Court Drops Case Against Dentist for Illegal Weapons After Raid Issues

MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. — The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office has dropped its case against Paul Carey, a dentist, after a court found that the police raid on his home was improperly conducted.

Carey, 65, faced 74 charges, including 73 counts related to illegal possession of firearms and one count of menacing. State Supreme Court Justice Robert Schwartz dismissed the case Tuesday morning, citing violations of Carey’s constitutional rights during the police operation.

“When police overstep their authority and conduct unreasonable searches, only the courts can intervene to protect the rights of citizens,” said Carey’s defense attorney, John Carman, in an emailed statement. “This was the case with Dr. Carey, who is grateful for the courage of the judges who found that his constitutional rights had been violated.”

The situation began on Feb. 16, 2021, when Carey’s office staff reported alarming behavior. One employee claimed Carey shouted her name repeatedly and brandished a handgun, saying, “You almost got shot,” according to court records. She fled the scene and told police she suspected he had been drinking.

Carey was known to police due to past arrests for drunken driving and reckless endangerment, including a 2012 incident in which he allegedly shot rounds from a gun across a nearby canal, leading to the confiscation of multiple firearms.

During the latest incident, Carey barricaded himself in his home office, prompting a police operation that involved tactical gear and armored vehicles. Police later summoned his estranged wife, Darlene, to authorize the search. However, the judge determined that she was pressured to consent to the search and that police had already breached the door before obtaining her permission.

The judge ruled that police should have waited for a warrant, as the circumstances did not constitute an emergency that would justify the immediate entry. The District Attorney’s Office lost an appeal to allow the evidence gathered, including guns, silencers, and ammunition, to be used in court.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder stated that Carey’s gun license had been revoked after his earlier arrest. Over half of the seized weapons were untraceable ghost guns assembled from parts purchased online.

Neighbors expressed shock at the dismissal of the case. “It’s ridiculous,” said Thomas Christ, who previously reported Carey for shooting into the canal. “Did they at least take his guns?”

Another neighbor, Jane Reilly, commented, “I’m floored, I’m absolutely floored that it was dismissed. I’m disgusted by it.”