Sunday, April 26, 2020

Panty-stealing Long Island judge stripped of license, steps down from bench

Robert Cicale
by Andrew Denney

A Long Island judge who copped to stealing dirty undies from the home of a female neighbor has resigned from the bench and has been stripped of his law license.

Suffolk County District Judge Robert Cicale pleaded guilty in September to second-degree attempted burglary, a felony, for breaking into the home of a 23-year-old woman who used to be the pervy judge’s intern on separate occasions and stealing panties from her laundry hamper.

The judicial panty-bandit was arrested in March 2018 as he was leaving the woman’s house — with his pockets stuffed full of her skivvies.

The neighbor previously interned for Cicale while he served as Islip town attorney.

Cicale was sentenced to probation in November and was required to register as a sex offender.

The judge was suspended without pay following his arrest — but inexplicably held onto his position on the bench, which prevented local officials from holding an election to replace him.

Cicale finally agreed on March 31 to resign, according to documents released Friday by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct. His term was set to end on Dec. 31, though the New York Court of Appeals — the state’s highest court — could have ordered his removal prior to that date.

“The public cannot respect and the electorate cannot replace a judge who pleads guilty to a felony but holds on to office, despite being suspended without pay,” commission Administrator Robert Tembeckjian said in a news release.

Cicale was also disbarred on Thursday, as per an order from a mid-level state appeals court.

Cicale and the attorney who represented him in his criminal case did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A spokeswoman for the state commission could not provide additional details on why Cicale held onto his position following his guilty plea.

Full Article & Source:
Panty-stealing Long Island judge stripped of license, steps down from bench

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