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Sentencing Of Former Southampton Town Councilman Brad Bender Pushed Back To June

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authorErin McKinley on Apr 12, 2016

The sentencing of former Southampton Town Councilman Brad Bender, who faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court last fall to illegally distributing oxycodone, has been pushed back until June.

Mr. Bender, who lives in Northampton, surrendered to federal agents in November—at which time he also resigned his elected post—and was originally supposed to be sentenced this past Friday, April 8. But representatives of the U.S. District Attorney’s office have confirmed that the sentencing has been pushed back until June 24, when Mr. Bender is slated to appear before Magistrate Judge Anne Y. Shields. They did not offer an explanation for the postponement.

Calls to Mr. Bender’s attorney, Brian DeSessa of Sag Harbor, were not returned this week.

Mr. Bender, who also faces up to a $1 million fine, was arrested in connection to the investigation of Michael Troyan, a Riverhead-based physician assistant who was charged for illegally distributing oxycodone from his medical practice, East End Urgent and Primary Care in Riverhead.

Mr. Bender had received phony prescriptions for the drug from Mr. Troyan, filled them, and then illegally exchanged the oxycodone pills for cash and steroids with an unnamed co-conspirator, authorities have stated. The investigation of Mr. Troyan led investigators to Mr. Bender, who they say engaged in the illegal activity from July 2012 until June 2015, when he was serving in office.

At his initial hearing, Mr. Bender also admitted to having a drug problem, and he agreed to attend mandatory counseling as part of his plea deal with prosecutors.

Mr. Bender was first elected to the Southampton Town Board in the fall of 2013, taking office on January 1, 2014. He resigned in November and was replaced by Julie Lofstad following a special election in February.

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