing allegedly offered to engage in a sex act with an undercover officer for an undisclosed amount of money at Day Spa, located at 903A Broadway. Zhao was arrested for prostitution and was also charged with practicing massage without a license. 

Three Village

New York State Police said a 62-year-old East Setauket man was about to meet who he thought was a 13-year-old girl in upstate New York for a sexual affair when instead, he met undercover cops. According to police, Michael Ripp made plans to meet a girl "for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct." Police units had tracked the meet-up and arrested Ripp on charges of attempted dissemination of indecent material to a minor, a felony, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned in an Albany court and held without bail.