Nassau District Attorney Denis Dillon announced earlier this week the arrest of an East Meadow man for a series of transactions in which it is alleged he illegally sold semi-automatic weapons to an undercover detective. Joseph Cucciniello, 31, of East Meadow, was arrested on the evening of July 29 during his scheduled visit to the Probation Department.

"The proliferation of illegal firearms continues to pose a very serious threat to the safety of our communities," Dillon said. "For his own financial gain, this defendant was jeopardizing the lives of Nassau County residents by putting more illegal weapons on our streets. At significant risk to their own safety, undercover detectives will continue to work with our office to infiltrate the illegal weapons market.

"The case began when my office developed information that the defendant was dealing in illegal weapons," Dillon continued. "As a result, we began an investigation that led to three separate transactions in which the defendant sold a total of six semi-automatic weapons to an undercover detective from the District Attorney's Squad of the Nassau County Police Department. On April 8, the defendant sold the undercover detective an InterTec 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol, ammunition and three clips, for a price of $1,100. On May 12, the defendant sold the same undercover detective a 9mm Ruger P94 semi-automatic pistol, along with three ammunition clips, two boxes of ammunition and a gun cleaning kit for a total of $750. On June 9, for a total price of $3,500, he sold the detective four more guns: a .40 caliber Taurus semi-automatic with one ammunition clip, a .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol with one ammunition clip, a 9mm Cobray semi-automatic pistol with one ammunition clip; and a 9mm InterTec Luger semi-automatic pistol with three ammunition clips. The defendant also sold the undercover detective a box of ammunition he described as 'cop-killer' bullets. The serial numbers were defaced on all but the Glock weapon."

Dillon added that "On July 28, the defendant agreed to sell the same undercover detective a .45 caliber handgun and discussed selling him bulletproof vests. A .45 caliber handgun and ammunition were recovered from the defendant's house on the night of his arrest."

Dillon thanked Director of Probation John Carway and the Probation Department for this assistance in this investigation.

Cuccinello is charged with seven counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree and seven counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree. Both crimes are Class D Felonies punishable by up to seven years in prison. Cuccinello was arraigned in First District Court in Hemsptead. The charges are currently merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.