School threat leads to weapons bust

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - Police on Long Island arrested a man on multiple weapons charges after they searched his home in connection with an alleged threat to a school in Rockland County that he used to attend.

Robert Csak, 32, of Lindenhurst, is accused of leaving threatening messages on the answering machine of the Summit School in Upper Nyack at approximately 5:40 a.m. on April 14. Csak, who attended the school in 2002, was identified as the caller through caller ID and school records.

Clarkstown New York Police Department contacted the Suffolk County Police about the incident and requested what authorities call a "welfare check." When Suffolk cops went to his 38th Street home, he was not there but the landlord let him in.

Officers entered the sparsely furnished apartment and saw a tactical shotgun, crossbow, night vision goggles, high-capacity magazines, and an assault weapon, police said. One responding cop is a military veteran and recognized that some of the weapons were likely illegal in New York, Suffolk County Chief of Department Stuart Cameron said.

So the officers backed out of the apartment and contacted detectives, who worked with the Suffolk County DA's office to obtain a search warrant.

During the subsequent search, officers recovered 19 firearms, a silencer, more than 200 high-capacity magazines, a Tommy gun, night-vision goggles, bulletproof vests, gas masks, knives, asps, and a bump stock (used to create an automatic weapon out of a semi-automatic weapon).

Police found and arrested Csak at approximately 9 p.m. April 14 in West Babylon. %INLINE%

Csak told police "I like guns," according to court documents. But prosecutors said Csak was a so-called grievance collector: someone who harbors animosity towards a person and fits the profile often associated with an active shooter.

Indeed, the threatening phone messages were directed at a security guard at the Summit School and were tied to an incident from 16 years ago, police said.

"He is someone who does not have a serious criminal history," Suffolk County DA Timothy Sini said. "He's male, he's young and he has the means, the weapons here, to carry out a threat."

Authorities charged Csak with nine counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (assault weapon), six counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (large-capacity ammunition feeding device), third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (silencer) and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon (asp).

Csak pleaded not guilty and even tried to speak to the judge in court Monday. His Legal Aid attorney didn't comment.

The judge issued an order of protection and set a bond of $750,000. If Csak can post bail, he will be monitored.