MELVILLE, N.Y. _ A South African tree frog given to a Nassau County lawyer in lieu of a fee 22 years ago has gone missing after it was stolen by a potential client this week, the attorney said Friday.
The attorney, Thomas Liotti of East Garden City, said shortly after the theft a man showed up at the office of another lawyer and handed it to a receptionist in lieu of a fee in his case.
After Liotti pieced together what had happened, he said he called the other lawyer, Frederick Brewington of Hempstead, only to find out that Brewington's office staff had released the frog into a creek across the street from their office.
"So now I know I'm not getting it back and I report it as a theft," Liotti said.
Police arrested Liotti's would-be client, Fernando Castro, 51, of North Long Beach, on Thursday, according to court papers. He was arraigned Friday in First District Court in Hempstead on a charge of petty larceny.
The district attorney's office said it requested bail of $2,000 and that the judge set bail at $500, cash or bond.
Castro was represented by the Legal Aid Society, which does not comment on cases.
Liotti said the frog, valued at about $900, was named Owen, after the client, and had been a fixture in the outer office for more than two decades.
Liotti gave the following version of what happened:
He got a call Wednesday from Castro, who wanted to meet about retaining him. Castro entered the law office about 6 p.m., walked around the outer office and left.
Liotti's secretary asked Liotti whether he had been expecting anyone. Liotti said he had, then called Castro using the cellphone number the prospective client gave during the initial call.
Castro said he thought no one had been in the law office, but he agreed to return.
Liotti said he met with Castro and then decided that Castro should continue with Brewington as his lawyer. Castro has one larceny and two pending misdemeanor cases.
The next morning, the office staff realized Owen and his home _ a glass fishbowl _ were missing. A check of surveillance video showed Castro leaving the building with the bowl and the frog, Liotti said.
The lawyer called Castro, but he denied taking the frog. Liotti called again, got Castro's girlfriend, and she said he had taken the frog and had given it to Brewington.
Liotti said he called Brewington's office and a receptionist there told him Castro had buzzed the front door late Wednesday and handed her the bowl and the frog as a payment.
"She decided to take the frog across the street and release the frog into the creek," Liotti said.
A woman who answered the telephone at Brewington office's declined to comment, and Brewington did not return a call requesting comment.
