Robert Cortese Charged With Forging Pool Permit: DA

Prosecutors claimed that a contractor from Long Island jumped into difficulty after falsifying a permit for a backyard pool project.

A swimming pool.

Following his presentation of a fraudulent permit to a Great River homeowner in 2021, Huntington resident Robert Cortese, 37, was arraigned in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, June 25, on a felony charge of possessing a counterfeit instrument, according to the district attorney’s office.

Tool Time Construction’s owner, Cortese, did not have a Suffolk County home improvement contractor’s license at the time.

In May 2021, the homeowner engaged Cortese to build a pool house and install a pool as part of a backyard construction project. According to authorities, the homeowner received what seemed to be an official permission from the Town of Islip after months of delays and numerous requests, despite Cortese’s assurance to the client that he would take care of the required permits.

However, the homeowner was informed that the permit was fraudulent and that no application had ever been submitted for the project when he contacted the town’s Building Department with his concerns.

Since the charge is not currently eligible for bail under New York law, Cortese turned himself in to authorities on Wednesday and was freed without bail after his arraignment. He might spend up to seven years behind bars if found guilty.

According to District Attorney Raymond Tierney, Suffolk County is not a safe haven for unlicensed contractors. Before selecting a contractor, he advised homeowners to constantly check their credentials with the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Contact the Suffolk County DA’s office at 631-853-5602 if you think you may have been a victim of Cortese.