crime

A 29-year-old Batavia man was arrested by federal authorities today and accused of transporting a minor to another state with the intent of sexual activity.

Timothy Logsdon was taken into custody following an investigation that started Saturday when the parents of a 16-year-old girl contacted the Genesee County Sheriff's Office to report her missing.

During an interview with FBI agents, the parents indicated the girl might be with Logsdon.

Authorities obtained a court order and traced Logsdon's mobile phone activity and determined he was in Kentucky.

That same day, State Police in Kentucky located Logsdon in Bowling Green and he was allegedly with the teenager.  

“Thanks to the awareness of the victim’s parents and the hard work by the FBI and Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, this case was investigated and closed in extremely rapid fashion,” said U.S. Attorney William Hochul in a news release. “This is yet another example of how the public coming forward to police with important information can stop criminal conduct before it gets too far.” 

Logsdon remains in federal custody pending further legal proceedings.

UPDATE AND CORRECTION: The first name of the alleged perpetrator contained in the original post was wrong. The story has been changed to contain the correct first name.

Brandon M. Maldonado, 24, of 146 Summit St., Batavia, was arrested on warrants for alleged petit larceny and criminal mischief. Maldonado was located at the scene of the fire Sunday night at 140 Summit St.

Bethani M. Dibble, 20, of 146 Summit St., Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Dibble allegedly drove her vehicle into the porch and fence of her residence and then left the scene of the accident at 2:38 a.m., Saturday.

Daniel E. King, 36, of 2058 Phelps Road, Basom, is charged with petit larceny and harassment, 2nd. King is accused of stealing a can of Mike's Hard Lemonade from a convenience store on West Main Street and then hitting the store manager when confronted.

Daryl R. Hamler, 18, of 6786 Westcott Road, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Hamler was charged after allegedly being found in possession of marijuana while driving through a DWI checkpoint on Clinton Street.

Alicia M. Stanwick, 21, of 318 E. Main St., Apt. 2, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and inadequate stop lamps. Stanwick was stopped at 1:36 a.m., Sunday, on Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Marc Lawrence.

Katelyn Louise Hodgins, 24, of Pringle Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving left of pavement markings and open container. Hodgins was stopped at 1:17 a.m., Saturday, on Seven Springs Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Greg Walker.

Thomas Allen Pfalzer, 45, of Harper Road, Darien, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving while on a mobile phone, consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle and unlawful stopping or parking in the roadway. Pfalzer was allegedly located at 2:04 a.m., Saturday, in his vehicle stopped on Sumner Road, Darien, talking on his mobile phone. Upon investigation by Deputy Jason Saile, Pfalzer was allegedly found to be intoxicated.

Darrell Jerrod Holloway, 44, of Crowydon Road, Rochester, was arrested on a bench warrant for alleged failure to pay a fine. Holloway was taken into custody following his release from the Elmira Correctional Facility, where he was held on an unrelated matter. Holloway was jailed pending a court appearance.

Tyanna Desiree Green, 17, of Lewis Place, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Green allegedly stole two CDs from Kmart.

James Pontillo wants to know who dumped 15 black commercial garbage bags in the Dumpster of his property in Stafford.

Pontillo is restoring the old Odd Fellow's Hall, the former location of the Stafford Trading Post, now known as Pontillo's Place, at the corner of Route 237 and Route 5.

He is offering $100 for the arrest and conviction of whomever dumped the garbage bags.

To report any information, the Sheriff's Office can be reached at 585-343-5000.

UPDATE 6:36 p.m.: Pontillo says the matter has been resolved.

Following a slow-speed chase through the Village of Le Roy, a Rochester resident was arrested and charged with multiple crimes, including felony DWI and fleeing a police officer.

Nicholas M. Klusek, 31, of Electric Avenue, Rochester, was jailed on $25,000.

The chase started about 10 p.m., Friday, when a Le Roy PD officer observed Klusek's vehicle allegedly fail to stop for a stop sign and make a turn without a turn signal. The officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Klusek allegedly just kept driving.

The chase wound its way down several village streets and was joined by a Sheriff's deputy, who observed the driver stop at Village Square and run into the woods.

The deputy apprehended Klusek.

At one point, Klusek reportedly stopped his vehicle and as a Le Roy officer exited a patrol car, Klusek allegedly put his car in reverse and hit the passenger door of the patrol car.

The officer was not injured.

Besides felony DWI and fleeing, Klusek was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, attempted aggravated assault on a police officer, unlawful possession of marijuana, 12 counts of failing to signal, five counts of failing to stop, two counts of speeding in zone, one count of failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, one count of leaving the scene of a property damage accident and one count of unsafe start.

The alleged assault on a police officer is a Class C felony.

Four men, including two with reputed ties to the Hell's Angels, were convicted by a jury in Federal Court today of stealing scrap metal in Batavia.

Convicted of conspiracy to steal an interstate shipment and theft of an interstate shipment were Richard E. Riedman, 39, of Webster, Anthony Toscano, 47, of Rochester, Anthony J. Russell, 39, of Rochester and Timothy M. Stone, 32, of Chili.

Riedman and Stone were indicted in April 2011 on federal racketeering charges for their part in an alleged plot to help James Henry McAuley Jr. (aka "Mitch"), 62, an alleged Hell's Angel vice president, avoid apprehension for an alleged assault on a person viewed as a threat to the motorcycle club.

McAuley is married to 45-year-old Donna L. Boon (aka Donna L. McAuley), a Town of Batavia resident, who was first arrested in July 2009 as an alleged member of a methamphetamine ring headed by Donald G. Vanelli, 48, of 8394 Lake St., Le Roy. Vanelli is currently serving a lengthy federal prison sentence, but the original charges against Boon were later dropped.

In February, Boon, along with Riedman, was re-arrested by federal authorities and accused of being part of a meth distribution ring.

All of those charges are still pending.

Riedman, Toscano, Russell and Stone face a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The four men, along with Christopher Monfort, who was previously convicted in the case, were caught June 30 by Sheriff's deputies using a logging truck and pickup truck to steal more than 16 tons of scrap steel from a rail car at the CSX Transportation yard in Batavia, along with 17 tons of processed scrap steel.

The stolen scrap was awaiting shipment to a steel mill in Pennsylvania.

The federal case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey.

Sentencing is scheduled for January.

Nabbed through DNA evidence in May for a Dec. 15 break-in of a Town of Batavia home, a 19-year-old Buffalo man entered a guilty plea in Genesee County Court today and faces up to seven years in prison.

Steven Carnell McKnight, already sentenced to a prison term of one to three years for an unrelated crime in Erie County, will be sentenced Oct. 15.

McKnight will be sentenced on two charges. There's today's guilty plea on second- degree attempted burglary, plus an earlier plea to the same charge for a break-in Dec. 14 in the Town of Pembroke.

All three sentences -- Erie County, Pembroke and Batavia -- will be served concurrently.

The entire sentence range, from probation up to seven years in prison, is available to Judge Robert C. Noonan. McKnight could have been sentenced today under the plea arrangement, but there is paperwork that must be completed first.

Press release:

The Le Roy Police Department is asking for assistance in identifying the white female in these surveillance photographs as a forgery suspect who has allegedly passed numerous forged checks in numerous locations n Genesee, Monroe and Ontario counties.

If you can identify this female, please contact Detective John Condidorio of the Le Roy Police Department at 585-768-2527, ext. 2219, or Investigator John Falbo of the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department at 585-396-4628.

State Police have been advised to be on the lookout for two white males who may be in the Genesee County area in an allegedly stolen vehicle with the intention of robbing a farm.

One of the suspects reportedly told a witness a week ago that if law enforcement interfered with his plans he would lead them on a high speed chase and exchange gunfire.

The subject, identified as Robert Jones, was seen at the time with a shotgun.

The other subject was identified as Benjamin W. Muntz, who has resided in Basom and Oakfield.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Muntz on March 27 when he failed to appear in county court for sentencing on his burglary, 3rd, and grand larceny, 4th, convictions.

That warrant and one other from Genesee County are still active for Muntz.

The duo is allegedly in a stolen gold Ford Focus with a decal in the back window of an unknown cartoon character holding a cross.

The original officer advisory was issued by authorities in Fayetteville, Ark.

Law enforcement is advised that if the two men are located to use extreme caution.

Citizens should not approach the subjects if spotted but call 9-1-1 immediately.

A 26-year-old woman who recently relocated from Florida to Le Roy was arrested today, accused of stealing a purse from a local business and then using debit and credit cards to make purchases at local stores.

Maria A. Matos was taken into custody after an employee of a retail store in Le Roy became suspicious of a woman who was carrying multiple credit and debit cards and so contacted authorities.

The employee said the woman left in a local taxi and Le Roy PD began a search for the cab.

When located on Route 5 in Stafford, the taxi had no passenger and the driver said he had dropped off a woman at a business on Lake Street because she admitted she didn't have cash for the fare.

That led police to the residence of Matos, who was staying in a boarding house on Lake Street.

According to Le Roy PD, Matos was allegedly found in possession of two stolen credit cards and the identification of a Medina resident.

Numerous items purchased with the allegedly stolen cards were also found in the room.

About this time, Batavia PD received a report of a purse being stolen from an office in Batavia.

Police accuse Matos of allegedly stealing the purse and then securing a taxi ride to Le Roy, where she used the stolen credit cards.

Matos was arraigned on two counts of criminal possession of stolen property, two counts of identity theft, two counts of unlawful possession of personal identification, two counts of petit larceny and one count of theft of services (for allegedly not paying for taxi fare).

Following arraignment, Matos was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Further charges are pending in Batavia.

A 24-year-old Batavia man is accused of violently assaulting an 8-month-old baby, causing head injuries.

Randy Johnson, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with three counts of reckless assault of a child.

According to Det. Kevin Czora, Batavia PD opened an investigation after a child was transported to Women's and Children's Hospital in Buffalo and treated for seizures that were believed caused by brain injuries.

The injuries are not believed to be permanent.

Johnson is accused of inflicting the injuries over a period of several weeks.

The child was released from the hospital and is now in the custody and care of Child Protective Services.

Johnson was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

He was able to get himself into a garage and later help another man escape jail, and now he's going to be locked away for five to seven years.

Paul J. Doctor, who entered guilty pleas Aug. 2 to attempted burglary, 2nd, and escape, 1st, will serve five years on the first charge and three-and-a-half to seven years on the second.

He will serve the sentences concurrently, Judge Robert C. Noonan ruled this afternoon.

Doctor, 34, and a resident of 20 Maple St., Batavia, at the time of his arrest, was accused in February of breaking into a garage and residence on Jackson Street and stealing appliances.

By May, he was a wanted man, accused of violating the terms of his release under supervision.

Besides pleading guilty to the burglary charge, Doctor also admitted that he helped an inmate escape from the Genesee County Jail in July.

Charges are still pending against 22-year-old John Anthony Cabrera, who is accused of a handful of local church burglaries over the summer.

Cabrera allegedly climbed through the jail building, after getting a boost from Doctor into the ceiling area, and into the basement. Cabrera reportedly managed to get out of the jail area -- constituting escape -- but never made it out of the building at 14 Main St.

Once out of jail in five to seven years, Doctor will be on parole for five years.

An assault at Batavia High School this afternoon sent one teenager to UMMC for undisclosed injuries and/or an evaluation. The person was later released from the hospital. No furthers details are available. Police responded and will be filing a report.

Kids are reportedly partying by the State Street maintenance entrance to the New York School for the Blind, and officials there called dispatch to report it. City police are responding.

A larceny was reported at the Salvation Army Store on Jackson Street in the City of Batavia. Police are in the process of taking a report.

After striking a vehicle, two white male pedestrians ran from the scene, according to person in the parking lot of Walgreen's in Le Roy who called dispatch. The two males reportedly ran into traffic and struck the vehicle, words were exchanged between them and the driver, and they ran. This was in the area of Mill and Bacon streets and they were last seen running down Bacon Street.

The only other description is that one of them is wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and blue jeans. Le Roy police are on scene.

UPDATE 3:03 p.m.: Prior to this incident the suspects were seen inside the Sugar Creek convenience store and officers are checking there for possible IDs.

UPDATE 3:11 p.m.: Police are back in service. There was no report made.

A Batavia woman, convicted of drunk driving and parole violation, may be able to avoid state prison under a new multifaceted program.

Twenty-six-year-old Michelle Crawford appeared in Genesee County Court this morning. She was to have been sentenced for violating her probation following an accident in Byron.

She was also convicted of misdemeanor DUI charge in Erie County last March.

During her court appearance this morning, Judge Robert Noonan told Crawford that nothing other than state prison was appropriate in her case.

However, Noonan agreed to go along with a new program that allows Crawford to serve an interim probation involving in-patient alcohol treatment and supervision. It will also require that she wear a bracelet capable of detecting alcohol consumption.

Upon completing the program, Noonan said, Crawford may be able to avoid state prison.

The case was adjourned until Oct. 16 to allow her lawyer to set up the program, which is administered through the Buffalo City Court.

St. Joseph's School was reportedly burglarized on Thursday, according to Batavia police Det. Charles F. Dudek.

Police received a call that a window had been pried open to gain entry and a cash register was removed from a kiosk in the cafeteria. The register was found near the exterior of the school. There was an undetermined, but likely very small, amount of cash in the register at the time it was stolen. Nothing else appeared to be disturbed. The school is located at 2 Summit St.

Anyone with information that could aid the investigation may contact the detective at <Dudek@BataviaNewYork.com>, call dispatch at 345-6350, or call the confidential Tip Line at 345-6370.

A high-speed chase that started in Covington, made its way into Genesee County, and ended in Leicester may have begun because the driver had a revoked license, State Police say.

Shawn E. Wallace, 41, of Rochester, is charged with reckless endangerment, 1st, a Class D felony, unlawful fleeing of police and several traffic violations in multiple jurisdictions.

According to State Police, a trooper stopped a 2000 Mercedes on Route 19 in Covington on Friday for alleged traffic violations. Upon approaching the vehicle, the Mercedes allegedly fled at a high rate of speed.

Troopers pursued the vehicle into Genesee County on Route 63 and lost sight of the vehicle near Route 246.

Area law enforcement agencies were advised to be on the lookout for the vehicle and it was spotted a short time later on Route 20A, heading east toward Livingston County.

Troopers and Village of Perry police again attempted to stop the Mercedes and the vehicle allegedly fled at a high rate of speed.

During the second pursuit, the Mercedes allegedly nearly struck a state police vehicle head on.

The pursuit continued onto Perry Road into Leicester. After crossing Route 36, the Mercedes headed down a dead-end road and left the paved highway.

Following a short foot pursuit, Wallace was taken into custody.

Following arraignment, Wallace was placed in the Livingston County Jail without bail.

No injuries to either Wallace or law enforcement officers were reported as a result of the incident.

Laurie J. Lerkins, 35, of 8 Erie St., Le Roy, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Lerkins was reportedly driving a vehicle stopped on Wolcott Street by Le Roy PD early Saturday morning for alleged broken tail lamp. Upon investigation, officers found Lerkins allegedly possessed multiple small bags of marijuana. During the stop, police identified Jose Del Carmen Hernandez-Zarate, 26, and with the assistance of the Border Patrol determined Hernandez-Zarate, who was reportedly working on a farm in East Bethany, was in the country illegally. Hernandez-Zarate was turned over to the Border Patrol for immigration proceedings.

Laszlo Szabo, 59, of 8687 Keeney Road Le Roy, is charged with felony DWI, aggravated driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and improper right turn. Szabo was observed Sunday night making an allegedly wide right turn of Mill Street onto Lake Street, crossing fully in to the oncoming traffic lane. Szabo was stopped by Le Roy PD and subsequently arrested.

Booker T. Ricks III, 41, of 7 Chestnut St., Apt. #1, Batavia, is  charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation. Ricks was allegedly involved in a domestic incident and is accused of choking a victim.

John W. Williams III, 20, of 8170 Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, improper right turn, uninspected vehicle and unlicensed operator. Williams was stopped at 2:09 a.m., Sunday, on West Main Street, Batavia, by Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Joseph Alan Home, 21, of West 5th Street, Erie, Pa., is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Home was stopped for allegedly speeding at 8:35 p.m., Sunday, on Ellicott Street Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Greg Walker. Home was allegedly found in possession of marijuana.

Raymond Kyle Jonathan, 23, of Bloomingdale Road, Alabama, was arrested on bench warrants related to charges of DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and aggravated unlicensed operation. Jonathan was arrested at his place of employment in Clarence and jailed on $250 cash bail or $1,000 bond.

Miguel Angel Valencia, 37, of Halfianen Street, Grand Junction, Colo., was arrested as a fugitive from justice. Valencia was an inmate at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center in Batavia. Valencia is wanted in California on a child molestation charge. Valencia was arraigned and jailed without bail awaiting extradition.

Jerrell Jordan Travis Jones, 24, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to pay fine. Jones was arrested upon his release from the Genesee County Jail, where he was held on an unrelated matter. Jones was arraigned on the charge and released.

Robert L. Murray, 36, of Darien, is charged with felony DWI. Murray was stopped by troopers Sunday on Route 5 in Batavia. Murray's BAC was allegedly .15, according to State Police.

Dylan T. Rotella, 19, of Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. A trooper reportedly came upon an unoccupied vehicle with its doors open outside a Batavia business and upon locating and interviewing Rotella, it was determined he allegedly possessed marijuana.

Robert L. Knight, 44, of Rochester, is charged with petit larceny, criminal impersonation and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Troopers responded Saturday to a report of a subject trying to steal scrap metal from Bergen Auto Recycling. Employees of the business detained Knight briefly until troopers arrived. Upon arrival, troopers determined Knight allegedly hid scrap metal in the trunk of his vehicle. When interviewed, Knight allegedly provided troopers with a false name. He was jailed on $1,000 bail. Robert L. Knight Jr., 18, of Rochester, was determined to be the alleged driver of the vehicle and he was charged with unregistered motor vehicle, uninsured motor vehicle, switched plates, and operating without a driver’s license.

A man claims his girlfriend struck him with her vehicle in the parking lot behind the Genesee County Jail on Main Street. He reportedly has an arm injury. The driver has since left the scene. City police and Mercy medics are on scene.