Criminal Defense Attorney in Suffolk County

Former Suffolk County Prosecutor Guiding Your Defense

A criminal charge in Suffolk County can move through very different courts depending on where the case begins and whether prosecutors pursue a misdemeanor, felony, or federal offense.

John H. LoTurco leads our Suffolk County Criminal Practice Group after serving as a trial prosecutor in the Major Crime Bureau and Narcotics Bureau of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. At Barket Epstein Kearon Aldea & LoTurco, LLP, we draw on that firsthand prosecutorial background to understand how allegations may be developed, identify legal and factual issues, and build a defense strategy suited to the charge and stage of the case.

Our litigation team includes former prosecutors, former public defenders, and former judges with more than 200 years of combined legal experience. We represent clients throughout Suffolk County and the broader tri-state area from offices that include our Huntington location in Suffolk County.

Criminal Defense for State & Federal Charges

Our Criminal Defense team has represented more than 1,000 clients in matters ranging from DWI to homicide. Misdemeanor, felony, and federal cases can involve different courts, procedures, evidence, and potential consequences, so our approach begins with understanding exactly what has been alleged and where the case stands.

Our criminal defense practice includes matters involving:

• DWI: We represent people accused of driving while intoxicated and examine the traffic stop, chemical testing, observations, and other evidence supporting the charge.
• Drug crimes: Our work ranges from possession allegations to major trafficking and federal narcotics matters.
• Theft and financial crimes: We handle allegations involving larceny, burglary, robbery, embezzlement, identity theft, fraud, and related offenses.
• Violent crimes: Our attorneys defend serious felony allegations, including homicide and other offenses involving alleged force or injury.
• Federal crimes: We represent clients facing federal investigations, indictments, and prosecutions in the Eastern District of New York and other federal courts where our attorneys are admitted.

Even charges with the same name can develop differently depending on the evidence, the accusatory instrument, the prosecutor, the court, and the procedural history. We focus on those details rather than treating an accusation as a standard case.

How Our Team Builds a Criminal Defense

Barket Epstein uses a team-based approach to criminal defense.

Former prosecutors can assess how the government may develop and present its theory. Former public defenders contribute experience challenging criminal accusations from the defense side, while former judges bring a perspective informed by years of evaluating arguments, evidence, and courtroom procedure.

Depending on the circumstances, our work may include reviewing charging documents and discovery, examining witness accounts, identifying disputed facts, evaluating searches or seizures, and considering motions or other legal issues that may affect the proceedings.

The goal is not to force every case into the same strategy. We explain the strengths, weaknesses, risks, and available options so the client can make informed decisions as the case develops.

Local Experience in Suffolk County

Suffolk County is not simply another market the firm serves. John LoTurco built part of his career inside the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and now heads the firm’s Suffolk County Criminal Practice Group.

The firm also maintains a Huntington office at 434 New York Avenue, giving clients a Suffolk County location in addition to our Garden City and Manhattan offices.

Our attorneys have handled matters in Suffolk County courts ranging from DWI and drug cases to serious violent-crime allegations. That experience is especially useful because the court handling a Suffolk County case can depend on both geography and charge classification.

How Criminal Court Jurisdiction Works in Suffolk County

Suffolk County uses several types of criminal courts. Where a case begins depends in part on where the alleged offense occurred and whether the charge is a violation, misdemeanor, or felony.

District Courts in Western Suffolk County

Suffolk County District Courts operate in the five western towns of Babylon, Huntington, Smithtown, Islip, and Brookhaven.

These courts handle misdemeanors and lesser offenses within their jurisdiction and also conduct preliminary proceedings in felony cases, including arraignments.

The Suffolk County 1st District Court Criminal Term is located at the John P. Cohalan Jr. Court Complex in Central Islip, where criminal arraignments are regularly conducted.

Town & Village Justice Courts

Elsewhere in Suffolk County, Town and Village Justice Courts also play an important role in criminal cases.

These local courts can handle misdemeanors and violations committed within their geographic jurisdiction. They may also conduct felony arraignments and preliminary hearings before a felony matter moves forward.

Because of this structure, a Suffolk County criminal case does not necessarily begin at the Cohalan Court Complex.

Suffolk County Court & Felony Cases

Suffolk County Court, located at the Arthur M. Cromarty Criminal Court Complex in Riverhead, has authority to conduct felony trials.

A felony case may begin with an arraignment in a lower court before grand jury proceedings. If an indictment is returned, the case can proceed through arraignment on the indictment, discovery, motions, negotiations, hearings, and potentially trial in Suffolk County Court.

The path depends on the charges and procedural history of the particular case.

Federal Criminal Jurisdiction

Suffolk County is within the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

The Eastern District sits in Brooklyn and Central Islip and handles federal criminal prosecutions arising within its jurisdiction. Federal investigations and prosecutions follow different procedural rules from New York state matters and may involve federal agencies, grand jury proceedings, subpoenas, search warrants, or federal indictments.

Our federal criminal defense attorneys represent clients in investigations and prosecutions under federal law.