Long Island Man Accused of Taking Unauthorized Photos of Girl in Ice Cream Shop

The girl's father, an off-duty police officer, saw him taking photos of his daughter and approached the suspect

A Long Island man is accused of allegedly taking photographs of a young girl inside an ice cream store.

Police say Richard Stacel, 44, of Massapequa, took photos of the 8-year-old girl on his cell phone while inside the Mad Topper ice cream shop on Hicksville Road.
 
The girl's father, an off-duty police officer, saw him taking photos of his daughter and approached the suspect putside of the store.
 
 A struggle ensued, and the suspect broke his phone and the memory card inside his phone. Stacel then went to his car, and reached for something in his glove compartment -- but the off-duty officer prevented him from leaving the scene. 
 
Police later discovered a stun gun inside the suspect's vehicle. 
 
Stacel was arraigned Friday and charged with possession of a dangerous weapon and endangering the welfare of a child. He did not have a lawyer.
 
According to records, he was arrested in 2010 on sex abuse and child endangerment charges but is not registered as a sex offender.
 
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