A Batavia man who entered a guilty plea to multiple charges in November in order to be -- his attorney suggested at the time -- present for the birth of his first child, has finally been arrested after missing for seven months.
Wright was a co-defendant in trial over a gun-sale deal gone bad outside the Days Inn in Batavia on July 22, 2020.
Wright entered a guilty plea on Nov. 17 to attempted criminal possession of a weapon 2nd in the Days Inn case. He also entered a guilty plea to assault in the third degree, a misdemeanor, attempted assault 1st, a Class C Violent Felony, and criminal sexual act, also a felony. The charges stem from some of the many arrests of Wright over the previous year.
According to Batavia PD, Wright was taken into custody without incident in Lockport earlier today.
He had four active warrants, according to police:
- Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd
- Assault in the 3rd degree
- Attempted Assault in the 1st degree
- Criminal Sexual Act in the 1st degree
- Harassment 2nd
- Criminal Tampering 3rd
- Resisting Arrest
- Obstruction of Governmental Administration 2nd (two)
- Failure to appear on an appearance ticket
- Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle 3rd (two)
Wright was transported to Genesee County Court where he was arraigned before Judge Melissa Lightcap-Cianfrini and remanded to Genesee County Jail without bail.
There was a $2,500 reward offered for the capture of Wright. Batavia PD did not release details on whether information was offered by somebody to assist in the arrest of Wright that might make such a person eligible for the reward.
Wright is scheduled to re-appear in court on July 11.
The trial in November against Wright's co-defendant, Jacob Sponaugle, continued, and later the same day, Sponaugle was found guilty by the jury of:
- Attempted Murder 2nd, a Class B violent felony
- Assault in the first degree, a Class B violent felony
- Criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a Class C violent felony
- Aggravated criminal possession of a weapon, a Class C violent felony
- Criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a Class D felony
- Criminal using a firearm in the first degree, a Class B violent felony
- Criminal using a firearm in the fist degree, a Class B violent felony
Sponaugle was sentenced in December to 15 years in prison.
