Sentencing in Deer Park dumping case delayed again

The date for Atlas Asphalt owner Ronald Cianciulli’s sentencing has been postponed again, from Friday to Oct. 11, as details are finalized about the cleanup of a Deer Park wetlands site, Cianciulli’s lawyer said.

In June 2016, state Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho found Cianciulli guilty of two felonies and two misdemeanors for helping to dump tons of contaminated debris in a state-protected wetland in Deer Park.

Cianciulli’s attorney, John Carman of Garden City, said the adjournment was in order to wrap up final details of the remediation at the site.

“It’s an ongoing remediation project at the property, which Ron was instrumental in completing, so there are just a few details left,” Carman said.

In June, Cianciulli’s sentencing had been adjourned to Friday pending the state Department of Environmental Conservation completing its final inspection of the Deer Park wetlands site that the defendant claims has been cleared of all contaminated debris.

Cianciulli’s case was part of a December 2014 indictment related to dumping at the Deer Park site and three other locations, including Roberto Clemente Park in Brentwood.

Last year, Camacho found Cianciulli guilty of the E-class felony of third-degree endangering the public health, safety or the environment with dieldrin, and the E-class felony of third-degree endangering the public health, safety or environment for recklessly engaging in conduct that caused the release to the environment of more than 2,000 pounds of a hazardous substance.

He also found Cianciulli guilty of two A-class misdemeanors: fourth-degree endangering the public health, safety or the environment with asbestos; and operating a solid-waste management facility without a permit.

Cianciulli was found not guilty of the top charge of second-degree criminal mischief, a D-class felony, and of a violation of engaging in regulated activities within mapped freshwater wetlands without a permit.