LI doctor pleads guilty to weapons charge after 2019 arrest for illegal gun outside Tuckahoe bar

A Long Island plastic surgeon caught with a massive weapons cache in Westchester two years ago will avoid prison time.

News 12 Staff

Jun 7, 2021, 11:11 AM

Updated 1,219 days ago

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A Long Island plastic surgeon caught with a massive weapons cache in Westchester two years ago will avoid prison time.
After not showing up to court Monday morning, Dr. Matthew Bonanno returned later in the day to plead guilty to one count of attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He was initially facing more than 50 illegal weapons possession charges.
His attorney says he was "traumatized" to lose his medical license because of the conviction.
In August 2019, Bonanno's friend who was drinking with him in Tuckahoe, told police that the doctor had a gun and threatened to shoot his ex-wife and daughter.
Police found one of Bonanno's loaded Glocks in his friend's car. It's the weapon he pleaded guilty to possessing on Monday.
While Bonanno was at police headquarters, investigators found dozens of other guns, ammunition, knives and armor in his car parked outside his ex-wife's home, at his parent's Mount Pleasant home and at his Great Neck apartment. The weapons were bought legally out-of-state but had expired permits.
He spent around three months in jail but was released after not getting charged for the alleged threat to harm his family.
Bonanno's attorney says the plea clears his client.
"It was all one big lie, and he has been exonerated today and he's going to get no more jail time whatsoever," says defense attorney Paul Gentile.
Bonanno was facing several weapons charges in Nassau, but this deal covers those.
He's expected to be sentenced to five years' probation in Westchester on Sept. 17.