Nassau County officials have filed charges against Dr. Anthony Moschetto, a 54-year-old Long Island cardiologist suspected for the assault and kill plot against a fellow heart doctor whom he considers competition.

Among the charges filed against the doctor were conspiracy and arson. Moschetto was arraigned on Wednesday and is scheduled to return to court in the later part of April.

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The cases filed against him was the result of a routinary probe into the sale of the prescription drug Oxycodone, plus heroin and two fully loaded assault weapons, said acting District Attorney Madeline Singas. It turned out to be a more complex case that involves arson, assault weapons and a murder plot, reports The Washington Post.

Singas pointed out that while medics are tasked with ensuring the health and wellbeing of people, Moschetto instead engaged in "brazen, callous and criminal acts."

Associated Press reports that Moschetto allegedly hired two people to burn someone's office, but the plot failed because the blaze only burned under a sprinkler and caused minimal damage.

Nassau County Assistant District Attorney Anne Donnelly claimed that Moschetto was willing to pay someone US$5,000 to beat his competitor so the latter would be hospitalized, and even US$20,000 to kill the rival cardiologist so he would get the business.

The competitor was identified as Dr. Martin Handler, a former partner. AP reports that the court has issued two protection orders. One is for Handler and the other is for Moschetto's wife. The cardiologist is banned from contacting his wife and Handler.

When cops searched the doctor's home in Sands Points on Long Island's Gold Coast, they recovered several weapons such as knives, guns and a hand grenade. The weapons cache were hidden in a secret room that opened through a motorized bookshelf, reports AP.

A police official described the cache as sufficient to provide a small army "means to wreak harm."

With this information about the "heartless" doctor, Nassau County Police Department acting Commissioner Thomas Krumpter described Moschetto as a hidden monster in the North Shore area who does not respect life and the law.

Tagspolice, Long Island, cardiologist, murder plot