MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that Andrew Denton, a 27-year-old man from Massapequa, has been indicted on numerous charges, including criminal possession of illegal weapons, criminal impersonation, and reckless endangerment for his activities between October 2022 and September 2023.
Denton faces six counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (a C violent felony); five counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree (a D felony); six counts of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree (a D felony); three counts of Criminal Purchase or Disposal of a Weapon (a D felony); eight counts of Criminal Possession of a Firearm (an E felony); eight counts of Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree (an A misdemeanor); and other related charges, including criminal impersonation and conspiracy.
Denton was arraigned on March 19, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to all charges. Bail was set at $100,000 cash, $200,000 bond, or $500,000 partially secured bond. He is due back in court on April 4, 2025. If convicted, Denton faces up to 15 years in prison for each of the C violent felony offenses.
DA Donnelly stated, “For nearly a year, Andrew Denton allegedly engaged in dangerous criminal behavior, discharging illegal weapons in public spaces, and impersonating a police officer. His alleged actions violated the public’s trust and endangered innocent lives.”
The charges against Denton include his involvement in multiple shootings at parks and recreational areas in Massapequa and Wantagh, including the Massapequa Preserve and Brady Park. Denton allegedly fired rifles and pistols in close proximity to pedestrian pathways and homes, endangering the public.
In November 2022, Denton is accused of impersonating a police officer when he followed another car on Lakeshore Drive in Massapequa and activated his emergency lights. When the driver refused to pull over completely, Denton allegedly fled at high speeds, endangering other drivers.
Additionally, Denton is accused of driving to a home in Wantagh on December 20, 2022, and firing multiple rounds from a .32 caliber firearm into a parked car. In August 2023, he allegedly received a .45 caliber handgun from co-defendant Anthony Califano, a former NYPD officer.
Denton was arrested on October 11, 2023, after an investigation involving the Nassau County Police Department, who worked with the District Attorney’s office to bring him into custody.
Several co-defendants have also been arraigned, including Andrew Andriani, 35, of Massapequa, who faces charges of conspiracy; Anthony Califano, 56, of East Meadow, charged with the sale and possession of firearms; and Eugene Yelanchik, 33, of Brooklyn, among others.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder praised the collaboration between the police and the DA’s office, calling Denton a “dangerous individual” who was “terrorizing our communities.”
If anyone believes they may have interacted with Denton, pretending to be a law enforcement officer, they are encouraged to contact the Nassau County District Attorney’s office at 516-571-3707.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rivka Shuter of the Narcotics, Firearms, and Gangs Bureau. Denton is represented by Adam Neal, Esq. Califano, Yelanchik, McGlone, Drosihn, and Andriani are represented by their respective attorneys.
The charges are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
