In a recent turn of events, an Amityville contractor has admitted to wage theft from his employees who were enlisted to paint the West Islip Middle School. Suffolk County's District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the guilty plea of Rand Strollo, 62, for the charge of Petit Larceny. Strollo has agreed to repay a total of $13,380 to the affected workers, representing overdue wages that were not originally paid at the prevailing wage rate required by the project's public works contract.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, the contractor's admission during his guilty plea revealed that, from April to May 2024, RJ Painting Inc., owned by Strollo, did not compensate the employees correctly for hours worked, including on the public holiday, Memorial Day. Working together with the Department of Labor, the DA's office was responsible for recouping these wages for the employees. "We will continue to fight against the fraudulent and illegal practices of contractors when they fail to pay employees for their honest labor," Tierney stated.
Further investigations into Strollo's business dealings uncovered additional underpayments on two more public works projects completed between 2022 and 2024. Facing the consequences of his actions, Strollo was arrested on November 21, 2025, leading up to his recent guilty plea before Acting County Court Judge Edward J. Hennessey yesterday.
As a result of his plea, Strollo was ordered to pay $6,136 in restitution to 12 employees for the Masera Middle School Project, with an additional $7,244 owed to workers on the other undisclosed projects. Represented by attorney Brian Griffin, Esq., Strollo's case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adriana Noyola of the Financial Crimes Bureau, with investigatory support from District Attorney Investigator Daniel Herzog.
