Nassau County Legis. Carrié Solages (D-Elmont) pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of disorderly conduct following his arrest last year on domestic violence charges.
Judge Joy Watson sentenced the lawmaker to 26 weeks in a batterer’s program, drug testing, and issued two orders of protection for two years.
“Those in elected office should be held to a high standard, and today’s admissions by Legislator Carrié Solages evidence clear violations of the trust placed in him by the public,” Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said in a statement.
“Nobody should be victimized by the kind of misconduct to which Legislator Solages acknowledged when he pled guilty today,” she continued. “This disposition ensures that he will be barred from contact with the victims, and requires him to participate in a comprehensive batterer intervention program and ongoing drug testing. Any violations of the terms of this plea agreement will expose Mr. Solages to a period of incarceration.”
Solages, who was re-elected to his fourth term last fall despite the arrest, was originally charged with assault and child endangerment after authorities said he grabbed his then-girlfriend by the arm and neck, then threw her against a wall while her daughter jumped on his back to get him to stop, according to court documents.
He rebuffed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle that demanded he step down.
The 39-year-old lawmaker, a partner in his law firm, Solages & Solages, is a former Bronx prosecutor who originally won his seat in a 2011 upset when he unseated his predecessor, the late Legis. John Ciotti (R-Valley Stream), who had served 16 years on the legislature since its formation in 1996. Solages’ sister is New York State Assemb. Michaelle Solages (D-Elmont).
Solages represents the county’s third legislative district, which is made up of communities in southwestern Nassau, including Elmont, Valley Stream, South Floral Park Inwood as well as parts of Lawrence and North Woodmere.
During his tenure, Solages helped broker a deal to re-staff the Nassau police Fifth Precinct station house—where his arrest was processed—that had been downgraded in a consolidation initiative. He also fought plans to build a mini-casino and soccer stadium at Belmont Park and most recently had led rallies opposing tax breaks for Green Acres Mall.
Solages is not the first sitting Nassau legislator to be arrested in the past two decades since the panel was formed. Former Legis. David Denenberg (D-Merrick) served three months in federal prison in 2015 after pleading guilty to bilking $2 million from a client of his law firm. And ex-Nassau Legis. Roger Corbin (D-Westbury), who was released from federal prison in 2011 after being sentenced to 18 months behind bars for tax evasion, is appealing his 2014 conviction for taking more than $200,000 in bribes.
Solages issued a statement about the case on his Facebook page.
“Today’s favorable resolution of this personal matter verifies what I said from the beginning: I did not commit any crime,” he wrote. “Moreover, this matter was a personal matter that had absolutely nothing to do with my public office. I have never violated the public trust. Now that the judicial system has ruled that no crime was committed by me, I can continue to serve my community with honor and dignity. Thank you to all of my supporters.”
