Plastic surgeon facing illegal guns and ammo charges pleads not guilty

A Long Island plastic surgeon accused of having an arsenal of weapons pleaded not guilty Tuesday in the Westchester County Courthouse.

News 12 Staff

Sep 10, 2019, 11:17 PM

Updated 1,852 days ago

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A plastic surgeon from Great Neck accused of having an arsenal of weapons pleaded not guilty Tuesday in the Westchester County Courthouse.
Dr. Matthew Bonanno is facing more than 50 charges for allegedly possessing illegal guns and ammunition.
His arrest stems from a night at a bar in Tuckahoe last month where a friend of Bonanno allegedly heard him make a death threat against his ex-wife and family.
His ex-wife says she is standing by his side throughout the ordeal. She appeared in court to ask that a temporary restraining order that she did not request be removed because it's preventing her from visiting him in jail. That request was granted.
Dr. Bonanno's attorney Paul Gentile says footage from police body cameras proves that police illegally searched his vehicle where the majority of the weapons were found.
"They made illegal searches and seizures," says Gentile. "They made misrepresentations…I stand here confidently telling you these warrants are no good."
Prosecutors say they believe they have a strong case and that police only did what they "deemed appropriate under those circumstances." They say Dr. Bonanno possessed illegal assault rifles they called "weapons of mass destruction." They even went on to say he could be facing as much as 30 years in state prison.
Dr. Bonanno's attorney asked for the $100,000 cash bail to be lowered, but that was rejected by the judge. Prosecutors argued he's a flight risk.
Dr. Bonanno is also facing charges in Nassau County. His next court date is in Westchester on Oct. 1.