WADING RIVER, NY – A former Suffolk County employee has been sentenced to prison after admitting she accepted cash bribes and falsified licensing documents while working for Suffolk County’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Brianna Hassett, 33, of Wading River, was sentenced on June 11, 2026, to 1½ to 3 years in state prison after previously pleading guilty to Attempted Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree.
According to prosecutors, Hassett worked as an office assistant in the department’s licensing unit after being hired in June 2021. Investigators determined that in January 2025 she accepted cash bribes and falsified paperwork connected to Suffolk County licensing applications.
Authorities said Hassett acted in concert with her husband, Esteban Bermudez, during the scheme. Prosecutors alleged that in exchange for money, Hassett altered a Home Improvement Contractor license application and also provided questions and answers from a vocational licensing proficiency examination required by Suffolk County.
The investigation resulted in the arrests of both Hassett and Bermudez on February 13, 2025.
Hassett resigned from her Suffolk County position on May 14, 2025.
- On March 25, 2026, Hassett pleaded guilty before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski to Attempted Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree, a Class E felony. Prosecutors noted that she was sentenced as a prior felony offender.
- Bermudez also pleaded guilty on March 25, 2026, to Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. He was sentenced on May 27, 2026, to five years of probation.
District Attorney Tierney said the case highlights the importance of maintaining public trust in government agencies and ensuring accountability when public employees abuse their positions.
County Executive Ed Romaine thanked investigators and prosecutors for pursuing the case and stated that government employees who violate the public trust must face consequences for their actions.
Key Facts & Details
| Defendant | Brianna Hassett, 33, of Wading River, New York |
|---|---|
| Position | Former Office Assistant, Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs |
| Charges | Attempted Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree |
| Plea Date | March 25, 2026 |
| Plea | Guilty to Attempted Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree (Class E Felony) |
| Sentence | 1½ to 3 years in state prison |
| Sentencing Date | June 11, 2026 |
| Criminal Conduct | Accepted cash bribes, falsified licensing paperwork, and provided answers to Suffolk County vocational licensing examinations |
| License Involved | Home Improvement Contractor License Application |
| Co-Defendant | Esteban Bermudez |
| Co-Defendant Charge | Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree |
| Co-Defendant Sentence | Five years of probation |
| Arrest Date | February 13, 2025 |
| Resignation Date | May 14, 2025 |
| Prosecuting Agency | Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office |
| District Attorney | Raymond A. Tierney |
| County Executive | Ed Romaine |
| Court | Suffolk County Supreme Court |
| Presiding Judge | Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski |
