Sheriff's Deputies and Oakfield-Alabama teachers faced off in a charity fundraiser game in the high school gym on Thursday night.
The event was held to help raise money to support the family of Andy Merkel, who died unexpectedly on March 21 at age 38.
Photos by Philip Casper.
The Basom resident passed away unexpectedly on March 21 at age 38. He had three children. He was a baseball coach, dog trainer, volunteer firefighter and emergency dispatcher.
The Oakfield-Alabama Little League is holding a prize raffle with a grand prize of a lifetime NYS Hunting and Fishing license or $500 cash. Other prizes include an autographed Thurman Thomas Football, free pizza, cornhole boards and membership in the Oakfield Rod and Gun Club. Tickets are $20 with the drawing to be held May 27 at the Alabama Hotel. To contact the league, click here. There are tickets available at Elba Central School, the Alabama Hotel, from board members, and the board meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at The Goose.
A charity basketball game, with all proceeds benefiting the Merkel family, is set for April 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oakfield-Alabama High School. The game will be played between the O-A faculty and deputy sheriffs. Tickets are $2 for students and $3 for adults.
A GoFundMe campaign has reached its target goal of $30,000 and is still accepting donations.
To read Andrew Merkel's obituary, click here.
Merkel was laid to rest on Monday.
The top photo below is from the Sheriff's Office. The other photos are reader-submitted.
As the community was still mourning the loss of Genesee County Sheriff's dispatcher Andrew Merkel, Legislature Chairwoman Rochelle Stein read some words in his memory during the Legislature meeting Wednesday evening.
Emergency Services Dispatcher Andrew K. Merkel unexpectedly passed away at the age of 38 on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
He served the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office since October 1, 2011. In addition to his regular duties as an Emergency Services Dispatcher, he was a Communications Training Officer and a board member of the Genesee County Sheriffs Employee Association.
Andy, as he was more popularly known, was also a former employee of Mercy EMS from 2009 to 2015 as an EMT, an Oakfield baseball coach and mentor and a longstanding member of the Alabama Fire Department.
Outside of serving his community, he spent his time operating Wings Cupped Retriever Services, his dog training company, which specialized in obedience, retriever and gun dog training. He also enjoyed duck hunting and the outdoors.
"On top of all that, he was a family man and a great friend," Stein said. "He loved spending time with his wife and three young children, and talking about their escapades. He contributed valuable guidance and tremendous support over many years to anyone who crossed his path."
A GoFundMe has been organized by members of the Genesee County Sheriffs Association. All money raised will be given directly to Andrew Merkel's family, Stein said.
For more information, go to https://gofund.me/8e7f0f3a for the Merkel Family Donation Fund. Or feel free to donate by mail to GCSEA, PO Box 46, Batavia, NY, 14021.
Video: Andy Merkel featured in a video about the Retriever Hunting Challenge.
Top photo: By Howard Owens. Andy Merkel at Little League opening day in Oakfield in 2017. Inset photo, submitted.
About 400 National Grid customers in Genesee County are without power due to weather-related outages.
The largest outage is in Darien with 310 customers without power.
There is an outage along Beckwith Road in Batavia, one in Basom and one in East Oakfield, along with outages that affect five or fewer customers in East Bethany, and Batavia.
East Pembroke was dispatched to Beckwith Road on wires. National Grid is on scene.
Earlier, Alexander Fire was dispatched to Halstead Road for a wire down and a field on fire.
Jamie S. Schlonski, 50, of Old Meadow Lane, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th, criminal possession of stolen property 4th, and three counts of falsifying business records 1st. Schlonski is accused of stealing more than $1,000 in merchandise from Dick's Sporting Goods and pawning it at Pawn Kings, which required completing paperwork for the transaction. Schlonski was issued an appearance ticket.
Lisa Marlene Durham, no age provided, no residence provided, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Durham was allegedly found in possession of fentanyl at 12:27 a.m. on June 9 at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. She was arrested on Nov. 20 and issued an appearance ticket.
Kervin John Jonathan, 28, of Council House Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Jonathan is accused of violating an order of protection by being at the home of a protected party at 2:14 p.m. Nov. 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Andrew J. Duckworth, 43, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance (degree not listed in press release) and criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd. Duckworth was arrested at 10:22 p.m. Nov. 9, by Deputy Mason Schultz at a location on Liberty Street, Batavia. Details of the arrest were not released. he was released on an appearance ticket.
Robert P. Grimm, Jr., 56, of Batavia, is charged with aggravated DWI and other vehicle and traffic infractions. Grimm was stopped on Nov. 24 in the Town of Batavia by State Police. He allegedly failed a field sobriety test and State Police report his BAC was .18. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Michelle S. Froebel, 44, of Alexander, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Froebel was arrested by State Police following a traffic stop by Warsaw Police on Genesee Street in the Village of Warsaw. She was allegedly found in possession of cocaine. She was processed at SP Warsaw and released on an appearance ticket.
Not too many criminal defendants have good things to say about the prosecutors who came down on them hard and recommended they be locked away for as long as possible.
Isaac D. Abrams has only good things to say about Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini.
"She isn't God but she's right up next to him," Abrams said Thursday from inside a smokeshop he's opening on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. "She's up there. She's a force to be reckoned with. Don't (expletive) with her."
Cianfrini was the first assistant district attorney in early 2018 when Abrams was sent to prison as a 17-year-old for one-and-a-third to four years for making terroristic threats. That conviction has now been expunged, but Abrams had a track record at the time, as Cianfrini noted back then, that indicated he was a young man out of control.
In arguing against any kind of leniency for Abrams, Cianfrini told then County Court Judge Charles Zambito that Abrams had engaged in increasingly violent acts, shown a disregard for authority and human life, and violated his release under supervision contract numerous times.
"He's a high risk to the community," said Cianfrini, who is now the County Court judge. "Look at his statements. He seriously minimizes his conduct. He said that he gave people something to talk about at dinner. This is not somebody expressing remorse."
Abrams said he has no bitterness toward Cianfrini. She was doing her job, and in doing her job, she put him in a position that forced him to look at the world differently.
"What she put me through," he said, "I honestly feel that if I hadn't gone through that, I would still be a bad little shit just like everybody else. I had an eye-opener. She gave me an eye-opener."
And life in prison isn't something he wants to repeat.
"I went through horrible experiences," Abrams said. "I have scars on my eyebrows now that are permanent. I have stab wounds on my back and on my shoulders. I went from prison to prison. It was a horrible, horrible experience."
Not that getting his life straightened out has been easy for Abrams. He's had setbacks. He's made mistakes. He's had people set up roadblocks. But he says he's determined to be a successful businessman, to become wealthy, and at age 22, to be an example for younger kids on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation that success is possible and you can overcome life's errors.
He was in court on Wednesday, standing before Cianfrini on an attempted burglary conviction, prepared for the worst because of one of the mistakes he's made while on his path toward redemption (he carried to court a plastic grocery bag filled with toiletries and personal items in case he was sent back to prison).
The possibility of going back to prison
In August, Abrams admitted to attempted burglary in the second degree. The incident involved Abrams entering the residence of a man identified as his mother's boyfriend on Dec. 29 after the boyfriend reportedly abused her.
First Assistant District Attorney Joseph Robinson, on Wednesday, was just as certain as Cianfrini was in 2018, that Abrams deserved no leniency in sentencing.
The 2018 felony conviction was off limits for Robinson to cite since the record is sealed, but Robinson had plenty of material to draw from to try and make the case that Abrams deserved prison time. He said Abrams has a history of misconduct going back to high school, that he had violated terms of a conditional discharge on another conviction, and that he had faced a criminal contempt charge in Erie County.
"Mr. Abrams is not a good fit for a community-based, probationary sentence," Robinson told Cianfrini. "He enters the house of another person and then strikes the victim and claims it was in defense of his mother because of prior abuse. He took the action of judge, jury and executioner. That is not the way society works."
Robinson recommended four years in prison (the statutory range on the conviction is 2-7 years) and three years post-release supervision (parole).
Defense Attorney Fred Rarick offered a very different take on his client's prospects for complying with the terms of a probationary sentence. He noted that Abrams has been in full compliance with the terms of his release-under-supervision contract while awaiting sentencing, that his client had been diagnosed with mental health issues that had never been treated, and that his client understands that he mishandled the situation in December that led to his arrest.
Rarick said his client's relationship with his father is non-existent, and when mental health treatment was recommended for Abrams as a teenager, his mother decided the trip to counseling was too far to drive, so Abrams never got the help he needed.
He said Abrams had previously witnessed his mother being abused and on the night of this incident, his mother, instead of calling the police, called her son to say she had been abused. Rarick suggested that she knew her son, who has anger management issues, would take matters into his own hands.
She should have called the police, Rarick said.
But once she called Abrams, the young man should have called police, he said.
Sending Abrams to prison, Rarick said, would disrupt the positive path the young man has been on -- a year ago, he opened a small smoke shop on the reservation and was getting ready to open a second.
He said he wanted to lead the younger generation on the reservation out of trouble.
"I'm a changed man from when you first met me," he said.
He said he felt like he had let her down and that he understood if she was disappointed in him.
"I promise I will never be in a situation like this again," Abrams said. "If something like this happens again, I'm calling 9-1-1. I promise."
Call 9-1-1
That promise was put to the test on Thursday night.
On Thursday afternoon, a new pre-built building was delivered to 368 Martin Road in Basom, the site of Abram's new smokeshop and dispensary.
Shortly after he opened the doors for the first time, he met with The Batavian and discussed his future plans.
That night, at about 10:45 p.m., the Alabama Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to 368 Martin Road. The Batavian sent a text message to Abrams, who responded that he had already been told of the fire by a family member, was on his way to the shop, and that he had called the police to report the crime.
As he promised Cianfrini, rather than get mad, he called 9-1-1.
The fire burned itself out before fire crews arrived on scene. The fire was intentionally set, a fire investigator said, at the base of the building by the front door. It caused some minor heat damage to the metal plates at the base of the door. A Sheriff's deputy opened a criminal investigation.
Earlier in the day, Abrams said that many people on the reservation encourage him and are happy to see him turning his life around. Others, he said, want to pull him back down.
When asked why he thought anybody would try to torch his new building, he said, "jealousy."
"This would be the bad crowd," he said, "like the alcoholics, the drunks, the ones who like to stay out all night."
Rather than prison, an opportunity
Earlier in the day, Abrams was full of enthusiasm for his new business.
With only a few cartons of cigarettes and some jars of marijuana in the new building, Abrams said it was just a start. He is funding the venture with profits from the Weeping Willow, his first smokeshop on Purdy Road.
On his small plot of land, Abrams cleared trees and put down gravel. As a reporter looked on, the excited young man paced off his expansion plans -- where the handicap-accessible ramp will go, leading to double doors and windows, and shelves filled with product. Abrams sees it all in his mind.
"My dreams are progressing every day as every day I’m one step farther into becoming a new man, a man in new business and a man of new character," Abrams said. "My dreams and goals for the shop are just to succeed in an all-around aspect so I can help my customers, friends, and family succeed around me, too. I really would like for the business to succeed. It took a lot of community members to get this far, and a lot of trust, so there’s no going back now all I can say now is 'Hi. My name is Isaac Abrams. How may I help you and be at your service.'"
The fire, he said later, was a momentary setback, but just financially, not "mentally or spiritually, and tomorrow is a new day with lots of potential."
Abrams is getting the chance to pursue his dreams because the person who took a dim view of the young man's future in 2018 is now persuaded that he deserves a shot at building something better for himself.
On Wednesday, after Robinson, Rarick, and Abrams all spoke, Judge Cianfrini said she needed a few minutes to research something and adjourned the court.
When she returned from chambers, she asked Abrams whether, if given the opportunity to go through Mental Health Court -- which would mean no prison time if he successfully completes the program -- would he commit himself to follow through and do what he needed to do.
A beaming Abrams said he would. He turned around so he was speaking to the whole court and said, "if anybody was here and saw me here before, I'm a changed man. I promise you I'm not the same person you saw here before."
Cianfrini explained that Abrams will be screened for Mental Health Court to ensure he's a good candidate for the program, and once the screening is done, she can place him in the program.
Embracing what Abrams said about being an example to younger people on the reservation, she told him he had a chance to show a younger generation that the justice system is a place to "get help and rehabilitation and that it's not just for punishment."
Robinson told Cianfrini that he wanted to place on the record his objection to giving Abrams an opportunity to go to Mental Health Court.
Inside his new shop on Thursday, Abrams was nothing but grateful to Cianfrini.
"She honestly changed my life around. I thank her for helping me. She did a lot. Honestly, I wouldn't be here in these shoes. I wouldn't be free today," he said. "I wouldn't be thinking clearly. I would have done none of that. I would have nothing. I'd probably still be that broken little shit."
Photos by Howard Owens. Top photo, Isaac Abrams outside his new smokeshop. Inset photo, file photo of Melissa Cianfrini in 2018 at a press conference on an unrelated case.
Justice Coniglio expressed a little surprise after Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini sentenced him to seven years in prison on an assault conviction.
His understanding from his previous court appearance was that if he followed the judge's orders between the time of his guilty plea and his sentencing, he would get a reduced sentence.
That didn't happen and he wanted to know why.
Cianfrini indicated that wasn't how she remembered the previous appearance but called a recess so the transcript of the prior hearing could be reviewed.
It appears Coniglio misunderstood the judge's instructions.
Coniglio's plea deal was for his sentences on assault and grand theft to run concurrently if he made his court appearances and stayed out of trouble. If he didn't, then the sentences could run consecutively.
In June, Coniglio entered a guilty plea to assault stemming from a July 23 incident on Bloomingdale Road in Basom where law enforcement came to his residence to arrest his brother Jarrett Coniglio for allegedly hitting a neighbor over the head with a bottle. A scuffle ensued and a police officer was bitten by a K-9.
Defense Attorney Jeremy Schwartz said his client has a drinking problem and that he had been drinking that day. The police officer who was there to arrest Jarrett, he said, wasn't dressed in a police officer's uniform. In Coniglio's drunken state, he said, he didn't understand the man was there lawfully to arrest his brother.
"I don't think he intended at all to stop an arrest," Schwartz said. "In his intoxicated state, he probably thought he was doing the right thing."
He said his client now recognizes that he was wrong.
That explanation didn't persuade Cianfrini to give Coniglio a lighter sentence. She told him he was going to prison for seven years on the assault charge.
On the grand theft charge, regarding a vehicle that was reported stolen after it was involved in a fatal collision on Dec. 1 in Erie County, Cianfrini sentenced Coniglio to three to seven years in prison, to run concurrently with the assault term.
In the fatal accident in Erie County, Coniglio has admitted to vehicular manslaughter and will be sentenced in Erie County on Sept. 9. That is a possible prison term of six to 12 years. Coniglio is accused of having a BAC of .18 percent or greater at the time of the accident.
A 29-yar-old Basom man has been indicted by a Genesee County Grand Jury of attempted murder in the second degree, a Class B violent felony.
Jarrett C. Coniglio, a Bloomingdale Road resident, is accused of attempting to stab another Basom resident to death.
He is also indicted on counts of assault in the first degree, a Class B violent felony, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, intimidating a victim or witness in the third degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, and menacing in the third degree.
The victim was a witness in another criminal matter, according to the indictment, and Coniglio was attempting to prevent that person from communicating a witness statement to authorities.
The incident took place on April 11 at a residence on Sandhill Road in the Town of Alabama.
On June 1, Coniglio was sentenced to five years in prison on an assault in the second-degree conviction.
That charge stemmed from a July 23, 2021 incident on Bloomingdale Road in which Coniglio snuck up behind a neighbor and hit him over the head with a bottle.
Coniglio's brother, Justice C. Coniglio, was also charged with assault in the second degree. Both were also accused of fighting with deputies when officers attempted to arrest them. A K-9 handler was injured during the scuffle.
On June 7, Justice Coniglio entered a guilty plea to the assault charge.
Previously:
Ronald M. Washburn, 62, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with sexual abuse 1st/child less than 11 years old. Washburn is accused of touching a child's sexual or intimate parts to gratify his sexual desire. According to police, Washburn was the child's babysitter at the time of the incident, which was reported on April 17, 2018. Washburn was a registered Level 1 sex offender, according to police, at the time of the alleged offense but his registration has since expired. The investigation has been ongoing since 2018 by Det. Thad Mart, Child Protective Services, and Justice for Children. Washburn was jailed on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.
Kevin Weber and Christine Wyder, no ages nor residences provided by police, are charged with public lewdness. Weber and Wyder are accused of engaging in sexual intercourse in the front yard of a residence on Walnut Street at 6:39 p.m. July 23. Both were issued appearance tickets.
Linda L. Snyder, 39, of Batavia, abandonment of an animal and torturing or injuring an animal. Snyder is accused of striking a dog with a broom multiple times and leaving the animal outside at 3:30 a.m. March 11, at a residence on Highland Park. Snyder was issued an appearance ticket.
John J. Saddler, 34, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny, criminal contempt 1st, burglary 2nd, identity theft 3rd, and grand larceny 4th. Saddler is accused of stealing property from a residence on State Street at 2:33 p.m. July 10, and in the process violating an order of protection. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed without bail.
Taiya J. Rolle, 18, of Batavia, is charged with attempted assault 2nd, reckless endangerment 2nd, and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident. Rolle was charged following an incident reported on Liberty Street, Batavia at noon July 4. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Adriana M. Ayala, 18 of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd and criminal mischief. Ayala is accused of hitting another person in the face during a fight at a gas station on East Main Street at 8:58 p.m. on July 22. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Jacob J. Camerera, 31, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 4th, unlawful possession of personal ID 3rd, and petit larceny. Camerera is accused of stealing and attempting to use another person's credit cards on June 4. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Ashley I. Hightower, 29, of Batavia is charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer in motor vehicle 3rd, failure to stop at a stop sign, illegal signal/less than 100 feet, speeding, and failure to obey traffic control device. Hightower is accused of multiple traffic infractions and when police attempted a traffic stop at 9:20 a.m. July 16, Hightower allegedly accelerated and refused to pull over. She is accused of fleeing from police from West Main Street, Batavia, to East Main Street, Batavia, before pulling over at Eastown Plaza. She was taken into custody and issued multiple traffic tickets and an appearance.
Brandon C. Dodd, 35, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, DWAI/drugs and insufficient tail lamps. Dodd was stopped at 10:41 p.m. April 26, by a Batavia patrol officer on East Main Street, Batavia. Dodd was arrested on July 14 and issued an appearance ticket.
Nathan W. Campbell, 41 of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Campbell is accused of stealing beer from a business on Jackson Street at 4:17 p.m. July 24. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Megan A. Gregg, 28, of Batavia, is accused of failure to appear on an appearance ticket issued at 4:27 p.m., May 13 on Ellsworth Avenue. Gregg was arrested on a warrant. Gregg is accused of leaving drugs and paraphernalia in an area accessible to young children. She was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Christian P. Pierre-Louis, 24, of Batavia, is charged with dog running at large. A dog reportedly owned by Pierre-Louis went onto another person's property and became aggressive with another dog. Pierre-Louis was issued an appearance ticket.
Sidney C. Underhill, 72, of Elba, is charged with two counts of criminal contempt 2nd, stalking 3rd, and trespassing. Underhill is accused of violating a stay-away protection order at 9 p.m., July 17, at a location on Vernon Avenue, Batavia, and on June 25 at 11:30 a.m., and of being on a property on Vernon Avenue without permission on Aug. 6 at 11 p.m. Underhill was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.
Mattew R. Taylor, 39, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Taylor is accused of being on a business party on East Main Street, Batavia, he was told not to enter at 8:50 p.m. July 24. Taylor was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $100 bail.
Mattew R. Taylor, 39, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 3rd and petit larceny. Taylor allegedly stole merchandise from a gas station on East Main Street at 2:01 p.m. July 23, and had been previously barred from the property. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Mattew R. Taylor, 39, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. At 2:20 p.m. July 23, Taylor was allegedly found on a property on East Main Street he was not allowed to enter. He was arraigned and released.
Mattew R. Taylor, 39, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. At 6:02 p.m. July 16, Taylor was allegedly found on a property on East Main Street he was not allowed to enter. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Alicia M. Lyons, 42, of Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. Lyons is accused of failing to appear in City Court on a trespassing charge. She was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear at 1:30 p.m. July 28.
Alicia M. Lyons, 42, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Lyons is accused of trespassing at a business on Jackson Street at 11:55 a.m. July 24. She was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear at 1:30 p.m. July 28.
Alicia M. Lyons, 42, of Batavia, is charged with two counts of trespassing. Lyons is accused of trespassing at 3:45 p.m. July 15, at a convenience store on Jackson Street, where she bought a pack of black and mild cigars and left. She is accused of trespassing at a business at 6:38 p.m. July 18 and from being previously barred from shopping at that establishment. She was issued appearance tickets.
Michael R. Ostrander, 57, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Ostrander is accused of violating an order of protection at 1:40 p.m. July 25 by making a phone call to the protected person. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Christine M. Page, 32, of East Rochester, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Page was reportedly babysitting a child less than 17 years old at 2:20 p.m. July 20 at a location on Bank Street, when the child consumed a candy bar containing THC causing an adverse reaction. Page was issued an appearance ticket.
Jacqueline R. Garrett, 43, of Albion is accused of inhalation of toxic vapors or fumes. Garrett is accused of being under the influence of toxic vapors she inhaled during an incident reported at 5:38 p.m. July 21. She is also accused of failure to appear in City Court for an incident in 2020. She was arraigned in City Court and released.
Jason E. Carpenter, 43, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Carpenter is accused of threatening another person at a location on West Main Street, Batavia at 7:57 p.m. July 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Tracy M. Fickes, 41, of Batavia. is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving without an interlock device, and improper left turn. Fickes was charged following a motor vehicle accident at 12:28 a.m. July 10 on Clinton Street. The vehicle struck a utility pole. Fickes was issued traffic tickets.
Latoya D. Jackson, 36, of Batavia, is charged with trespassing. On July 8, Jackson was advised by the management of a property on East Main Street to leave the location, which she did "reluctantly," police said. According to police, she returned a short time later and was arrested. She was issued an appearance ticket.
George J. Budzinack, Jr., 42, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Budzinack is accused of throwing a punch through a door and hitting a female victim in the face at 2:26 a.m. July 11 at a residence on Walnut Street, Batavia. Budzinack was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Roger M. Hofmeier, 21, of Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment. Hofmeier is accused of having a disagreement with another person at 5:46 p.m. July 5 at a location on Ellicott Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Daniel H. Mooney, 35, of Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd. Mooney is accused of entering a property on Cone Street at 4:19 p.m. July 19 without permission and remaining unlawfully. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Paul Duke Ehrmentraut, 53, of East Bethany Le Roy Road, Pavilion, is charged with grand larceny 3rd and offering a false instrument for filing. Ehrmentraut was arrested by Investigator Chad Cummings based on an investigation by Genesee County Social Services Investigator Robert Riggi. Ehrmentraut is accused of failing to report an adult offspring residing at his residence who was earning wages, which resulted in $7,290 in SNAP benefits Ehrmentraut was not qualified to receive. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on his own recognizance.
Katlyn Ann Cook, 27, of Williams Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 3rd. Cook was arrested based on an investigation by Genesee County Social Services Investigator Robert Riggi. She is accused of failing to report income, which resulted in her receiving $6,427 in SNAP benefits she was not qualified to receive. She was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on her own recognizance.
Shannon Lisa Lopez, 45, of Columbia Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Lopez is accused of failing to pay for merchandise from Walmart. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Dustin Allan Loveland, 35, of April Way, Geneseo, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. He is accused of violating an order of protection at 7:30 p.m. July 29, by failing to stay away from the place of employment of the protected party. Loveland was arraigned in Town of Darien Court and released on his own recognizance.
Latoya Y. Stanley, 34, of Independence Street, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 4th, aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd, obstructed view, and using cannabis in a vehicle on a public highway. Stanley was stopped by Deputy Nicholas Charmon at 5 p.m. July 30 on Clinton Street Road, Batavia. Stanley was allegedly found in possession of metal knuckles. Stanley was released on an appearance ticket.
(name redacted upon request), 39, of East State Street, Albion, is charged with DWI, failure to stop at red light, driving left of pavement markings, open alcohol container, and aggravated unlicensed operation 1st. xxxx was stopped at 3:58 a.m. July 31 on Route 237 in Stafford by Sgt. Mathew Clor. She was issued traffic tickets.
Anthony S. Bosse, 30, of Indian Falls Road, Corfu, is charged with DWI and following too closely. Bosse was stopped at 9:15 p.m. July 27 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Kyle Tower. Bosse was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on appearance tickets.
Sonya Marie Charache, 41, of Basom, is charged with petit larceny. Charache allegedly skipped-scanned multiple items at Walmart valued at $34.08. Charache was processed at the Genesee County Jail by Deputy Carlos Ortiz Speed and released.
Beth E. Jerome, 41, of Albion, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Jerome was stopped by State Police at 2:26 a.m. July 30 in the Town of Elba. She was released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.
Kelly L. Fossum, 60, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Fossum is accused of shoplifting several packages of meat from a grocery store on Ellicott Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.
Jonathan Will Dodson, 36, of Chugg Road, Holley, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and speeding. Dodson was stopped at 10:11 p.m., July 8, on South Main Street, Elba, by Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on appearance tickets.
Arthur L. Golden, 64, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Golden was allegedly found in possession of a crack pipe during an incident on East Main Street, Batavia at 6:28 p.m., June 3. Police say an analysis of the pipe confirmed the presence of cocaine residue. Golden was issued an appearance ticket.
Sharon A. Williams, 54, of Batavia. is charged with harassment 2nd. Williams is accused of harassing somebody during an altercation reported at 8:13 p.m., June 28, at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.
James D. Hooten, 33, of Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant. Hooten is accused of conspiracy 6th and petit larceny. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.
Ryan M. Douglas, 22, of Oakfield, is charged with DWI. Douglas was stopped by State Police in the Town of Elba at 12:39 a.m., July 10. He was released on an appearance ticket.
Galen B. Sundown, 29, of Basom, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and aggravated unlicensed operation. Sundown was stopped by State Police in the Town of Alabama at 1:42 p.m., July 10. He was released to a third party.
James C. Malone, 25, of Oakfield, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing, criminal mischief 4th, criminal contempt 1st, and endangering the welfare of a child. Malone was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 1:53 p.m., July 8, in the Village of Oakfield. He was released on his own recognizance. No further details released.
Ronald M. Clark, 55, of Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny and grand larceny 4th. Clark is accused of a theft in the Town of Le Roy at 2:09 p.m., July 4. The grand larceny charge stems from an accusation that one of the items stolen was a credit card. He was arrested by State Police and released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.
A Basom resident admitted in County Court on Monday that he stole a vehicle and assaulted a police officer in exchange for a potential prison term of no more than seven years.
Justice C. Coniglio, 31, of Basom, entered guilty pleas to grand larceny 3rd for stealing a 2013 Chrysler 2000 and assault 2nd in connection with an incident at his home on Bloomingdale Road, Basom.
His plea deal caps his sentence at 1 1/3 to three years on the grand larceny conviction and 3 1/2 to seven years on the assault conviction, with the sentences to run concurrently.
The plea satisfied pending charges of resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration.
Coniglio was arrested on April 25 on the grand larceny charge and on July 23 on the assault charge.
The assault charge seemed to stem from an incident that also involved Jarrett C. Coniglio. Jarrett hit a neighbor, while on the neighbor's property, over the head with a beer bottle and then was involved in the fight with deputies that led to one of the deputies being bit by K-9 "Frankie." The deputy suffered a puncture wound.
Last week, Jarrett was sentenced to five years in prison.
Justice Coniglio will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 30. In the meantime, Judge Melissa Cianfrini ordered that he remain held in the Genesee County Jail on $20,000 bail, $40,000 bond, or $60,000 partially secured bond.
A two-car motor vehicle accident is reported in the area of 986 Bloomingdale Road, Basom.
There are fluids leaking and one person has a possible leg injury.
Alabama Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 3:28 p.m.: Pembroke and Indian Falls dispatched mutual aid.
UPDATE 3:30 p.m.: Minor injuries. Responding units can continue non-emergency.
Jarrett C. Coniglio says he's a family man.
In court on Tuesday, he had his doubters.
Assistant District Attorney Joseph Robinson noted that Coniglio assaulted a neighbor without provocation in a surprise attack, and used his brother's name to try and avoid a DWI rap.
"That doesn't sound very family-centered to me," Robinson said.
County Court Judge Melissa Cianfrini cited the same issues in her remarks before sentencing Coniglio to five years in prison on his assault conviction and 1 1/3 to four on his DWI conviction.
"I don't question that you love your family, but I question how you show it," Cianfrini said.
Coniglio entered his guilty plea at a previous court appearance in satisfaction of two Grand Jury indictments. In the first one, he was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, felony DWI, three counts of forgery in the second degree, and criminal impersonation in the second degree.
In entering his guilty plea, he admitted to driving on May 7, 2021 without a license and while drunk on Judge Road in Alabama. At the time he was arrested, he used the name "Grayson B. Ground," who is apparently his brother, according to statements by Robinson and Cianfrini. Ground's name was on official government documents in Coniglio's attempt to conceal his real identity.
In the second indictment, he was charged with assault in the second degree, resisting arrest, and obstructing governmental administration.
Robinson said that, on July 23, Coniglio attacked his neighbor, who was working on his own gravel driveway, in a surprise attack from behind, striking him with a glass bottle. When deputies arrived, Coniglio fought with them in a small, enclosed area of his house, which led to the Sheriff's K-9 on scene and accidentally biting a deputy, causing a puncture wound.
When Coniglio admitted to the assault, DWI, and forgery, he promised to stay out of trouble until his sentencing in exchange for a 2 1/2 year sentence cap.
In the middle of April, Coniglio was charged with attempted murder, along with:
He is accused of attacking a male victim with a knife causing serious physical injury.
Rather than being a family man, Robinson said Coniglio has multiple children with a mother he doesn't contact, and by court order can't contact. He said Coniglio has "shown himself to be somebody who looks out for himself. He does what he's going to do without any regard for anybody else."
Robinson called Coniglio a danger to society. He asked for a seven-year term on the assault conviction.
When it came his turn to speak before he was sentenced, Coniglio said, "My family means so much to me."
He expressed concern about his mother's health and said he wanted to be there for her to help her. He also said that he wanted to take care of his children.
"I just want a chance to be a better person for my family," he said.
The start of the hearing was delayed because Coniglio's retained attorney, Frank Bogulski of Buffalo, wasn't in court as Cianfrini expected. In his place, Bogulski's assistant, James Mciver, who has represented Coniglio at all prior appearances and wrote the defense's sentencing memorandum.
Yet, Bogulski asked for a continuance of Tuesday's sentencing.
Cianfrini said Bogulski had plenty of opportunity to ensure he could be at the hearing. She asked Mciver where he was and Mciver said Bogulski was representing another client at a proceeding in a court in Buffalo. Cianfrini wanted to know the number of the courtroom Bogulski was in, and the name of the judge he was appearing before. She ordered a 15-minute recess and instructed Mciver to have that information before the hearing resumed.
When court was back in session, Mciver indicated he had spoken to Bogulski and that the attorney still requested a continuance, but Mciver did not know what court his boss was in or the name of the judge for that appearance.
Cianfrini reminded Mciver that she gave him clear instructions to obtain that information. She said the sentencing would proceed since Mciver was already clearly familiar with the case.
Mciver protested that Bogulski was the more experienced attorney and should really represent Coniglio at the proceeding.
Cianfrini expressed confidence in Mciver's abilities based on his prior appearances and his sentencing memorandum, and commenced the hearing on the sentencing.
A two-car motor vehicle accident is reported in the area of 1031 Ledge Road, Basom.
One person has a hand laceration.
Alabama Fire and Indian Falls Fire dispatched along with Mercy EMS.
Marco Antonio Hernandez, 22, if South Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal sexual act 1st and rape 1st. Hernandez was arrested and charged in relation to an incident reported at 11 PM on July 30 on South Street in LeRoy. No further details released. He was ordered held on $5,000 bail.
Peter Joseph Gravante, 33, of Swamp Road, Byron, is charged with bail jumping 3rd, Gravante is accused of missing a court date in Town of Byron Court. Gravante was given an appearance ticket and released.
Cameron Jacob Sokolowski, 29, of River Street, Batavia, is charged with bail jumping 3rd. Following his arrest, Sokolowski was issued an appearance ticket and released.
Justin Micheal Conner, 29, of Franklin Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, speeding, and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Conner was stopped at 12:56 a.m. on April 9 on Clinton Street Road, Batavia by Deputy Ewert Morgan. Conner was issued appearance tickets and released.
Brenda Marie King, 57, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. King is accused of stealing merchandise from Walmart at 2:39 p.m. on April 16. King was released on an appearance ticket.
Jamal Cineque Robinson, 19, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with assault 3rd and obstruction of governmental administration. Robinson was allegedly involved in a dispute at 7:45 AM on April 14 at a residence on Gilbert Street. As a result of an altercation of a victim reportedly sustained a head injury. Robinson was a range in Town of Le Roy Court, an order of protection was issued, and he was released on an appearance ticket.
Andrew Scott Lehman, 31, no address provided, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to yield right of way on the left turn. Lehman was stopped at 6:50 PM on April 5 on East Main Road in Le Roy by Le Roy patrol officer John Ceneviva. He was released on traffic tickets.
Thomas P. Scanlan, 28, of Le Roy, is charged with driving while ability impaired/under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, and driving in violation of a conditional license. Scanlan was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on North Spruce Street at 7:40 p.m., Jan. 30, and arrested on April 9. He was issued traffic tickets and released.
Jeffrey E. Schnettler, 50, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to use designated lane, and failure to keep right. He was stopped at 1:48 a.m. on April 9 on Pearl Street by a Batavia patrol officer. He was issued and released.
Crystal A. Mounts, 44, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny, conspiracy 6th, and failure to appear. Mounts was arrested on a total of six warrants out of City Court including ballistic chargers. Mounts was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.
Samuel R. Baudanza, 25, of Wyoming, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Baudanza was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident report at 12:18 a.m. on April 16 in the Town of Le Roy. He was released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.
Rodney W, Willis, 41, of Basom, is charged with assault 1st. Willis was arrested by State Police on April 14 in connection with an incident reported at 3:28 a.m. on February 20. He was ordered held in jail. No further details released.
Iverson M. Davis, 20, of Rochester, is charged with grand larceny 3rd and eight counts of possession of a forged instrument 2nd. Davis was arrested on April 12 in connection with an incident reported on March 30 at 10 a.m. in the Town of Batavia. He was released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.
A 29-year-old man in Basom has been charged with attempted murder.
Jarrett C. Coniglio, of Bloomingdale Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with three other felonies and two misdemeanors.
He was arrested after deputies responded to a residence on Sandhill Road on the reservation for a reported assault.
He is accused of attacking a male victim with a knife causing serious physical injury.
Coniglio was arraigned in Town of Alabama Court and ordered held without bail.
In addition to attempted murder 2nd, a Class B felony, Coniglio is charged with:
The incident was investigated by Erik Andre, assisted by Sgt. James Diehl, Investigator Kevin Forsyth, Investigator Ryan DeLong, Investigator Howard Carlson, Investigator Chad Minuto, Investigator Joseph Loftus, Sgt. Mathew Clor, Deputy James Stack, Deputy Aryton Blankenburg, Deputy Ryan Mullen, and Deputy NicholasChamoun.
Kristopher Robert Almeter, 34, of Union Hill Drive, Spencerport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, moving from lane unsafely, and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Almeter was arrested following an investigation into a motor vehicle accident reported at 9:01 p.m., April 11, in the area of 7405 Reuben Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation. The accident was investigated by Deputy Zachary Hoy. Almeter was released on appearance tickets.
Jordan Alexander Brown, 20, no address provided, is charged with criminal mischief. Brown is accused of damaging the property of another person. The damage was reported at 4:59 p.m., April 13, at a location on Lewiston Road, Alabama. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Beth Ann Jeffres, 40, of Pavilion Warsaw Road, Covington, is charged with filing false instrument 2nd. Jeffres is accused of providing a false supporting deposition on March 21 at a location on School Street, Batavia. She allegedly provided another supporting deposition on April 7 recanting her original statement. She was released on an appearance ticket.
James Joshua Preedom, 37, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Preedom is accused of harassing a person at 6 a.m., April 8, at a location on West Main Street, Batavia. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on his own recognizance.
A rollover accident with injuries is reported just south of 888 Bloomingdale Road in Basom.
Alabama Fire and Mercy EMS responding.
UPDATE 9:10 p.m.: The driver self-extricated and is walking around.
UPDATE 9:16 p.m.: One of Alabama's responding engine's can stand down.
UPDATE 10:06 p.m.: Alabama Fire back in service.
The folks at Alleghany Farm Services in Basom made a snowman out of agricultural drainage pipe.
Photo submitted by Michelle Battaglia
A pickup truck into a tree accident is reported in the area of 1031 Ledge Road, near the Totem Pole, Basom.
Unknown injuries.
Alabama Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 7:03 p.m.: The vehicle is off the road approximately 30 yards according to a first responder.
UPDATE 7:06 p.m.: There is one patient. The patient is conscious. The scene commander requests Mercy Flight on ground standby.
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