April 24, 1989 Two men were arraigned yesterday on robbery charges after they held two hostages at gunpoint early Monday in a Nesconset bar – firing a shot near the head of one, Suffolk police said.
Hours after the suspects were arrested, the Smithtown fire marshal’s office cited the establishment, which features topless dancers, for 15 fire-code violations and closed it down.
The Brass Monkey Bar, on Route 25 at Route 347 and owned by Dedleve Lindonberg, planned to have all the violations corrected by today and would ask for a re-inspection so that the bar could reopen immediately, Melvin Goldstein, Lindonberg’s lawyer, said.
Dominic Bertone, 21, of Bay Shore, and Richard Levandoski, recently paroled from state prison, were charged with first-degree robbery, police said. Both were arraigned yesterday in First District Court in Hauppauge. Bertone was sent to the Suffolk County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail. Levandoski was jailed in lieu of $300,000 bail.
Police said the three-hour hostage drama began about 4 a.m. Monday when the two men trapped a patron of the bar inside the men’s room, punched him in the face, fired a shot from a .357-cal. handgun near his head and then robbed him.
Police arrived at the scene shortly afterward, when two women who worked at the bar flagged down a patrol car. As officers surrounded the bar, police said, they could hear the hostage pleading for his life. At 4:25 a.m. the hostage was allowed to walk out of the bar, but a second hostage, the bartender, was still inside, police said.
Hostage negotiators were called in and communicated with the gunmen with a bullhorn. At 6:50 a.m., the two suspects and the bartender walked out of the bar. No one was injured, police said, and the gun and stolen property were recovered. The names of the hostages were not released.
Police notified the town’s Department of Public Safety, which police said they do as a matter of routine.
John Valentine, head of the town’s Department of Public Safety, said fire marshals cited the bar for 15 fire violations ranging from “fire maintenance” to improper use of extension cords. Each of the citations carries a maximum fine of $250.
“As soon as he [the owner] calls us for re-inspection, he can open up,” Valentine said.
The Brass Monkey was also the location of a fire and numerous other problems. It was demolished and a two story restaurant was built in its place. The restaurant had a number of different occupants over the years but was shuttered in 2018. The building was demolished on April 18, 2022 by NYS to make way for the Route 347 expansion project.
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