A Walnut Street resident who got into a tussle with Batavia patrol officers on Oct. 20, 2020, leading to one of the officers sustaining an injury, told Judge Melissa Cianfrini in County Court today that he didn't do anything wrong.
He then entered a guilty plea to assault in the second degree as part of a plea agreement that caps his potential prison term at three years.
Qumane J. Santiago, 23, entered a plea on an Alford basis. The plea means that Santiago is accepting a plea deal because he believes a jury would convict him of the multiple charges against him, exposing him to a potentially longer prison term, even though he disputes the facts of the case as presented by the prosecution.
When asked by Cianfrini if that was the reason he was pleading guilty -- a legal requirement to clarify that the defendant understands the plea -- Santiago said he was only pleading guilty because he wanted to get the case over with.
"I'm not going to admit to something I didn't do," Santiago said. "I just want to go along with what you all want me to do."
Cianfrini explained to Santiago that there is nothing she was asking him to do and that whether to plead guilty or not was entirely his choice.
"I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do," Cianfrini said. "It's your decision. You have a right to a trial."
For sentencing purposes, Santiago also admitted to having a prior felony conviction.
The plea satisfies a four-count indictment delivered by a grand jury on May 21. Besides the assault, Santiago was indicted on an additional count of assault 2nd, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, and criminal mischief. An additional harassment charge, related to an incident at the jail, from a separate case pending in City Court was also dropped.
As part of the Alford plea, Assistant District Attorney Joseph Robinson was required to provide the facts of the case that would be used to convict the defendant if the case went to trial.
Robinson said on Oct. 23, 2020, Officer Peter Post and Sgt. Dan Coffey responded to a residence on Walnut Street for a report of an assault inside the residence. When the officers attempted to detain Santiago, he barricaded himself inside the residence. The officers observed him damaging inside the residence so they used force to enter the residence. Santiago tried locking himself in a bedroom and the officers broke down the door. When they attempted to take Santiago into custody, there was a struggle on the bed and Post suffered a cut on his leg from a sharp object on the bed that required medical attention.
Robison said there was body-worn camera footage as well as photographs to substantiate the charges.
Robinson has other prior arrests in Genesee County, including criminal trespass, menacing, and conspiracy and robbery.
Santiago remains free on bond and is scheduled for sentencing at 11 a.m., April 27.
