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Batavia woman accused of letting drug dealers operate from her home

By Howard B. Owens

A 34-year-old Batavia woman is being accused of letting drug dealers operate from her home at 3 Vine St.

The woman and three other people were arrested Wednesday following a raid by the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force at the residence.

The four arrests make it a total of five people accused of drug dealing at that address.

Sara H. Butler was charged with criminal nuisance, 1st, which is a class E felony in New York.

Butler and the other people taken into custody at 5:30 p.m. were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 4th, criminally using drug paraphernalia, 2nd, and loitering.

The three others arrested were Quinton L. Spinks, 26, of Terrance Park, Rochester, Steven J. Hirsch, 23, of Raymond Avenue, Batavia, Cheetara M. O'Neal, 24, of Sawyer Street, Rochester.

On Aug. 26, 40-year-old William J. Butler was taken into custody at the same address. Butler is suspected of trafficking in crack cocaine and was charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, and promoting prison contraband, 1st.

The four arrested yesterday are accused of dealing cocaine and crack cocaine. Investigators executed a search warrant on the residence and allegedly found both drugs in the house. Their combined reported street value is $2,000. Investigators also say they found more than $600 in cash.

Butler, Spinks and O'Neal were taken into custody at the residence. Hirsch was reportedly seen leaving the residence just before the raid and taken into custody on East Avenue.

Batavia police officers assisted in the raid.

All four suspects were arraigned and jailed without bail.

Photos, from top: Sara Butler, O'Neal, Hirsch, Spinks.

Frank Bartholomew

Careful William, that looks like name calling!!!
Drug and alcohol abuse can drastically change ones appearence, I don't know if that's the case, but I have seen my share of it.Just another free benefit of drinking and drugging.

Sep 9, 2010, 11:15am Permalink
Gary Spencer

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Sep 9, 2010, 4:18pm Permalink
Gary Spencer

is this the same Steven Hisch? From thebatavian 5/24/2010?

Batavia Police used a Taser last night to subdue a man wanted for allegedly getting in a fight earlier.

In all, police made three arrests at 17 Holland Ave.

Officers arrived on scene at 11:09 p.m. looking for 24-year-old Steven Hirsch, intending to arrest him on a charge of harassment, 2nd.

Timothy Hirsch, 24, allegedly attempted to obstruct police officers and placed his hands on one of the officers.

Steven Hirsch, according to a police report, refused to comply with police officers' orders and physically resisted their attempt to arrest him. He got Tasered.

During the incident, Jennifer Stack, 24, of 12 Oak St., Batavia, was allegedly on the street yelling obscenities at police officers.

Steven Hirsch was jailed on $2,000 bail, charged with harassment and resisting arrest.

Timothy Hirsch was jailed on $1,000 bail and charged with obstructing governmental administration.

Stack was issued an appearance ticket for alleged disorderly conduct.

Responding to the call were officers Darryle Streeter, Frank Klimjack, E.E. Bolles, Chris Camp and Sgt. Mullen.

Sep 9, 2010, 4:35pm Permalink
Liz Fuchs

WTH is going on in our community? I know every place has it's problems, but when the heck did Batavia turn into a crack town?

Sep 9, 2010, 4:54pm Permalink
Bob Price

Ummm,have you been sleeping for the past few years Liz? Drive down Main St. and see how many places you see w/ people hanging out in porches/front yards.A few years ago there were none.....can't keep track when you drive down first part of State St.-give Batavia a couple more years,and we should start seeing drive-by shootings w/ more frequency by then.

Sep 9, 2010, 6:27pm Permalink
Liz Fuchs

Not sleeping just unaware, maybe blind by choice to the seriousness of the situation. However regretfully i live on state st, and am one of those "porch dwellers". I sit on my porch to watch my children play, and enjoy the weather. I also sit on my porch when i'm in need of a cigarette, as opposed to poisoning my children lungs by smoking indoors. I however have never touched or even been around crack cocaine. Or the many other numerous drugs polluting our streets. I'm sorry, i do take short offense in thinking i now have to worry about looking like a "crackhead" when i'm simply making sure my children don't ride their bikes into the street. But, I never thought i'ld be reading about this many "crackheads" and meth labs in our own backyards. Pardon my shock.

Sep 9, 2010, 8:06pm Permalink
George Richardson

"i do take short offense in thinking i now have to worry about looking like a "crackhead""
Liz, sitting on your porch is a fine thing to do, and no one looks like a crackhead without acting like a crackhead. When they get loud, stupid and start acting insane AND they look like a crackhead, call the Police.
I, personally, look like a homeless person and that's fine with me, as long as I have a home.

Sep 9, 2010, 9:32pm Permalink
Peter O'Brien

Liz,
When you have as much low income housing as Batavia has, drugs follow. The poor stay poor because they keep doing the things that make them poor, like drugs, and the rich keep getting richer because they keep doing the things that made them rich, like making good life choices. Its a generality but its true.

Sep 10, 2010, 11:03am Permalink
Tim Howe

Also, you guys have to keep in mind that Batavia is made up of ALOT of "implants" from the city. People who are "placed" here. I absolutely understand your concerns, I feel the same way and this is a huge reason for our little corner of NY going downhill :)

Btw, its really funny that many of you commented tha you thought that "pinky tuskadaro" individual was a male, because that was my immediate first response as well :)

Come on Howard, you got "connections" right? :) Is there anyway you could find out just how many "implants" we have in Batavia?

Sep 10, 2010, 4:47pm Permalink
JoAnne Rock

Is that true Tim? I had heard from other people that our county receives money for accepting "implants", but I did not know for sure if it was true.

It certainly would be interesting to know some statistics about these "implants". Have they become law-abiding Batavians that work, pay taxes and contribute to the community? Or not?

Sep 10, 2010, 5:23pm Permalink
Tim Howe

JoAnne,

Like you I have only "heard" it as well, but by more than one person and for a while now. And the VERY last part of your post about law abiding, working, tax paying, society contributers are EXACTLY my point for bringing up the whole implant thing to begin with because i really dont like to be a negative nelly but if i were to make an educated guess I would replace those 4 things you listed with the word welfare :(

But that is no more than just an opinion.....

Sep 10, 2010, 5:38pm Permalink
Joy Bernardini

The drug situation in Batavia has been bad for quite some time but it's getting worse.

It's not low income housing that's the problem. There's many good people who make low incomes.

I feel that the landlords are somewhat responsible for renting to all these people all clumped into certain areas in Batavia,just for the sake of making money. Don't they run a credit check, a background report, etc before renting? Then... let their own properties be torn apart. It's the MONEY that they are receiving that is their concern. Not keeping an upbeat, clean property to rent.

If I owned a property, it wouldn't matter what race, religion, etc, but my concern would be if they can pay their rent, and also have respect for my property.

I would surely expect to rent a respectable, clean home, and then require my tenants to clean up their mess, pay for damages, or be evicted.

Batavia property owners need to take responsibility also.

Sep 10, 2010, 7:34pm Permalink
jodi puccio

Thunder cats, Thunder cats, Thunder cats...hooooooooooooo!!!!!!I loved that show! Then when you said the parents must have been real gems, it made me think of Jem and the Hollograms, which was aired right after Thundercats on Saturday mornings!!(Jem,Jem is truly outrageous, truly, truly outrageous...)ur post made me laugh. Good one, Paul!

Sep 10, 2010, 8:52pm Permalink
Gary Spencer

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Sep 10, 2010, 9:17pm Permalink

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