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The Great Neck News, Friday, February 3, 2017
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Ex G.N. doc sentenced Elliott, Feldman to to 5 years for arson plot retire from schools Anthony Moschetto planned to kill former business partner Principals at South High, Lakeville BY J OE N I K I C
BY J OE N I K I C
A Sands Point cardiologist was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday for his role in a murder-for-hire plot against his former business partner, Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas announced. Dr. Anthony Moschetto, 56, pleaded guilty in October to charges of first-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal sale of a prescription for a controlled substance, third-degree arson and fourth-degree conspiracy. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we were able to stop a murder plot, shut down an illegal pill distribution scheme and halt the trafficking of illegal assault weapons in our county,” Singas said. “This defendant was once a respected doctor, but he destroyed that legacy with his incredibly dangerous behavior and desire to murder a rival. Our county is much safer with this defendant behind bars.” According to the DA’s office, prosecutors recommended that Moschetto be sentenced to 12 years in prison, but acting Supreme Court Justice Christopher Quinn imposed a sentence of five years in prison with five years of post-release supervision. Singas said officials were investigating a high number of Oxycodone prescriptions Moschetto was writing when they discovered a link between the cardiologist and an unsolved arson plot in Great Neck in February 2015. Following Moschetto’s arrest in April 2015, investigators discovered a cache of more than 100 guns and various knives, swords, axes and a hand grenade in a secret room in his Sands Point home that was controlled by a switch-activated bookshelf. Singas said some of the weapons found by investigators were illegal, but Moschetto did own some legal weapons. The investigation began following drug purchases by undercover Nassau County Police and Drug Enforcement Agency officers that were then linked to Moschetto. As the deals progressed, the DA’s office said, officers began purchasing weapons, and during a sale on Jan. 22, 2015, the seller requested dynamite to blow up a building. Weeks later, the seller said the dynamite was no longer needed because the building had been set on fire instead. Moschetto was accused of hiring two men to burn down Heart Diagnostic Imaging at 38 Northern Blvd. in Great Neck on Feb. 25, 2015. The fire
The Great Neck school district is set to see a change at two schools, where principals are expected to retire this summer. Susan Elliott, principal at Great Neck South High School, and Phyllis Feldman, principal at Lakeville Elementary School, said they would leave their positions to travel and spend more time with their families. “I have been so unbelievably lucky in my career,” Elliott said. “I’ve been happy wherever I’ve been and I’ve had some absolutely remarkable experiences.” “To be able to end my career here is really an honor,” she added. Elliott began serving as principal at South High in July 2008. She previously served as an assistant principal at Baruch College Campus High School in New York City and went on to found Eleanor Roosevelt High School, also in New York City, where she served as principal for six years. Elliott said three friends had shown her an advertisement for a principal’s position in Great Neck, and although she was a bit skeptical since she was happy at her school in the city, she sent in a resume and got an interview with the district. “I was so struck by how smart and nice and kind the people were and the values of the district were so glaringly apparent,” she said. After the interview, Elliott said, she took a tour of the school. “It was hard for me to leave
Dr. Anthony Moschetto
damaged but did not destroy the office. Moschetto once worked at the practice with Dr. Martin Handler, whom he allegedly tried to have killed. According to the DA’s office, he also gave blank prescriptions and cash as payments to assault, and then murder, Handler. Moschetto also asked the men to assault Handler’s wife if she was present, the office said. In April, Suffolk County resident James Kalamaras was found not guilty in the arson plot. He was accused of setting fire to the medical office on behalf of Moschetto. James Chmela and Nicholas Baialardo, the two other men accused in the medical office arson, testified in court in April that they assisted Kalamaras in setting fire to Handler’s office under the direction of Moschetto. Chmela said in court in April he was “too scared” to light the fire himself and instead served as the getaway driver, according to Newsday. He also said he picked up Kalamaras at a Port Jefferson homeless shelter on Feb. 25, 2015, and they went to the Great Neck medical office to set fire to the building. Baialardo said he recruited Kalamaras to set the fire, filled bottles with gasoline and bought a lighter to set fire to Handler’s office at Moschetto’s request, according to Newsday. Singas said Moschetto and Handler “had a business dispute, a professional dispute that ultiContinued on Page 22 Phyllis Feldman
because the other place I was so invested in, but this was such a good place to be,” she said. “I had worked in small high schools. This was just the perfect size in terms of being big enough to offer everything. It was just an exciting opportunity for me.” When she took the job as principal, Elliott said, one of the first things she noticed was that it was “a school where it was cool to be smart.” “That’s huge,” she said. “I think it makes for a very different experience, and if you’re the person running the school, it makes your job very different.” “When I was in high school, I used to have to hide my report card from friends because I didn’t want them to see how I did,” Elliott added. She said what she would miss most is the everyday conversations she had with students and staff. “I’ll miss all the people and just walking in every morning and seeing everyone and having that interaction with teachers and kids,” Elliott said. “I’m used to, in a given day, having a conversation about women’s history and then maybe ionic bonding and then talking about how things were in ancient Greece and what’s going on with music.” She said she initially planned to retire last year, but with a new superintendent and two new department heads arriving in the district, she “wanted to make sure that my school was in a good Continued on Page 49
Susan Elliott
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