CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — A prosecutor’s request to set high bail unraveled Tuesday in Central Islip Criminal Court after a judge found that the alleged conduct of a man accused of harassment and contempt may have occurred before any enforceable order of protection was in place.
The accused stood before Judge Jonathan R. Bloom facing five misdemeanor charges: one count of second-degree criminal contempt for allegedly violating a court order, and four counts of second-degree aggravated harassment stemming from anonymous phone calls said to contain threats.
The assistant district attorney argued that the accused’s alleged conduct on Feb. 13 and May 9, 2025—when he purportedly used two different phone applications to contact the complainant—violated a standing order of protection prohibiting contact with the complainant. On those grounds, the prosecutor requested that bail be set at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond.
However, the accused’s temporary legal counsel, Robert Curran, argued that, after reviewing the court documents, the only order of protection on record was dated May 15, 2025—after the dates of the alleged phone calls.
“Both of these alleged contacts precede the issuing of the order of protection,” Curran told the court, questioning whether the charges, as framed, could legally constitute a violation. While conceding he could be mistaken, Curran emphasized the lack of clarity and documentation provided by the prosecution.
In an attempt to salvage their position, the ADA asserted that an earlier order of protection had been issued on July 7, 2024. But when Judge Bloom pressed for documentation of that prior order or any reference to it in the case file, the ADA acknowledged that no such documentation was present in the paperwork, nor could it be produced at that time.
Faced with this evidence gap, Judge Bloom denied the prosecution’s request for bail, concluding there was insufficient basis to justify detention. The judge granted the accused release on his own recognizance, allowing him to remain free while the case proceeds.
