crime

Daniel J Bakowski, 42, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant. Bakowski was arrested on June 12 on a bench warrant from  City Court. The warrant was issued on Feb. 14, after Bakowski allegedly failed to appear in court. Bakowski was originally arrested on Jan. 18 on charges of assault 3rd, criminal obstruction of breathing, criminal mischief 4th, endangering the welfare of a child and harassment 2nd. Bakowski was also charged with an additional count of bail jumping 3rd. He was arraigned in City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on $2,000 cash bail. The arrest was handled by Officer Peter Post.

(name redacted upon request), 53, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with sexual abuse 1st, sexual abuse 3rd, and forcible touching. The Sheriff's Office released little information about the case, which was reported on June 1 and investigated by Stephen Smith and Deputy Kevin McCarthy. xxx was released on his own recognizance. (NOTE: The charges were dismissed. A grand jury found there was insufficient evidence to sustain the charges and returned a "no bill.")

Tommy L. Crawford, 34, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny.  Crawford was also arrested on a warrant from Pennsylvania as a fugitive from justice. He is accused of stealing from a business on East Main Street. In Pennsylvania, Crawford is accused of making terroristic threats, disorderly conduct, harassment, and solicitation of a ride. Crawford was jailed pending extradition. He was issued an appearance ticket on the local charge.

Christopher M. Waide, 31, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Waide is accused of playing loud, amplified music and banging on his apartment walls with the intent to annoy and alarm a neighbor on June 14. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Lee Allen Baxter, 39, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th. Baxter is accused of stealing an electric bicycle from a residence on West Main Street Road, Town of Batavia, on June 12. Baxter was issued an appearance ticket.

Joshua Allen Grosskopf, 32, of Beaver Street, Albion, is charged with assault 2nd. Grosskopf was arrested in connection with an incident -- no details released -- reported at 12:50 p.m. on June 20 at a location on Bloomingdale Road, Alabama. He was arraigned and ordered held without bail.

Jeffrey A. Hewitt, 44, of North Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation 1st, and failure to yield the right of way at a stop sign.  Hewitt was reportedly involved in an accident at Clinton Street and East Avenue at 9:25 p.m. on June 2. Officer Joseph Weglarski conducted an investigation and arrested Hewitt. Hewitt was held overnight in the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment. At arraignment, he was ordered held until his next court appearance.

Kevin M. McCoy, 56, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 1st, criminal tampering 3rd, and burglary 2nd. Officers Richard Messmer and Adam Rissinger responded to a report of a disturbance on Ross Street at 6:37 p.m. on May 31. The complainant accused McCoy of entering her home while she was away, tearing down her curtains as well as dumping her garbage on the kitchen floor. McCoy allegedly violated a stay-away order. He was located a short time later and taken into custody. McCoy was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court. His release status is unknown.

Zoro Somano Reisman, 19, of Roosevelt Avenue, Batavia, is charged with robbery 3rd, two counts of grand larceny 4th, criminal possession of stolen property, and petit larceny. Reisman is accused of grabbing a wallet from a person's hands and running on June 17 at 10:45 p.m. at a location on Park Road, Batavia.  Reisman was held pending arraignment.

Lyndsay T. Young, 40, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and aggravated family offense. Young is accused of violating an order of protection on June 10. Young was issued an appearance ticket. 

Frank R. Cratsenberg, 62, no known address, is charged with petit larceny. Cratsenberg is accused of stealing beer from the Kwik Fill on Jackson Street, Batavia, on June 7. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kody A. Wenzel, 30, of Brooklyn Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wenzel is accused of stealing medication from a family member on June 8. Wenzel was issued an appearance ticket.

Susan M. Jordan, 60, of Prospect Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Jordan is accused of pushing another person during an argument on June 15 on State Street. Jordan was issued an appearance ticket.

Diana F. Curcio-Abou, 43, of Pittsford, is charged with DWI and speeding. On June 14, at an undisclosed time and location, Curcio-Abou was stopped by officers Sam Freeman and Felicia Martinez. Curcio-Abou is accused of driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Curcio-Abou was issued an appearance ticket.

Sarah A. Malone, 41, of Graham Street, Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant. Malone was arrested on June 14 on a bench warrantd out of City Court. The warrant was issued on May 19 after Malone allegedly failed to appear on charges of theft of services and criminal impersonation 2nd. Malone was arraigned and released. 

Jennifer J. Hogan, 32, of Rochester, was arrested on three bench warrants. Hogan was arrested on June 15 on three bench warrants out of City Court. All three warrants were issued on Aug. 18, 2020, after Hogan allegedly failed to appear in court. The first warrant is the result of an investigation into a robbery on Hutchins Street on Oct. 2, 2019, where Hogan was charged with robbery 2nd. The other two warrants stem from an incident on Oct. 18, 2019, where Hogan was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminal use of drug paraphernalia 2nd, unlawful possession of marijuana and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle, after a traffic stop on North Spruce Street in Batavia. Hogan was arraigned and remanded to the Genesee County Jail. The arrest was handled by Officer Austin Davis and Officer Felicia Martinez.

Latoya D. Jackson, 37, of East Main Street, Batavia, was arrested on three bench warrants.  Jackson was arrested on June 7 on three warrants out of City Court. The first warrant stems from an incident in June of 2022, on State Street, Batavia, where Jackson was charged with harassment 2nd. The second warrant stems from another incident in June of 2022 at an address on East Main Street, Batavia, where Jackson allegedly violated an order of protection and was charged with criminal contempt 2nd. The final warrant is the result of an incident in February of 2023, where Jackson was located, during a traffic stop, having several active warrants. Jackson allegedly fought with officers as they attempted to take her into custody. She was charged with resisting arrest. Jackson was arraigned in  City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail. The arrest was handled by Officer Stephen Quider and Officer Peter Post.

Mark John Kaszubski, 42, of Buffalo, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and moving from lane unsafely. Kaszubski was stopped at 11:23 p.m. on June 9 on Route 20 in Alexander by Deputy Austin Heberein. Patrols were dispatched to Route 20 in Alexander after a caller reported observing a vehicle on Route 20 driving on a flat tire. Kaszubski was released on an appearance ticket.

Katherine Ann Goff, 34, of Byron Road, Byron, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Goff is accused of violating an order of protection at 1:45 a.m. on June 4. Goff was issued an appearance ticket.

Kelly P. Jones, 43, of 80th Street, Niagara Falls, is charged with harassment 2nd. Jones is accused of punching a Live Nation security guard at the Dave Matthews Concert at Darien Lake on June 14. Jones was issued an appearance ticket.

Drew Evan Lord, 27, of County Road 33, Campbell, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, failure to obey a traffic control device, unsafe passing on left, and speeding. Lord was stopped at 7:25 p.m. on June 17 on Pearl Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Mason Schultz.

Matthew Eric Price, of Longs Lane, Corfu, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to dim lights, drinking alcohol or using cannabis in a motor vehicle. Price was stopped at 1:33 a.m. on May 6 on Stroh Road, Alexander, by Deputy Jacob Kipler. Price agreed to be transported to UMMC for a voluntary blood draw.  He was later arrested and issued an appearance ticket.

Gary Leigh Dewind, 53, of West Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with assault 3rd. Dewind was allegedly involved in a disturbance at midnight on June 18 at a location on Indian Falls Road, Pembroke. He was held pending arraignment.

Elizabeth Autumn Ceiotto, 24, of Groveland Street, Buffalo, is charged with petit larceny. Ceiotto is accused of stealing at Darien Lake Theme Park at 9 p.m., June 18. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Devante M. Wells, 27, of Rochester, is charged with grand larceny 3rd and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and Jalen I. Brown, 22, of Rochester, is charged with grand larceny 3rd and criminal possession of stolen property. Wells and Brown were arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 12:37 p.m. on June 24, in the City of Batavia. Wells was ordered held and Brown was released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.

Thomas A. Biaselli, 23, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Biaselli was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 1:53 p.m. on June 22 in the Town of Batavia. Biaselli was released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.

Aidan D. Cooney, 20, of Bataiva, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd. Cooney was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 12:30 p.m. on June 22 in the City of Batavia. Cooney was released on an appearance ticket. No further information was released.

Brittanee J. Hooten, 34, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Hooten was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 2:54 p.m. on June 22 in the Town of Oakfield. She was issued an appearance ticket. No further information was released.

A two-year-old reportedly ingested chocolate containing marijuana on Thursday and was taken unconscious to the UMMC Emergency Room, according to the Sheriff's Office.

James Zackary Gray, 32, of Park Road, Batavia, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly leaving an edible within the reach of a child.

According to the arrest report, the child was found unconscious multiple hours after the edible was ingested.

Gray was released on an appearance ticket by Deputy Morgan Ewert.

The current condition of the child was not included in the arrest report.

Jeremy Ives is going to have 15 years, in the words of Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini, to contemplate the kind of person he is.

Is he the kind, intelligent, and articulate person of his letters to the court and his appearances in County Court, or is he the man a jury of Genesee County residents said committed a horrible act on Aug. 12, 2022? 

Ives was convicted on May 12 at the end of a jury trial of two counts of attempted assault in the first degree and menacing. The jury found that Ives had threatened two people with a shotgun.  

In the incident, one person was reportedly injured as a result of Ives firing one shot in the area of 2 Elm St., Batavia.

Since his arrest, through the trial, and into Friday's court appearance, Ives has maintained his innocence. 

Assistant District Attorney Will Zickl, who prosecuted Ives, said that one reason Ives deserved the maximum possible sentence on his conviction was his failure to express remorse for his actions on Aug. 12, 2022.

"He's demonstrated he's a danger to the community," Zickl said. "He's expressed no remorse. He's taken no responsibility for his frankly brutal actions."

Zickl said Ives has only spoken in general terms about his conduct, saying he's sorry -- primarily expressed to his family -- in a letter to the court for his behavior.

Joseph Lobosco, the defense attorney, said it wasn't exactly fair to expect Ives to say he is sorry while he is planning an appeal on what he believes is a wrongful conviction.

"He shouldn't be put in a position of needing to express remorse for something he believes he didn't do," Lobosco said.

Zickl said the maximum sentence available, 15 years, wasn't enough. Lobosco asked for the minimum term for his client.

Then Lobosco read a letter from Ives to the court dated June 6.  

He expressed his "absolute love" for his family, and said his family extended beyond his blood relations to anybody who had ever helped him in life.

"My family are the people that hold the strongest pieces of my heart that help me focus on my relationship with the gods and the other members of my bloodline and family. My honor is loyalty, and that is my oath, and that is my pride. Concentrating on my family and my faith is what helps me daily in my strive to find inner peace," Ives wrote.

He mentioned his mental health issues, struggles with addiction, and a traumatic brain injury and said he thought he had been doing well with the help of his doctors and medication. 

"The issues that I have written about have affected some of the people in my life in negative ways, in different degrees," he wrote. "I have to write these words to these people instead of speaking the words to them and looking into their eyes because of self-inflected situations, but I want each and every one of you to know and believe in your hearths that I am sorry. I apologize for the wrongs I have done."

"I'm a good man, and I love you all with all of my heart," he added.

He promised to return from prison with a greater determination to be good to his family.

"I pray to Odin and all the gods above us to help make me the best man I can be, the best father I can be, the best son I can be, the best brother I can be, and hopefully, the best husband I can be," he wrote. "Over the years, and in the past, I have fallen short of being those things.

"To all the people involved in my life, I swear on my honor I will not allow my addictions or my afflictions to negatively affect my life or my decisions ever again. I will return to my life after this situation more focused than ever before."

After Lobosco finished reading the letter, Ives spoke up for himself.  He wanted to address something he saw as a bit of misinformation from Zickl. Zickl criticized Ives for claiming to love his children when, during the pre-sentence investigation, he told an interviewer he didn't know where two of his children currently live.

Ives said he has children aged two to age 25.  His two oldest children graduated from college while he has been in custody and he hasn't been able to stay in regular contact with them. That's the only reason, he said, he doesn't know where they are living at the moment. 

During the discussion about long-term orders of protection, Ives asked that he be allowed to contact a woman who has children that he considers to also be his children, though he is not the biological father. Cianfrini said if the woman wants to contact the court to modify the order of protection, she could, but Cianfrini said she was issuing a full stay-away order of protection. 

Ives also asked for no order of protection for a friend who has helped him during the legal process, but Zickl spoke with the victim's advocate, who was in court for sentencing, and that person reportedly asked for a temporary order of protection to become long-term.

Cianfrini did modify one order of protection to allow Ives' parents to contact a person in order for them to retrieve Ives' personal belongings.

The order of protection will be in place for the length of the sentence imposed by Cianfrini plus eight years. The sentence is for 15 years plus five years post-release supervision.

Cianfrini told Ives his was a perplexing case.  He's obviously well-spoken and intelligent, able to advocate for himself, and he has a reputation, which came out at trial, for doing unbidden kind acts for others, such as installing handrails on a stairway that had no handrails.

And though he is mindful that he maintains his innocence and is planning an appeal, he was convicted of a horrific act.  He also has five prior DWI convictions and a weapons conviction in Florida.

Those two versions of Jeremy Ives don't fit together, she said.

"You're going to have to reconcile which Jeremy Ives you are going to be when you get out of prison," Cianfrini said. "It's completely up to you as to who you are going to be. You can be the person who does good deeds or you can be the person who commits these kinds of crimes. Only you can make that decision."

During Monday's baseball game at Dwyer Stadium, two fans had wallets stolen from their cars after the windows of the cars were smashed open.

Credit cards from the stolen wallets were later used at local businesses. This has led Batavia police investigators to identify a person of interest in the case.

The public is being asked to help identify the person.

The crime may be linked to similar thefts under investigation by the Sheriff's Office. 

To assist in identifying the subject in the photos, contact Officer Austin Davis at 585-345-6350, the Batavia Police Department's confidential tip line at (585)345-6370.

The following were arrested at Six Flags Darien Lake during the Luke Bryan Concert on June 16.  The defendants were issued appearance tickets.

Jaxson R.W. Larsen, 21, of Lakeview Road, Lakeview, is charged with two counts of disorderly conduct after allegedly spitting on a Darien Lake security guard and knocking over a fence and threading security in the parking lot.

Cole L. Friend, 18, of Winfield Avenue, Lancaster, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd after allegedly jumping a fence into the venue.

Ryan A. Miller, 22, of Bailey Road, East Aurora, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd after allegedly re-entering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

Derek J. Goodwin, 27, of Sherman Avenue, Hamilton, Ontario, is charged with harassment 2nd after allegedly punching another subject in the face.

Three women from Rochester were arrested following a felony traffic stop June 13 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, and were then accused of possessing more than $6,000 in stolen property.

A felony traffic stop is conducted when police officers consider it a potentially high-risk situation. Officers keep their distance from the vehicle and order the occupants out of the vehicle with their hands in view.

The incident began at 12:26 p.m. when the Erie County Sheriff's Office contacted local law enforcement about a theft of property from an undisclosed location in Erie County. A suspect vehicle was apparently believed to be eastbound.

Later, a patrol spotted the possible suspect vehicle on West Main Street Road, Town of Batavia. 

A felony traffic stop was initiated in Batavia just east of Oak Street.  All three occupants exited the vehicle without incident. 

The suspects were identified as Klara A. Bates, 31, of Agnes Street, Rochester, Jayona D. Henderson, 20, of Hooker Street, Rochester, and Ashanay J. McBean, 27, of Terrace Street, Rochester.

The vehicle they were in was reported stolen on May 28 to the NFTA Transit Police.

All three were charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, a Class D felony.

Bates, Henderson, and McBean were arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court. Bates and Henderson were released and turned over to the Erie County Sheriff's Office to face potential further criminal charges. McBean was held because a town court cannot set bail for a defendant with two prior felonies.

The Sheriff's Office was assisted by Batavia PD, State Police, the NFTA Transit Police, and the Ultra Organized Retail Crime Investigation unit.

The Sheriff's Office reported the following arrest on June 14 at the Dave Mathews Band concert at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center:

Kelly P. Jones, 43, of 80th Street, Niagara Falls, is charged with harassment 2nd. Jones allegedly punched a Live Nation security guard and also attempted to bite a guard.

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department is investigating the use of stolen credit cards and is seeking the public's assistance with identifying the two pictured individuals.  If anyone knows who they are, please contact Det. Matt Wojtaszczyk at 585-345-6357, or you can leave a tip on the confidential tip line.

Johnny Burton Koonce, Jr., 32, of Conlon Road, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful imprisonment 1st and harassment 2nd. Koonce is accused of refusing to let a person out of a moving vehicle and of shoving the person's head into the door of the vehicle during an incident reported at 11:23 p.m. on June 11 on Route 20 in Pavilion. Koonce was held pending arraignment.

Justin T. Calmes, 45, of Watson Street, Batavia, is charged with open burning.  Calmes is accused of violating the Batavia Municipal Code on May 26 by conducting an open burn at a residence on Watson Street. Calmes, according to police, had been previously advised of city code regarding open burns. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Ricky L. Miller, 41, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and harassment. Miller was charged after allegedly stealing $400 from Tops Market on West Main Street on May 24. He allegedly shoved the store manager when confronted in an attempt to flee.  Miller was issued an appearance ticket.

Brinson M. Blocker, 29, of Barry Street, Brockport, is charged with DWI and running a red light. Blocker was stopped at 2:29 a.m. on May 21 at an undisclosed location in the City of Batavia. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court.  His release status is unknown.

Charles B. Lee, 47, of West Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs. Lee was stopped by Officer Kegvin Defelice on Sept 29 at an undisclosed location in the city of Batavia. He was arrested on May 26 following the completion of bloodwork in a crime lab.  He was issued traffic tickets and ordered to return to City Court on a later date.

Nathan W. Campbell, 42, no permanent address, is charged with trespass. Campbell is accused of returning to a business on East Main Street on May 31 a few hours after being banned from the location for reportedly causing a disturbance. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Matthew J. Wenzel, 36, of State Street,  Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wenzel is accused of stealing medication from a family member. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Josia G.J. Culver, 18, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with attempted burglary 3rd and criminal mischief 3rd.  Culver is accused of attempting to break into a business in City Centre on May 15.  It was Culver's third arrest in May for allegedly attempting to break into the same business. Following the arrest, he was ordered held in the Genesee County Jail.

Adam B. Thomas, 34, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Thomas is accused of damaging family property at his residence on May 28. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court. His release status is unknown.

Richard A. Demmer, Jr., 30, no known address, is charged with attempted robbery 3rd. Demmer is accused of attempting to rob the 7-Eleven on May 29. He was released on his own recognizance. 

Jaqulyn A. Dueppengiesser, 39, of Page Road, Perry, was arrested on two warrants for failing to appear. Dueppengiesser was reportedly located in a dumpster on May 25 by Officer Felicia Martinez after receiving a call of a suspicious condition at a local business. The first warrant stems from a criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th charge, a Class D felony, arrest on April 11. On that arrest, Dueppengiesser was arraigned in City Court and released under the supervision of Genesee Justice pending her next appearance.  The second warrant stems from a petit larceny arrest on May 9. She was issued an appearance ticket.  She is accused of failure to appear for both arrests. Dueppengiesser was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.  

Adam J. Montes, 39, no known address, was arrested on a bench warrant for failing to appear. Montes was taken into custody on May 31 by Officer Felicia Martinez. He was previously arrested on charges of grand larceny of a vehicle and conspiracy 5th. He was arrested on a failure to appear warrant on April 6 and released. He was arraigned in City Court on the May 31 arrest and ordered held without bail.

Rosemary R. Waters, 37, of East Main Street, Batavia, was arrested on two City Court bench warrants for failure to appear. Officer Josh Girvin arrested Waters on May 17. The first warrant stems from an incident on Aug. 17, 2021, where Waters was arrested on an unrelated warrant and allegedly found in possession of narcotics, a modified fully automatic 9mm pistol and a 40-round magazine. Waters was arrested prior to the completion of lab work, and subsequently, an arrest warrant was issued. She was arrested on that warrant on April 7. The second warrant stems from an incident reported on July 30. Waters was reportedly the passenger in a vehicle during a traffic stop on Mix Place in Batavia. Waters allegedly provided a false name and was released. Narcotics and a modified short-barrel shotgun were later located in the vehicle. An arrest warrant was issued.

Oraid W. Edwards, 39, of West Avenue, Rochester, was arrested on a warrant for failing to appear. Edwards was taken into custody on May 19 by Officer Kevin Defelice. Edwards was arrested on June 19 after allegedly being found sleeping on the couch of a residence where he was unknown. Edwards reportedly left prior to patrols arriving on scene. He was arrested on a trespassing charge on June 23 and issued an appearance ticket. A warrant was issued on Aug. 23. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

Stephen D. Freeman, 52, of Mcmahon Road, Hinsdale, was arrested on an arrest warrant for petit larceny. Freeman was located by Troopers in Cattaraugus County and turned over to Batavia PD on May 28. Freeman is accused of stealing from an employer in City Centre on or around Sept. 19. He was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Adam D. Altobelli, 42, of Mount Hope Boulevard, Rochester, was arrested on a bench warrant for failing to appear. Officer Richard Messmer arrested Altobelli on May 24. The warrant stems from an incident reported on East Main Street, Batavia, on Feb. 22, 2020. He was accused of stealing items and possessing a controlled substance. He was issued an appearance ticket. After allegedly failing to appear, he was arrested on a warrant on Dec. 4, 2020, and arraigned in City Court. He was released under supervision. He allegedly failed to appear for his next court appearance and was arrested on a warrant on May 6, 2021.  He was again arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on Aug. 30, 2021. On this arrested, he was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court. His release status is unknown.

Carlos E. Flores, of Dewey Avenue, Greece, was arrested on a bench warrant.  Officer Kevin DeFelice arrested Flores on May 25. The warrant stemmed from an incident on Aug. 11, 2019, at a location on Bank Street. Flores was accused of threatening another person. He was arrested on a harassment 2nd charge and issued an appearance ticket. He was arraigned in City Court on the latest arrest and released after entering a guilty plea.

Gregory Alan Palone, 60, of Tennesee, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and insufficient tail lamp. Palone was stopped at 1:27 a.m. on June 4 on Lewiston Road by Deputy Jeremiah Gechell. He was released on traffic tickets.

Kenneth Dwright Robinson, Jr., 49, of Seven Springs Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Robinson was stopped at 1:59 p.m. on June 4 by Deputy Jacob Kipler and allegedly found in possession of a glassine bag containing crack cocaine during a vehicle inventory. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.

Emily Nichols, 33, of Batavia, is charged with welfare fraud 3rd. Nichols was arrested following an investigation by the Department of Social Services. She is accused of failing to report the wages of her husband and receiving $7,885 in SNAP benefits for which she was not entitled. She was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and released on her own recognizance.

David Alan Leach, 29, of Morganville Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Leach is accused of possessing cocaine during a traffic stop by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun at 8:40 p.m. on Oct. 25.  Leach was arrested on June 11 and issued an appearance ticket.

Press Release:

On Friday at approximately 4:01 p.m., the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting possible shots fired in the area of 25 Vine St., Batavia. Upon arrival, officers learned that an individual had possibly fired a weapon in the direction of a residence at that location following an earlier altercation between a group of individuals.

There were no reported injuries and it was determined that the act was targeted. Detectives from the City of Batavia Police Department's Detective Bureau were called in to investigate, and developed potential suspects early on in the investigation. 

After collecting evidence, witness accounts and video footage the detectives were able to narrow their focus to one individual who fired a single shot towards the rear area of the residence at 25 Vine St. following a verbal altercation at the residence. The altercation stemmed from an earlier altercation not at that location.

The suspect was taken into custody at a residence in Le Roy with the assistance of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police and Village of LeRoy Police Department. 

Luke A. Rose (age 19) of Batavia was charged with one count of Reckless Endangerment in the 1st degree and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd degree. He was arraigned in Central Arraignment Part (CAP) Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail on $20,000 cash bail/ $40,000 bond/ $60,000 partially secured bond and ordered to reappear on June 20, 2023 at 1 p.m. in City Court.

The Department wishes to acknowledge and thank the Genesee County Sheriff's Office Emergency Dispatch Center, Genesee County Sheriff's Deputies, New York State Police Troopers and Village of Le Roy Police Officers, along with citizens that assisted, in investigating and apprehending this individual.

Previously: Police investigating report of possible gunfire on Vine Street in Batavia

There may have been at least one gunshot fired late this afternoon in the vicinity of 23 and 25 Vine St., Batavia, according to police.

The report of gunfire is unconfirmed.

Witnesses reported to police that a person fired a shot down the driveway between two houses.

There were apparently people outside at the time of the incident, according to Det. Sgt. Matt Lutey, who managed to take cover or otherwise avoid the gunfire.

Nobody was injured in the incident.

Since no building was struck, Lutey said, there is no physical evidence at this time to confirm that shots were fired.  

Lutey said police do not know at this time what type of weapon might have been involved. There is no suspect description available at this time.

There are multiple residents in the area, including small children.  The residents were discussing the incident among themselves, that it was "crazy" and that children and pets could have been hurt.

The former principal of a local parochial school entered a guilty plea to one count of course of sexual conduct with a child in the second degree in Genesee County Court Monday.

According to District Attorney Kevin Finnell, Jason Clark admitted Monday that he touched the chest of a female child two or more times over a period of time not less than three months in duration.

As part of the plea deal, Clark agreed to surrender his teaching license and was placed on interim supervision by the Probation Department for one year.

Finnell said under the terms of the plea agreement, if he's successful on probation, he may withdraw his plea to the felony count and enter a new plea to a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child. He would continue to serve some time on probation.

If he's unsuccessful on probation, Finnell said, he could be sentenced to a term in prison.

Following a standard presentence investigation, Clark will be sentenced at 9:30 a.m., June 3.

Clark started working at St. Paul Lutheran in Batavia as a teacher in 2002. He became principal in 2019.

He was charged in January with two counts of sexual conduct against a child in the second degree.

Carolyn L Kurek, 80, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass and harassment 2nd. Kurek is accused of refusing to leave a location on North Street.  After a lengthy negotiation with police, according to the report, the officers attempted to physically remove her, and she allegedly kicked and scratched the officers.  Kurek was issued an appearance ticket, transported to her apartment, and released.

Shane Kyle Logan, 50, of Meadville Road, Basom, is charged with criminal sexual act 3rd and incest 3rd.  Logan was charged following an investigation by Investigator Kevin Forsyth for an act alleged to have occurred on Aug. 30 in Basom. He was ordered held on $5,000 bail.

Teesean T. Ayala, 24, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass, obstruction of governmental administration, and criminal impersonation. On May 21, at about 6:05 a.m., police officers were dispatched to Vine Street to investigate a report of a male walking onto driveways and checking car door handles. A possible suspect was identified who then fled from police on foot through backyards in the northeast section of the city. The suspect was eventually apprehended and identified as Teesean Ayala. He is scheduled to appear in City Court at a later date.

Richard A. Demmer, Jr., 30, no permanent address, is charged with petit larceny and falsifying business records. Demmer is accused of stealing property from a residence on Towne Place, Alabama, on May 24. He then allegedly falsified a bill of sale at Pawn King on Veterans Memorial Drive. Demmer was arraigned and was released on his own recognizance. The case was investigated by Deputy Jenna Ferrando and Investigator Erik Andre.

Madison Lee McKenzie, 19, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and endangering the welfare of a child.  McKenzie is accused of using Snapchat between May 28 and May 30 to send explicit messages and photos to a person under age 15 in violation of an order of protection.  McKenzie was arraigned and released pending her next court appearance.

Heather N. Holbrook, 38, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a narcotic with the intent to sell and criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th. Holbrook was a subject of a traffic stop by Officer Wesley Rissinger on May 17 at an unspecified location in the City of Batavia. At the time of the stop, the Sheriff's Office held an arrest warrant for Holbrook.  While being taken into custody, she was allegedly found in possession of a significant quantity of a narcotic. Holbrook was arraigned and released on her own recognizance. Also charged as a result of the traffic stop was Jeremy P. Holbrook, 40., of West Bergen Road, Bergen. He was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Nathaniel L. Beglinger, 31, of Peaviner Road, Alexander, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminally using drug paraphernalia 2nd, and obstructed view.  Beglinger was the subject of a traffic stop on May 17 on East Main Street, Batavia. He was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Rosemary R. Waters, 37, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Waters was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance during a traffic stop on East Main Street, Batavia, on May 17. She was arraigned and ordered held on $1 cash bail.

Chantel C. Holmes, 23, of Walden Creek Drive, Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd and criminal mischief 4th. Holmes was reportedly involved in a disturbance on May 7 on Ellicott Street, Batavia.  She is accused of striking another person in the head with a shovel, which caused an injury. She is also accused of damaging property. Holmes was arraigned in City Court and released.

Donald F. Koziol, 55, of Franklin Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI and no/insufficient tail lamps. Koziol was stopped on May 14 on Ellicott Street by Officer Adam Tucker. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Ashley Davis, 34, of Walden Creek Drive, Batavia, is charged with DWI, unlicensed operator, and unsafe backing. Davis was arrested by Officer Andrew Mruczek on May 8 following an investigation into a report of a vehicle backing over a curb and striking another vehicle in a parking lot on North Street, Batavia. Davis was released on an appearance ticket.

A 17-year-old female resident of Ellicott Street,  Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. The youth is accused of striking another person while in an unspecified park in the City of Batavia on May 15. The youth was arraigned in City Court and released.

Kevin M. McCoy, 56, of East Main Stree, Batavia, is charged with trespass and harassment 2nd. McCoy was allegedly involved in a fight at a business on East Main Street, Batavia, on May 12. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance.

Lakeisha A Gibson, 36, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Gibson is accused of failure to comply with a subpoena to appear at a trial. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Zakara R. Jackson, 19, of Trumbull Parkway,  Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Jackson was allegedly found in possession of a narcotic and drug paraphernalia when she was arrested on warrants on May 16. She was arraigned and released.

Jeanette L. Higgins, 47, of Ganson Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Higgins is accused of throwing an acquaintance to the ground during an argument on May 15. ßhe was issued an appearance ticket.

Jaqulyn Ann Dueppengiesser, 39, is accused of stealing an item from Walmart on Veterans Memorial Drive at 4:25 p.m. on May 23.  Her release status is unknown.

Jared Evan Flaming, 36, of Genesee Street, Darien, is charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17 years old, criminal mischief, and harassment 3rd. Flaming is accused of damaging a mailbox on Gabbey Road, Pembroke, while walking at 8:15 p.m. on May 27. He is accused of screaming profanities at the time and threatening a caller in the presence of children. Flaming was held in the Genesee County Jail pending his arraignment.

Joshua Rashad Brown, 25, of Spalding Street, Elmira, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd and harassment 2nd.  Brown is accused of entering an enclosed area of Darien Lake Theme Park on May 29 without permission. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Isrrael Obregon, Jr., 42, of Tucker Road, Walnut Cover, N.C., is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed driver 1st, misuse of dealer plate, unlicensed driver, and driver view obstructed. Obregon was stopped on May 29 at 4:22 on Pearl Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Zachary Hoy.  He was issued tickets and released.

Hunter M. Passage, 22, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Passage was stopped by State Police on May 29 at 9:08 p.m. in the Town of Batavia. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Miguel A. Rendon Fuentes, 39, of Corfu, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Fuentes was stopped on May 29 at 12:06 a.m. by State Police, He was released on an appearance ticket.

Brian E. Daggar, 37, of Elba, is charged with DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Daggar was stopped by State Police in the Town of Batavia on May 27 at 12:41 a.m.  He was released on an appearance ticket.

Lavar V. McKnight, 45, of Rochester, is charged with petit larceny and criminal contempt 1st. McKnight was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported on May 25 at 9:20 at an unspecified location in the Town of Batavia.  He was ordered held.  No further information released by State Police.

Trinity N. Wright, 20, of Syracuse, is charged with conspiracy 5th, grand larceny 3rd, and criminal possession of stolen property 3rd. Alexis M. Stackhouse, 26, of Syracuse, is charged with conspiracy 5th, reckless endangerment 1st, grand larceny 3rd, and criminal possession of stolen property 3rd. Noemi Morales, 23, of Syracuse, is charged with conspiracy 5th, possession of burglar tools, grand larceny 3rd, and criminal possession of stolen property 3rd. Wright, Stackhouse and Morales were arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported on May 25 at 12:42 a.m. Both were ordered held in custody.  No further information was released by State Police.

Jamie Lee Broadbent, 40, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny 4th.  Broadbent is accused of stealing a wallet while at Walmart at 9:02 p.m. on March 20. The wallet reportedly contained cash and multiple credit cards. Broadbent was arrested following an arrest and investigation by Erik Andre. Broadbent was arraigned in Batavia Town Court and ordered to return at a later date.

Adam Daniel Smart, 40, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with forgery 2nd, possession of a forged instrument 2nd, criminal possession of stolen property 5th and petit larceny.  Smart is accused of stealing $800 in cash and a black check from a location of Fargo Road on Feb. 14. He is accused of attempting to forge and cash the check on Feb. 16 at the Bank of America in Batavia. Smart was arrested on May 13 and held pending arraignment.

Shawnna Linn Lamont, 33, of Page Road, Perry, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Lamont was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance when taken into custody on two warrants at 6 p.m. on May 23 by Deputy Trevor Sherwood.  She was issued an appearance ticket.

Robert Lee Drennen, 41, of Holley Street, Sweden, is charged with harassment 2nd. Drennen is accused of striking another person in the face at the Genesee County Jail on May 16 at 2:30 p.m.  He was arraigned in City Court and ordered to reappear at a later date.

Heather Nicole Holbrook, 38, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Holbrook was charged following a traffic stop by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun at 10 p.m. on Dec. 18. Following an investigation, she is accused of possessing 500mg of cocaine and Suboxone. She was arraigned and ordered to reappear.

Margaret Nicole George, 20, and Kristen Dawn George, 26, both of Council House Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, are charged with grand larceny 4th. Margaret and Kristen are accused of stealing more than $1,000 from a former employer on Bloomingdale Road on April 8.

Brittany Lynn Bolton, 23, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Bolton is accused of stealing $45.32 in merchandise from a store on Veterans Memorial Drive. The Sheriff's Office withheld the name of the store. Bolton was issued an appearance ticket.

Michael E. Loveless, 59, of Imperial Drive, Webster, is charged with grand larceny 4th and unauthorized use of a vehicle 3rd.  Loveless is accused of stealing a gar that was stopped at a gas station in the City of Batavia on May 10 while the owner of the vehicle was inside the store. The vehicle was tracked using a GPS system and located in Lockport. Loveless was allegedly occupying the vehicle when it was located. He was taken into custody by Lockport PD and turned over to Batavia PD.  He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held until his next court appearance. 

Jessica L. Holtz, 39, of Austin Street, Rochester, was arrested on two  City Court bench warrants. The first bench warrant stems from a petit larceny charge at a local convenience store on Nov. 18, 2021.  Holtz was originally arrested on Nov. 27, 2021.  She was issued an appearance ticket.  She was arrested again on Feb 2, 2022, after she allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. She was arraigned and released. She was arrested gain on May 1, 2022.  She was arraigned and released. She was arrested on Jan. 29.  She was arrested on March 11.  She was then arrested again on May 2 by Officer Megan Crosset and arraigned in City Court. On the second warrant, Holtz was arrested on Nov. 27, 2021, on a petit larceny charge for an alleged theft from a local church. She was arrested again on May 1, and again on Jan. 29, again on March 11, and on May 2.  She was arraigned in City Court. She was ordered to pay 79 cents in restitution and jailed for two months.

Josia G. J. Culver, 18, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Culver is accused of damaging an ATM screen at a bank location on Bank Street, Batavia, on May 5. He was arraigned and ordered held without bail pending his next court appearance. 

Alisha A Soule, 26, of Route 237, Stafford, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Soule turned herself in to Batavia PD after being accused of contacting a person through a third party in violation of an order of protection. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Ashley Davis, 34, of Walden Creek Drive, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. While in custody, Davis allegedly kicked a police officer. Davis was issued an appearance ticket.

Corey A Brown, 37, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Brown is accused of hitting another person in the face at a residence on Ellicott Street on May 10. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

William H Smith Jr., 45, of Bank Street, Batavia, was arrested on a City Court bench warrant. Smith was originally arrested for DWI and other charges on Feb. 7, 2021, and released with traffic tickets.  Smith is accused of failure to appear on the charges and was warranted on a warrant on Nov. 14, 2021.  He was released and ordered to reappear at a later date. He allegedly failed to show up for court, and another warrant was issued. He was arrested on that warrant on May 10 by Officer Kevin Defelice. Smith was arraigned in  City Court and released under supervision.

Krista S. Kiblin, 32, of Mason Avenue, Rochester, was arrested on a City Court bench warrant. Kiblin was originally arrested on Jan. 27 on a charge of petit larceny after she allegedly stole merchandise from a business on East Main Street.  Kiblin was issued an appearance ticket.  After she allegedly failed to appear as ordered, a warrant was issued, and she was arrested on that warrant on May 3 by Officer Richard Messmer. Kiblin was arraigned. Her release status is unknown.

Brittany L. Richway, 32, of Syracuse, and Angel M. Scott, 34, of Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Richway and Scott are accused of stealing from a location in the Town of Batavia at 7:46 p.m. on May 11. They were arrested by the State Police and released on an appearance ticket.  No further information was released.

Michael R. Vickery, 45, of Lackawanna, is charged with petit larceny. Vickery is accused of stealing from a location in the Town of Batavia at 12:52 p.m. on May 10.  He was arrested by State Police and released on an appearance ticket.  No further information was released.

Daniel Stevens, 49, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Stevens is accused of stealing from a location in the Town of Batavia on May 8 at 9:46 a.m. Stevens was released by State Police and released on an appearance ticket. No further information was released.

Cody Middlebrooks, 32, of Akron, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Middlebrooks is accused of damaging property in the Town of Alabama on May 9 at 4:15 a.m.  He was arrested by State Police. His release status is unknown. No further information was released.

Tony Robert Graber, 44, of Main Road, Pembroke, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Graber is accused of violating a complete stay-away order of protection on May 5 in the Town of Batavia. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail, arraigned, and released on bail.

Brian N. Miles is indicted on counts of attempted forgery in the second degree, a Class E felony, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, a Class D felony, criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Miles is accused of attempting to fill out JP Morgan check that belonged to another person in order to obtain cash on Nov. 15, 2021,d while at the ESL Federal Credit Union on Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia. He was allegedly found in possession of a stolen JP Morgan checkbook. On that date, he was allegedly found in possession of cocaine.

Timothy W. Szurgot is indicted on counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, a Class D felony and criminal impersonation in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor.  Szurgot was allegedly found in possession of a stolen 2018 Focus on Oct. 25 in the Town of Batavia. He is accused of assuming the identity of another person on Oct. 25 with the intent to defraud another person.

Joseph G. Bauer is indicted on a felony count of DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, a Class E felony. Bauer is accused of driving drunk while on a suspended license on July 4 in the Town of Darien, on Park Road.

A 62-year-old Batavia man has been arrested by the Sheriff's Office, accused of an ongoing series of sex offenses against a child.

Alvin Ezra Way, of West Main Street, is charged with six counts of predatory sexual abuse against a child, six counts of criminal sexual act in the first degree, and course of sexual conduct against a child.

In New York's penal code, predatory sexual abuse against a child is a Class A-II felony and accused the defendant of being older than 18 years old, and the victim is younger than 13 years old.

If convicted, Way faces 10 to 25 years in prison.

The alleged incidents occurred over multiple years at a residence in the Town of Batavia. 

Way was arraigned in the Central Arraignment Court on Friday and ordered held in custody.

There have been no arrests in a police pursuit that ended in Pavilion on Monday that led to a manhunt in the area of Route 63 and Route 20, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Chief Deputy Joseph Graff said today, in response to questions from The Batavian, that there is an ongoing investigation into a possession of stolen property case.

He said the incident began with a pursuit of a vehicle in Livingston County.

"It was determined to have been stolen from Horseheads," Graff said. "It was occupied by two subjects who fled the scene and were not apprehended despite a search of the area."

According to an NYSP spokesperson, the State Police assisted in the manhunt with a helicopter and drones.

Another spokesperson for the State Police said that two vehicles were reported stolen in Chemung County. 

The Livingston County Sheriff's Office has not responded to a request for more information.

A red vehicle was chased into Pavilion on Monday, with reports at the time saying it was occupied by two black males.

No injuries have been reported in connection with the incident.

"We are continuing to investigate," Graff said.

Press release:

On May 9, the Genesee County 911 Center took a call from a local business that had received a call from what was believed to be a juvenile stating there was a "bomb on a school bus" at a location in the City of Batavia. 

Through the investigation of patrol officers and detectives, it was determined that the call was false and that an eight-year-old child on a bus made the call, knowing it to be false. 

Officers located the school bus in question, which was empty of students at the time. Out of an abundance of caution, the bus was cleared by an NYSP K9 that specializes in explosives detection, and none were found. 

The case has been turned over to the Juvenile Detective for the Department, and no further info is available at this time.