Southampton Councilman Bradley Bender, who today pleaded guilty in federal district court to conspiracy to sell narcotics, has resigned his position, effective immediately, Southampton Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst announced at the start of tonight’s town board meeting.
The town board will hold a special meeting on Monday to set a date for a special election to fill Bender’s seat, the supervisor said. The election must be held between 60 and 90 days after the vacancy occurs, she said.
“We have no additional information beyond what was issued today by the DEA,” Throne-Holst said. “We want to assure the public we will continue to conduct business without interruption and tend to the public’s business to the best of our ability,” she said.
Bender, 52, was charged with buying oxycodone pills from Riverhead physician assistant Riverhead physician assistant Michael Troyan, the ringleader of a multimillion scheme that involved at least 20 co-conspirators, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Bender bought the narcotics from Troyan, who allegedly wrote phony prescriptions for thousands of pills from his Riverhead urgent care medical practice, according to federal prosecutors. Bender then allegedly resold the pills to dealers on the street in exchange for money and steroids, prosecutors said.
Bender, a Northampton resident, was elected councilman in 2013 after serving as president of the Flanders Riverside Northampton Community Association. The position carries a salary of $62,000 per year.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
