NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A Working-Foreman in the Buildings & Grounds Department of the City School District of New Rochelle was arrested Wednesday night in Westchester County.
Louis Apicella, age 42, of New Rochelle, NY was arrested May 30, 2018 by the New York State Police and charged with Criminal possession of marihuana in the fifth degree, a Class B Misedemeanor, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class A misdemeanor and a Violation for not wearing a seat belt.
According to the New York State Police, various amounts of marijuana and concentrated cannabis oil was found in the vehicle. The vehicle was impounded.
Police reported seizing 37 grams of marijuana, 7.7 grams of marijuana, 1.3 grams of marijuana, .3 grams of marijuana (a total of 46.3 grams) and a 500 ml bottle of concentrated cannabis oil.
On May 30, 2018, at approximately 7:43 p.m., Troopers initiated a traffic stop of a Black Audi for a violation of the vehicle and traffic law at Mile Marker 6.2 Northbound on the New England Thruway, I-95, in New Rochelle. The traffic stop was part of the previously announced “Buckle Up New York” Campaign. Troopers from Troop T (Thruway) joined forces with local and county law enforcement officers for a two-week high visibility enforcement period begins Monday, May 21 and will continue through Sunday, June 3, focusing on unrestrained drivers and passengers.
Apicella was alone in the vehicle, according to NYSP. A Trooper approached the vehicle and detected the odor of marijuana. The vehicle was searched and more than an ounce of marijuana and a bottle of concentrated cannabit oil was found.
“A sloppy criminal,” said one law enforcement source who ask not to be identified.
Apicella was taken by the New York State Police to the New Rochelle Police Department where, according to New Rochelle Police Captain Cosmo Costa, he was “accommodated” overnight in the New Rochelle jail at the request of NYSP.
The following morning, on Thursday May 31, Apicella was arraigned before the City of New Rochelle Court.
The New Rochelle Court said they had no record of Apicella’s arraignment in their computer system so at this time we only know that Apicella was released from jail. We do not know if bail was set, for how much or his return date. We hope to update this story further details by Monday.
Apicella, employed by the New Rochelle Board of Education for 17 years, was notified last Friday that the District had gathered evidence implicating him in time theft. He was given a choice of immediate resignation or termination and a criminal referral to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Apicella sought, and was granted an extension until noon Tuesday the day after Memorial Day. His keys were taken from him and he was told he was barred from school district property.
On Tuesday May 29th, Apicella declined to resign and opted instead to fight the charges against. Apicella will now face an Article 75 hearing during which time he is suspended without pay.
Apicella is well-known to Talk of the Sound readers going back almost a decade.
UPDATE on JUNE 8: Louis Apicella was arraigned today in New Rochelle City Court on charges of Criminal possession of marihuana in the fifth degree, a Class B Misedemeanor, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class A misdemeanor and a Violation for not wearing a seat belt. He is due back in court on June 29th.
RELATED:
Louis Apicella is a painter for the New Rochelle Board of Education. Apicella is often heard around the school district making all manner of violent threats against whomever he feels wronged him that day. I know this from direct personal experience because he threatened me and my wife while we were parked outside the A&P at the Quaker Ridge Shopping Center.
… 2009 was aiding her then-boyfriend Andrew Zayac, a drug-dealing associate of Louis Apicella, a painter for the New Rochelle Board of Education, by storing 68 pounds of marijuana at 5 Ronalds Avenue that Zayac had stolen from a Bronx drug dealer after kidnapping and murdering him.
Jimmy Bonanno received a suspension with 30 days no pay. Louis Apicella received a suspension with 15 days no pay. Little Jimmy Bonanno is to be docked $100 pay. Werner Graefe got nothing.
