Holbrook Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Money Laundering

Two Patchogue residents and one Florida resident involved.

A Holbrook man has pleaded guilty to charges including bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for his involvement in a mortgage fraud scheme announced Pamela Marsh, a US Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The scheme also resulted in convictions for two Patchogue residents and one Florida resident of these charges on April 20. According to the Department of Justice, Louis Mazzella, 41 of Holbrook, purchased Florida homes in the name of his sister and her husband, Paula Smith, 43, and Scott Smith, 48, both of Patchogue. Mortgage loans valued at $1.3 million and $1 million were fraudulently obtained for the purchase of the properties. Johnathon "David" Sanders, 50 of Santa Rosa Beach, FL, involvement revolves around …

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Sachem Lax Chronicles

Gamblin Grabs Attention at ESPN Rise Games

Sachem alum pegged as one of the top performers in Orlando.

Sachem North alum Brandon Gamblin made one more off-season high school lacrosse all-star stop before his career at the University of Massachusetts starts this fall. Gamblin is competing in the ESPN Rise Games in Orlando, Fla. along with 94 other All-Americans. ESPN broadcaster and Inside Lacrosse columnist Quint Kessenich, who hails from Long Island himself, picked Gamblin as one of the top 15 performers during the all-star weekend. "Gamblin was a whirling dervish at Disney World, exhibiting endless energy in his quest to get to the goal," he wrote. "He is a bouncy dodger who can slice and pop his way into the paint." His one knock... "He must learn to incorporate his teammates and play without the ball." Gamblin, who scored a goal and was…

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Sachem's Conor O'Hara Competes at National Dual Meet Championships

East sophomore goes 4-3 against nation's toughest competition.

Sachem East sophomore Conor O’Hara competed in the Cadet National Dual Meet Championships this past weekend in Daytona Beach, Fla. O’Hara was selected by the New York coaching staff as a team captain for the event, which features all-star teams from each state. The teams are bracketed and compete for a national title collectively. O’Hara posted a 4-3 record against some of the nations toughest competition at 125 pounds. Team New York finished 3-4 failing to place in the top 8. Match results

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Three Students Earn Scholarships to Full Sail

Prove why Sachem East has well-rounded communication design program.

When Sachem East teacher Doug Kelsch nominated three students for a new scholarship program at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla. there was no guarantee he’d have any winners. But all three of the students he nominated - Will Grimaldi, Devon Nitz and Gage Zanghi – have earned a $35,000 scholarship, or half of the total undergraduate cost for the premier film, design and music college. Grimaldi and Zanghi will be studying film, while Nitz, an outside-the-box thinker is going for graphic design. “The communication design program provides a platform for the students to pursue their individual artistic passions and ultimately gain entrance into the colleges of their choice,” said Kelsch. “I know they will all be highly successful in …

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Restaurant and Inn Use Social Media to Advantage

Relies on @UncleLouie for Twitter advice.

This is an occasional series about a Sachem alum utilizing social media in his everyday business strategies for celebrities around the country ... Among Louis Gregory’s growing list of social media clients is Chalet Suzanne, an elegant Florida hot spot known for its historical elegance. For Valentine’s Day one year ago, Gregory, a Sachem alum who is known as @UncleLouie on Twitter, took his would-be wife to Chalet Suzanne, then spent his wedding night there a year later. After crossing paths with third-generation owner Eric Hinshaw, Gregory signed on to advise him with social media. “It's an honor to help such a historically significant property integrate such a cutting edge tool,” he said. “Beautiful rooms, a runway with skydiving, five …

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Inside the Arrows

Catching Up with Davon Lawrence

Former running back red shirted his freshman year at Stony Brook.

Davon Lawrence is arguably one of Sachem's greatest athletes of all-time. From his elusive football abilities to flash-like track skills and strong basketball presence, he did it all. This past fall he spent his first semester in college as a red shirt freshman at Stony Brook University. He's one of many former high profile Long Island high school football players looking for playing time next season. At Sachem, Lawrence helped lead the Arrows to a 10-1 record in 2009 and a bid at the Suffolk County Division I title. He finished his career as the fourth all-time leading rusher in school history with 2,116 yards and 27 touchdowns. His 10.4 yards per carry average in 2009 and 9.3 yards per carry for his career were both records when he …

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The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation

Sachem Alum Launches Rose Brucia Educational Foundation, Hopes to Make National Impact

After personal loss, he took the positive route and is making a difference.

When 11-year-old Carlie Brucia was abducted and murdered in Sarasota, Fla. in 2004, her older cousin Matthew Barbis watched his family undergo the most difficult of pain. It quickly became a highly publicized story, especially since it was the first abduction caught on camera. Carlie was on the way home from a friend's house and took a short cut behind a car wash. "You get this helpless feeling," he recalled. Then immediately that ceased. He turned the emptiness from the family's loss into a positive revolution that has steamrolled into major developments over the last six years, including the formation of the Rose Brucia Foundation, named after his grandmother, but meant to honor the memory of Carlie. "I just started thinking, 'what can I…

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Sachem's Pro Athlete Update

How are the former Sachem athletes performing at the highest level?

Not many high schools have athletes representing them in the professional sports world. Sachem is fortunate to have three: Billy Alvino (Detroit Tigers organization), Mike Parisi (Chicago Cubs organization) and Doug Shanahan (Chicago Machine, MLL). Alvino has only played in four games with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, a High-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. He was promoted last month after spending the first month of the season with the West Michigan Whitecaps. With Lakeland, Alvino has three hits and one RBI in 12 at-bats. Parisi originally hoped to make the big league roster for the Cubs out of spring training. He was rejuvenated after they selected him in the Rule 5 draft out of St. Louis. Things didn't work out as he hoped and he was …

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