D.A.: Middle Island man sentenced to 10 years for 2022 shooting outside East Main Street restaurant

A Middle Island man convicted in a 2022 Memorial Day weekend shooting that injured two at the now-closed Mambo Grill & Lounge on East Main Street has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office.

Investigators said that Paul Houpe, 30, got into a verbal dispute with two other patrons at the grill, which spilled out onto the back patio, where Mr. Houpe “fired numerous rounds from point blank range, striking the two patrons multiple times,” before fleeing the scene.

 “This was an act of brazen and senseless violence from a felon and gang member whose parole supervision status did not deter him from shooting two people during a dispute,” Mr. Tierney said in a statement. “Fortunately, no one was killed.”

Riverhead police who responded to the scene recovered Mr. Houpe’s cell phone, according to Mr. Tierney’s office.

At the time of the shooting, Mr. Houpe had been released from prison and was on parole for a felony conviction for drug possession with intent to sell. He was apprehended with the help of U.S. Marshals at his job in Riverhead.