David Mejias
Criminal charges have been dropped against former Nassau County Legis. David Mejias, who was accused of stalking his ex-girlfriend while running for a New York State Senate seat last September.
Stalking and menacing charges were dismissed in December while a reckless endangerment charge was dropped last Friday, according to Queens prosecutors who were appointed to handle the politically explosive case in Nassau County court.
“The charges were completely dismissed, I have been vindicated,” said Mejias, a divorce attorney with Glen Cove-based Mejias Milgrim & Alvarado, P.C. “The system works.”
The 39-year-old Farmingdale resident was trying to unseat state Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) when he was arrested. Francesca Carlow went on to win the Democratic primary after Mejias dropped out of the race. Hannon was re-elected in the general election.
Oscar Michelen, Mejias’ Mineola-based defense attorney, said the charges were “blown out of proportion.” He said Mejias and his ex-girlfriend had split amicably but were in the midst of a business dispute when the two coincidentally passed one other on Piping Rock Road in Matinicock on Sept. 1 and an argument broke out.
“In adult life it happens sometimes, you get in shouting matches with people,” Michelen said, noting that there was no violence, threats of violence or property damage during the exchange. The incident was over in three minutes, he added.
Michelen said the stalking charge was particularly excessive considering the ex-girlfriend called Mejias before, during and after the incident—proof, Michelen said, that she wanted to talk to Mejias and wasn’t being stalked by him.
With the case dismissed, Mejias was not fined, punished or ordered to undergo counseling. There also has been no order of protection issued. But the damage has been done, and Mejias will not seek public office again.
“I’m still going to be involved in Democratic politics,” said Mejias, who is also vice president of the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association and on the board of Equality Long Island. “I’m going to continue to work to make Nassau County a better place to live from the private sector.”
