logo logo logo logo

Government / News / Southampton Press / 1497725

Former Quogue mayor will return to court on April 14

authorWill James on Feb 24, 2010

Former Quogue Village Mayor George Motz, who faces up to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to felony securities fraud in October, is now scheduled to appear in federal court on Wednesday, April 14, for a special hearing at which his attorney is likely to argue for a lighter punishment.

Mr. Motz was originally scheduled to be sentenced on January 29. But days before the sentencing, his attorney, G. Robert Gage Jr., requested a Fatico hearing, a special court appearance in which both the defense and prosecution can present evidence in order to argue over the appropriate length of a prison sentence.

The hearing will begin at 9 a.m., and will take place before Judge Arthur D. Spatt in U.S. District Court in Central Islip.

A date has not been set for Mr. Motz’s sentencing, and he is unlikely to be sentenced on the same day as the upcoming hearing.

In an August 2009 indictment, Mr. Motz was accused of running a “cherry-picking” scheme that netted some $2.2 million for his Manhattan investment company, Melhado, Flynn & Associates, also known as MFA, between November 2000 and June 2005. He resigned as mayor three days after pleading guilty to the felony charge in October.

In a letter to Judge Spatt on January 26, Mr. Gage stated that the defense objects to some of the facts of the case, namely exactly how much money Mr. Motz stole and how many of his investors he had victimized.

You May Also Like:

East Quogue Engineer's Dazzling Light Show Brings Joy and Raises Money for St. Jude Children's Hospital

​When Joseph Commisso was a child, growing up in East Quogue, he remembers making a ... 12 Dec 2025 by Cailin Riley

Southampton Police Reports for the Week of December 11

WESTHAMPTON BEACH — Dario Vasquez, 26, of Hampton Bays was arrested by Westhampton Beach Village Police on December 9 and charged with driving while ability impaired by alcohol, a misdemeanor. At 1:09 a.m., Police said they observed a blue Chevrolet Silverado traveling west on Mill Road in an unsafe manner by failing to maintain its designated lane. Officers conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Mill Road and Wayne Court. The driver exhibited signs of intoxication and was placed under arrest, according to police. FLANDERS — Walmer Santos-Alvarez, 25, of Riverhead was arrested by Southampton Town Police at about ... by Staff Writer

Southampton Community Packs a Truckload of Holiday Cheer for Families in Need

Southampton Town residents have once again shown their generosity by contributing to the Southampton Town ... by Staff Writer

Harmony for the Holidays

Let’s be real: As jolly as the holidays can be, they can also be overwhelming. ... by Jessie Kenny

Dear Neighbor

Congratulations on your new windows. They certainly are big. They certainly are see-through. You must be thrilled with the way they removed even more of that wall and replaced it with glass. It must make it easier to see what is going on in your house even when the internet is down. And security is everything. Which explains the windows. Nothing will make you feel more secure than imagining yourself looking over the rear-yard setback from these massive sheets of structural glass. Staring at the wall has well-known deleterious impact, and windows the size of movie screens are the bold ... 11 Dec 2025 by Marilee Foster

I Can Dish It Out

Our basement looks like the final scene in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” where the (found) ark is crated and wheeled into the middle of a government warehouse with stacked crates going on for miles. In other words, we have a lot of stuff. This tracks. Mr. Hockey and I have been married for 36 (according to my calculator) years. We’ve had four (no calculator needed) pucks. We’ve lived in seven (according to my fingers) different homes in three (no calculator or fingers needed) countries. In 2010, we moved back to East Hampton full time. We brought everything we had ... by Tracy Grathwohl

The Urgency of Real

The Hamptons International Film Festival typically takes up a lot of oxygen in the fall on the South Fork, but it’s worth celebrating a slightly smaller but just as vital event in late autumn: the Hamptons Doc Fest. Running this week for its 18th year, the festival of documentaries was founded by Jacqui Lofaro and has become an essential part of the region’s arts scene every year. It’s a 12-month undertaking for Lofaro and her staff, and the result is always a tantalizing buffet of outstanding filmmaking, not to mention unforgettable stories. The arrival of the era of streaming services ... 10 Dec 2025 by Editorial Board

Proceed With Caution

Overlay districts are a common zoning tool used by many municipalities. Southampton Town has used them to varying degrees of success — the aquifer protection overlay district has been a winner; a downtown overlay district in Hampton Bays less so — in various parts of the town. They essentially look at the existing zoning, then allow those rules governing what can be done on properties to be reconsidered if there’s a newer concern to be addressed. In a bid to clean up the process for creating more affordable housing, the Town Board is looking at a new overlay district that ... by Editorial Board

Southampton Town Unveils Proposal To Allow Hotels To Rise Again

The Southampton Town Board is considering creating a new “floating zone” overlay district that could ... by Michael Wright

Southampton Awards $630,000 Grant to Housing for Autistic Adults

Autistic adults, their families and supporters burst into applause Tuesday afternoon when the Southampton Town ... by Michael Wright