Ronkonkoma man labeled ‘serial’ offender after 5th lewdness charge, woman spots him in news

Two women in Sayville in June. One in Centereach and one in Commack in October. And now a fifth, in Stony Brook, dating back to February.

Five alleged victims in, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office has a new phrase for Nicholas Critelli: serial offender.

Already charged four times, Critelli, 20, of Ronkonkoma was arraigned Friday yet again on a public lewdness charge after a woman recognized him from news reports and told police he exposed himself to her in the AMC Stony Brook 17 parking lot eight months ago.

Like the four charges before it, the latest one is not bail eligible under New York law. That means prosecutors were again not able ask for bail and judges cannot set it.

“How many more victims must come forward before state lawmakers realize that our bail laws are completely failing law abiding citizens?” District Attorney Raymond Tierney said Saturday. “This is now the defendant’s fifth criminal case alleging deplorable behavior against women who are simply going about their day.”

Prosecutors said Critelli was driving a dark gray Nissan Altima through the theater parking lot about 10:22 a.m. back on Feb. 26. He allegedly pulled up to a woman who was loading purchases into her car, made eye contact and began masturbating.

The woman came forward after seeing coverage of his arraignment last weekend, according to the DA’s office. Suffolk Police arrested him Thursday.

The February incident now predates the other cases against him.

Critelli’s first two known incidents happened outside a Sayville Target on June 4 and June 6, prosecutors have said. He was arrested June 16 and given a desk appearance ticket. On July 6, he was arraigned and released on his own recognizance.

He was still free on those charges, prosecutors said, when on Oct. 1 about 9:40 p.m., he was allegedly sitting in his car in the Walmart parking lot at the Centereach Mall, committing a lewd act in full view of a woman and calling her over.

Then on Oct. 14 about 9:27 p.m., he was allegedly parked in a Target lot in Commack when he called out to another woman while pleasuring himself.

Anyone who believes they were a victim of Critelli is asked to call Suffolk Police at 631.854.8452.

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_{Nicholas Critelli, 20, of Ronkonkoma, is accused of exposing himself to a woman in the AMC Stony Brook 17 parking lot on Feb. 26. It is the fifth public lewdness charge he faces this year. (Photo illustration: Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office/Google Maps).}