CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – A federal judge has dismissed a civil rights lawsuit filed by a Suffolk County inmate who claimed he was overcharged and unlawfully detained following a 2024 drug arrest, court records show.
U.S. District Judge Gary R. Brown granted plaintiff Famous Wilson permission to proceed without paying filing fees, but dismissed his complaint under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B) and 1915A(b), which allow early dismissal of suits deemed frivolous or legally insufficient.
Wilson, acting pro se, brought the case under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney, Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison, and Officer William Warren.
The lawsuit alleged that police entered an apartment on June 6, 2024, under a search warrant that did not include Wilson’s name, found controlled substances, and arrested him on multiple drug-related charges.
Wilson claimed he was “overcharged,” that officers “knew the charges were not justified,” and that a $2 million bail violated his right to reasonable bail.
Court notes existing conviction
Court documents indicated Wilson has since pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree criminal contempt and is currently serving a sentence on those convictions.
Judge Brown cited the conviction in reviewing the complaint, noting that federal courts generally cannot revisit the validity of state convictions in a §1983 civil rights action.
Complaint deemed legally insufficient
In the ruling filed October 8, the judge found Wilson’s allegations did not state a valid constitutional claim against the named officials and that several defendants were immune from civil liability.
While Wilson sought $1 million in damages plus $1,000 per day for his detention, the court ruled that his claims were barred under established federal law.
The case, Wilson v. Suffolk County Executive et al., was dismissed following the initial review.
A Long Island inmate’s bid to challenge his 2024 arrest ended before it began — tossed by a federal judge who found no viable legal claim.