Cops: Raids of Staten Island mom, son net ammo, kung-fu stars, stun gun
Updated Mar 5, 2019; Posted Mar 5, 2019
By Joseph Ostapiuk |
jostapiuk@siadvance.com
By JOSEPH OSTAPIUK, MAURA GRUNLUND and CATHERINE DiMEGLIO
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A police raid on a Great Kills home landed a couple in handcuffs and netted more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition, an electric stun gun, an imitation pistol and kung-fu stars, authorities allege.
The arrests came a week after the woman’s son was charged in a separate raid.
Patricia Labarca, 58, and Gary Dibenedetto, 60, were arrested on Feb. 28 after police executed a search warrant at their home on the 300 block of Brookfield Avenue.
Police found a large amount of ammunition in a storage closet beneath the stairs, including more than 2,000 rounds for shotguns, handguns and long rifles, according to the criminal complaint.
They also found three kung-fu stars, an imitation pistol and an electric stun gun in the closet, the complaint alleges.
The NYPD touted the arrests on Twitter, highlighting the efforts of a K-9 named after slain Police Officer Russel Timoshenko.
Labarca and Dibenedetto, who, according to a source are boyfriend and girlfriend, are charged with criminal possession of a weapon, unlawful possession of an imitation pistol and possession of ammunition.
Dibenedetto’s name also appears in court documents as Debenedetto.
Labarca also has an open case from Feb. 21, when she was arrested for allegedly throwing keys into Dibenedetto’s face. Police found four straws with cocaine residue in her purse, according to that complaint.
In that case she is charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon, harassment and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Dibenedetto’s lawyer, Yan Katsnelson, said the items were discovered in a part of the residence that was not inhabited by his client.
“Mr. Dibenedetto had no knowledge of the items found," Katsnelson said. “He had no control or possession of the items.”
A message left for Labarca’s attorney was not immediately returned.
SON CHARGED SEPARATELY
In a twist, Labarca’s son, Ted Labarca, faces charges of his own stemming from a separate raid of his Arden Heights home on Feb. 21, which, authorities allege, garnered approximately 120 bullets and drugs.
Police found 45 films of buprenorphine, which is used to treat addiction, 52 pills of the sedative alprazolam and a plastic bag of cocaine at various spots in his Arden Avenue home, according to the criminal complaint filed against him.
Cops allegedly seized 37 rounds of .223 ammunition from a window sill. Inside boxes on a shelf, officers allegedly found 57 .223 rounds and 26 .20-gauge cartridges, according to the complaint.
Metal knuckles allegedly were spotted on a table counter and an imitation black pistol was recovered from a window sill.
Ted Labarca had 10 pills/films of buprenorphine on him when he was searched at the 123rd Precinct stationhouse in Tottenville, according to the complaint.
Charges against that suspect include criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a weapon, unlawful sale, possession or use of an imitation pistol and possession of ammunition, according to the criminal complaint.
