HAUPPAUGE - The owner of a tile company faces first degree grand larceny charges in a 57-count indictment unsealed in Suffolk County court this afternoon.

A year-long investigation of Procida Tile by investigators from the district attorney’s Tax Crime Unit and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance led to the indictment of Frank Procida, 48, of 75 Garner Lane, Bayshore.

“This defendant is charged with first degree grand larceny for his alleged theft of more than one million dollars in county and state sales tax collected by Procida Tile from customers for goods and services from 2003 to February of this year,” Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota said.

Procida operates four Suffolk retail locations in Coram, Patchogue, Medford, Deer Park and Lindenhurst.  In addition to first degree grand larceny, a class “B” felony punishable by a maximum prison term of 25 years, the indictment charges Procida with 41 counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree, nine counts of second degree grand larceny, three counts of third degree grand larceny and three counts of willful failure to file a return. 

The defendant pleaded not guilty and will return to court on December 2