Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Jordan Behling, 23, of Wheatley Heights, pleaded guilty to Robbery in the First Degree, and other related charges, for stealing cash from a prospective buyer from Facebook Marketplace and then driving away while the victim hung from defendant’s car window. 

“We will not tolerate theft in Suffolk County,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Worse still, this defendant coupled his theft with violence. That equation equals prison.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s statements during his guilty plea allocution, on June 16, 2023, at approximately 7:17 p.m., the victim planned to pick up a PlayStation 5, which he had arranged to purchase from Behling through Facebook Marketplace. When Behling, who was driving a 2020 Chevy Equinox, pulled up to the victim’s home, the victim handed him $280 in cash in exchange for the console through the car window. Behling grabbed the money and sped off while the victim was still partially inside of the car.

Behling then drove for two blocks through intersections while weaving through traffic to purposely shake the victim off the Chevy Equinox, parts of which were captured on video surveillance. 

Behling eventually sideswiped a parked car, causing the victim to become dislodged from the vehicle. Behling fled from the scene without stopping to check on the victim or reporting the incident to police.

The victim was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital where he was treated for serious physical injuries that he sustained in the crash, including a shattered pelvis that required multiple surgeries. 

At the scene of the crash, police officers found car parts belonging to a Chevy Equinox. An investigation by the Suffolk County Police Department determined that the Chevy had been rented by a member of the defendant’s family and used by Behling at the time of the crash. Law enforcement eventually located the vehicle at the family member’s home and impounded it as evidence.

Further investigation revealed that Behling had also stolen money from two other victims under similar circumstances. In both prior incidents, the victims made arrangements with Behling through Facebook Marketplace to purchase a Play Station 5. Similarly, after the victims went to a location to exchange money for the home video game console, Behling stole the money from them without delivering them the merchandise.

On December 19, 2024, Behling pleaded guilty before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski, to the following charges:

• One count of Robbery in the First Degree, Class B felony;One count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B felony;
• One count of Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D felony
• One count of Leaving the Scene of an Incident Resulting in Serious Physical Injury, a Class E felony;

Behling is due back in court for sentencing on February 13, 2025, and is expected to be sentenced to five years in prison. He is being represented by Matthew Tuohy, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Emma Henry and Alexander Bopp of the Vehicular Crime Bureau, and the investigation conducted by Detective Walter Sosnowski of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Unit.

Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.