Long Island contractor criminally charged after stopping work during renovation job

A home improvement contractor has been criminally charged after he allegedly stopped working on a Stony Brook woman's house, having done only some of a renovation, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.

The contractor, 48-year-old Michael Specchio, of East Islip, was charged with grand larceny and being an unlicensed contractor, the department wrote in a news release.

At an arraignment Tuesday, Specchio pleaded not guilty and was freed without bail, according to the state court database. 

His attorney, Gregory Grizopoulos, of Mineola, said there is $43,000 worth of outstanding construction — including a brick patio and some interior work — that has not been completed. Grizopoulos said Specchio's client paid about $160,000 for the whole job. There is a dispute with the homeowner that, if anything, should be resolved in civil, not criminal court, Grizopoulos said.

"It's not like they paid 43 grand and the guy disappeared," Grizopoulos said.

The contractor, he said, has been in business for over 20 years and is respected and licensed. A check of the Suffolk County Department of Consumer Affairs' license website shows Specchio has a general contractor's license expiring in 2027.

M3 Development Group Inc. was hired in January by the woman, the release said. Specchio established M3, according to a federal filing.

Interior renovations were partially completed, and exterior work such as masonry and landscaping were never started, according to the police press office. 

Specchio was arrested earlier this week. He couldn't be reached for comment. A message left with the company wasn't immediately returned.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.