Cops: Driver Jailed After Stolen Jeep Found

A Brooklyn man, who has two lifetime out-of-state felony convictions on his record, was remanded to county jail last week, after being charged by the East Hampton Town police with a felony count of criminal possession of a stolen vehicle. Michael Patterson, 61, was also charged with possession of a weapon as a misdemeanor. Police said they found brass knuckles in his front pocket.

According to the police, a 2015 Jeep Compass Latitude was pulled up in the parking lot in front of the 7-Eleven in downtown Montauk the night of April 24. An officer reported that Patterson was behaving suspiciously, and approached him. When the officer ran the license plate on the Jeep, it came back as having been reported stolen in Queens.

Patterson, who appeared disorientated to police, reportedly told the arresting officer, “My confidential informant, a former student, an Asian girl, gave me the car when I was leaving the Queens Hospital last night, around midnight.”

Arrested on the two charges, Patterson was taken to headquarters. There, he began complaining of pain, police said. He was taken to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, where he was treated and released back to the police.

Patterson was brought in to be arraigned before East Hampton Town Justice Lisa Rana the following afternoon. Before the arraignment, prosecuting attorney Jamie Greenwood huddled with Matthew D’Amato of the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County. The two attorneys were trying to determine the extent of Patterson’s criminal record. They agreed there were at least two felonies, in Missouri and in Kansas, one apparently involving an assault.

Because of the two felony convictions, the lawyers agreed, Patterson was not eligible to have bail set in a town court. In such cases, bail can only be set at the state court level, likely in Riverside.

Patterson was brought in front of Rana. “I just got out of the hospital,” Patterson said. Rana told him he could be seated for the arraignment. Rana asked if Patterson still lived on Elton Street in Brooklyn. D’Amato said he did, and has lived there for approximately six to nine years.

Rana agreed with D’Amato and Greenwood that she had to remand Patterson under state law. D’Amato asked for, and was granted, paperwork to be sent to the county jail indicating that the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department should be aware that Patterson might have some mental health issues.

t.e@indyeastend.com