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On February 10, 2024, at 10:47 a.m., State Police responded to the Colonial Motel Apartments on State Route 5 in the town of Schuyler for a reported stabbing following a domestic incident. When Troopers and EMS arrived, they located a 36-year-old male who stated his girlfriend stabbed him multiple times with a kitchen knife in the back resulting in superficial injuries. The male was transported by Kunkel Ambulance to Wynn Hospital in Utica for evaluation. Troopers arrested 33-year-old Maria L. Major for Assault 2nd degree (D-felony), Criminal Possession of a Weapon 4th degree (A-misdemeanor), and Criminal Mischief 4th degree (A-misdemeanor). Major was arraigned in Schuyler Town Court and remanded to the Herkimer County Jail on $15,000 cash or $30,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear back in the town of Schuyler Court on February 12, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.

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Get ready to dive into the excitement with Briar, our 2024 PreZOOdential candidate representing Backyards and Barnyards!  Briar may be new to the scene, but she's making a splash with a strong campaign partner – Lily! Lily, Briar's counterpart, isn't afraid to "weasel" her way into Briar's campaign to win the support of the voters!  Together, they're on a mission to bring the fun to the election. In-person voting is happening at Utica Zoo from Feb. 17-19, but why wait? Support Briar and Lily with a donation to their campaign!  For every $10 donated, they'll earn 5 EXTRA votes. Let's make waves and celebrate the otterly amazing Briar! Discover more about Briar and her campaign at uticazoo.org/prezoodent #UticaZoo #PreZooDentialElection #WildVotes2024  Let's make this election WILD!

On Sunday, February 4th, 2024, around 4:55 P.M., Officer Nellis and Officer Harriman were alerted by a supervisor that a 15-year-old juvenile wanted for a previous shot-fired incident was spotted in the Stone Court area. Officers arrived on the scene, where they were able to positively identify the juvenile as the wanted party. As the officers exited their patrol vehicle, the suspect began to flee into the courtyard and around the apartment buildings. Officers quickly caught up to the suspect and found him crouched down behind a blue recycling bin. Once officers got the teen into custody, Officer Nellis searched the path he had traveled. He located a black and gray Glock 23 .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with a laser attachment. The handgun had a 14 round magazine and was loaded with nine rounds of ammunition. The 15-year-old was arrested and charged with Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, along with multiple other charges stemming from previous incidents. We would like to thank both Officer Nellis and Officer Harriman for their attentiveness and commitment which ultimately led to another firearm being taken off the streets of Syracuse and out of the hands of our youth. Sources: https://www.facebook.com/SyracusePolice/posts/pfbid02KF7M7goDuMwsTeJEXuYFMBhch4DPDW7NJWCrvGdohMM3q5sL3VMuPKBJuYaaJP7pl

On February 5th, 2024 at approximately 5:00PM Utica Police units were dispatched to the area of Mortimer St. and Neilson St regarding a shots fired investigation. While en route information was relayed that a black in color Dodge Charger was involved and witnessed fleeing from the scene at a high rate of speed. A few blocks away Patrol units saw the vehicle and attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop, however, the vehicle fled and failed to comply with the officers. A pursuit was initiated, until Elm St and Elmwood Pl where it pulled over and a party fled from the vehicle on foot. One of the pursuing units immediately gave chase for several blocks as the party ran toward Oneida St. Soon thereafter the fleeing male was taken into custody. As this was occurring, the Charger ultimately came to a stop on Oneida St near James St. Officers approached the vehicle and immediately noticed that there were bullet holes that struck the exterior of it, and while interviewing the driver noticed spent shell casings within the vehicle. The operator was then removed from the vehicle and detained for further investigation. While conducting the investigation into this vehicle, another vehicle that had stopped along with the Charger became the focus of officers as they noticed several juveniles whom they were familiar with due to recent acts of gun violence, as well as one who had an outstanding warrant, seated within. They requested the male with the warrant from the vehicle, and upon searching him incident to the arrest, the officers located a loaded .40 caliber ghost gun in his possession. The officers further noticed that the other passengers were acting uncommonly nervous, and were hiding their hands within their pockets. Requests were made on multiple occasions for the occupants to show their hands and stop their movements, however, all failed to comply and thus were requested from the vehicle. While removing one of the juveniles, the officers noticed that he was in possession of an extended handgun magazine, and the officers attempted to take him into custody. This party then began to actively fight with the officers, and after a brief struggle was taken into custody. While removing another party and frisking him, the officers located an additional loaded .40 caliber ghost gun in his possession. Furthermore, this 15-year-old had just been arrested in January of 2024 with a loaded handgun in a separate incident. An additional male was then removed from the vehicle and immediately began to fight with the officers. Eventually, they were able to detain him, and while walking him to an awaiting Patrol car, this juvenile kicked the door of a supervisor's vehicle causing significant damage to it. Furthermore, at the station, this juvenile kicked the door to the Juvenile Aid Office causing further damage, made multiple threats of harm to officers, and threatened to return and shoot the Police Station. While still on scene and continuing the investigation into the shots fired, vehicle, and foot pursuit, the officers then began to retrace the steps of the pursuit and obtain video surveillance. While watching the footage, the officers noticed that the male running had thrown an object onto the roof of the old Save a Lot grocery store on Oneida St. Upon obtaining a ladder the officers then located a loaded .32 caliber handgun that was discarded. All parties were transported to the Utica Police Department for charging and investigative purposes. Through this investigation, an additional loaded .45 caliber loaded handgun was obtained. In total 4 loaded handguns and six parties were detained as part of the shots fired and weapons possession-related offenses. Below is the listing of charges and post-charging status of the parties: Altino Love age 19 of Utica (party fled on foot from Charger): Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the second degree Criminal of a Weapon in the third degree (defaced) Criminal Possession of a Firearm Obstructing Governmental Administration ***Held at OCJ*** 15-year-old juvenile, name withheld due to age (Prior firearm arrest in January 2024) Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the second degree Criminal Possession of a Firearm ***Released at UPD to the care of a guardian*** 15-year-old juvenile, name withheld due to age Obstructing Governmental Administration Resisting Arrest Unlawful Possession of a Replica gun under 16 years of age ***Released at UPD to the care of a guardian*** 16-year-old juvenile, name withheld due to age Making a Terroristic Threat Two pending counts of felony Criminal Mischief ***Released at CAP Court to the care of a guardian*** 14-year-old juvenile, name withheld due to age Family Court Violation of Probation Warrant Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the second degree Criminal Possession of a Firearm ***Held due to warrant*** Gevon Griffin, age 25 of Utica (driver of Charger) Reckless Driving x2 Fleeing Officer in a Motor Vehicle 13 additional NYSV&TL violations ***Released with tickets***

Press Release On January 29, 2024, members of the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office - Civil Division attempted to serve eviction paperwork at 171 Homer Avenue in the City of Cortland. The Deputy Sheriffs were met by the resident, Steven R. Burda, 58, who was in possession of a shotgun. Members from the New York State Police and the City of Cortland Police Department responded to the assist. The Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation for a period of time until ultimately, Cortland Police Lieutenant Cheyenne Cute attempted to disarm Burda using less lethal means, consisting of beanbag impact rounds. The beanbag rounds were ineffective and Burda discharged his shotgun at the Officers, who fortunately were not struck. Cortland County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Sergeant Anthony Phelps then discharged his sidearm, striking Burda in the lower body. Medical care was immediately provided to Burda, who was transported to Update Medical Center in Syracuse. He is in stable condition, recovering, and under guard. The New York State Police have investigated the shooting and obtained an arrest warrant for Burda for Attempted Murder in the 1st Degree. Burda will be arraigned on the warrant following his release from the hospital. Contact Troop C Public Information Officer: Trooper Aga Dembinska Sources: https://troopers.ny.gov/news/update-shooting-investigation-cortland-1

Press Release On January 2, 2024, Troopers arrested Joshua K. Secore, age 29, of Cadyville, NY, and Amanda L. Devins, age 32, of Saranac, NY for petit larceny. On January 2, 2024, at approximately 12:50 p.m., Troopers responded to Wal Mart located on Consumer Square in the town of Plattsburgh, for a larceny complaint.  An investigation determined Secore and Devins entered the store, stealing merchandise valued at $321.45 and passing all points of purchase without paying.  Secore and Devins fled the scene prior to law enforcement arriving. Secore and Devins were located, arrested, and transported to SP Plattsburgh for processing.  They were released on appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Plattsburgh Court for a later date in February.

On February 1, 2024, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation out of SP Lockport arrested Milton J. Jeffries, 57 of Lockport, NY for Burglary 3rd degree, Grand Larceny 4th degree, Obstruction, and Trespassing. On January 25, 2024, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation received a complaint from Home Depot in the town of Lockport for a larceny complaint. The investigation determined from October 2023 to January 2024, Jeffries would enter Home Depot and purchase items on his Home Depot credit card, then leave the store with the items. Jeffries would then return on a later date empty-handed and take items off the shelf, then return items at the return counter for credit on his credit card. Jeffries returned items on 22 occasions fraudulently for a total of $1940.73.  Jeffries denied who he was, claiming Jeffries was his brother until Investigators placed him under arrest. Jeffries was arrested and processed at SP Lockport and transported to Niagara County Jail for centralized arraignment. Contact Troop A Public Information Officer: Trooper James O’Callaghan Sources: https://troopers.ny.gov/news/returning-items-take-items-gets-you-arrested

In the Largest Number of Federal Bribery Charges on a Single Day in DOJ History, 70 Current and Former Employees of the NYCHA Have Been Charged with Allegedly Accepting Cash Payments from Contractors in Exchange for Awarding NYCHA Contracts Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States; Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”); Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”); Rae Oliver Davis, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (“HUD OIG”); and Jonathan Mellone, the Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), announced the unsealing of bribery and extortion charges against 70 current and former employees of the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”).  66 of the 70 defendants were arrested this morning in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and North Carolina.  Defendants who were arrested in the New York area are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judges Stewart D. Aaron, Sarah L. Cave, Valerie Figueredo, Sarah Netburn, Katharine H. Parker, Gary Stein, and Ona T. Wang in Manhattan federal court later today. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Instead of acting in the interests of NYCHA residents, the City of New York, or taxpayers, the 70 defendants charged today allegedly used their jobs at NYCHA to line their own pockets.  This action is the largest single-day bribery takedown in the history of the Justice Department.  NYCHA residents deserve better.  My Office is firmly committed to cleaning up the corruption that has plagued NYCHA for far too long so that its residents can be served with integrity and have the high-quality affordable homes that they deserve.  The culture of corruption at NYCHA ends today." Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “The Justice Department will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who abuse their positions in public service in order to enrich themselves.  The crimes alleged in this case are serious violations of the public trust, and I am grateful to the agents and our partners across government who worked on this case, and to the prosecutors in the Southern District of New York for their tireless efforts to root out corruption.” DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “As charged, these 70 current and former NYCHA supervisors and other staff used their positions of public trust and responsibility to pocket bribes in exchange for doling out no-bid contracts.  The extensive bribery and extortion alleged here calls for significant reforms to NYCHA’s no-bid contracting process, which DOI has recommended and NYCHA has accepted.  I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and our federal law enforcement partners for their commitment to protecting scarce public resources intended to maintain public housing and to hold accountable public servants who abuse their authority, and NYCHA’s senior leadership for its cooperation in this important investigation.” HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: “These 70 defendants are accused of demanding kickbacks and bribes for access to no-bid contracts and lucrative, under-the-table deals.  Make no mistake, this alleged pervasive corruption had the biggest impact on NYCHA residents themselves, who may have been cheated out of better services and programs.  I commend the outstanding work of HSI New York’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force for today’s historic operation.  As one of the largest investigative agencies, the public can rest assured: Homeland Security Investigations will pursue all avenues of justice for the people of this great city.” HUD OIG Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis said: “The pay-to-play bribery schemes alleged in the complaints unsealed today waste millions of dollars and risk residents staying in unacceptable living conditions.  The alleged conduct identified during this investigation harms the effectiveness of housing programs that support more than 200,000 residents.  It also poses a significant risk to the integrity of the HUD rental assistance programs that support housing assistance in New York City and erodes the trust of NYCHA residents in HUD’s programs.  We will continue our work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to prevent and detect these and other schemes.” DOL-OIG Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone said: “An important part of our mission is to investigate corruption and fraud involving matters within the jurisdiction of the Office of Inspector General.  We are committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who exploit governmental programs and the American workers.” According to the allegations in the Complaints and publicly filed documents in these cases:[1] NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in the country, providing housing to 1 in 17 New Yorkers in 335 developments across the City and receiving over $1.5 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development every year.  When repairs or construction work require the use of outside contractors, services must typically be purchased via a bidding process.  However, at all times relevant to the Complaints, when the value of a contract was under a certain threshold (up to $10,000), designated staff at NYCHA developments could hire a contractor of their choosing without soliciting multiple bids.  This “no-bid” process was faster than the general NYCHA procurement process, and the selection of the contractor required the approval of only the designated staff at the development where the work was to be performed. The defendants, all of whom were NYCHA employees during the time of the relevant conduct, demanded and received cash in exchange for NYCHA contracts by either requiring contractors to pay upfront in order to be awarded the contracts or requiring payment after the contractor finished the work and needed an NYCHA employee to sign off on the completed job so the contractor could receive payment from NYCHA.  As alleged, the defendants typically demanded approximately 10% to 20% of the contract value—between $500 and $2,000 depending on the size of the contract—but some defendants demanded even higher amounts.  In total, these defendants demanded over $2 million in corrupt payments from contractors in exchange for awarding over $13 million worth of no-bid contracts.  The map below shows the developments affected by the alleged conduct: If you believe you have information related to bribery, extortion, or any other illegal conduct by NYCHA employees, please contact OIGNYCHA@doi.nyc.gov or (212) 306-3356.  If you were involved in such conduct, please consider self-disclosing through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at USANYS.WBP@usdoj.gov. * The names of the defendants, the charges against them, their ages, and their cities and states of residence are set forth below. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of DOI, HSI, HUD OIG, and DOL-OIG, which work together collaboratively as part of the HSI Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, as well as the special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  Mr. Williams thanked the New York City Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance with today’s arrest operations.  Mr. Williams also expressed appreciation for the cooperation and support of NYCHA’s senior executive leadership and thanked NYCHA Federal Monitor Bart Schwartz for his assistance with the investigation. These prosecutions are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. These cases are being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry J. Fang, Jacob R. Fiddelman, Meredith Foster, Catherine Ghosh, and Sheb Swett are in charge of the prosecutions. The charges contained in the Complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaints and the description of the Complaints set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation. Contact Nicholas Biase, Lauren Scarff(212) 637-2600 Updated February 6, 2024

On January 29, 2024, Troopers out of SP Olean arrested Charles H. Green, 63 of Alabama, NY for Driving While Intoxicated by drugs and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th degree. Troopers arrested Danny W. Hamm, 62 of Alabama, NY for Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd degree (C Felony) and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th degree. On January 29, 2024, at 7:00 P.M., Troopers out of SP Olean responded to a vehicle collision on I-86 eastbound in the town of Carrollton, NY. Investigation determined that the operator lost control of the vehicle while in motion. The operator, Green showed signs of impairment and failed SFSTs. The passenger, Hamm was in possession of a Smith and Wesson .38 Caliber revolver. Hamm does not possess a pistol permit. Both possessed Methamphetamine. Hamm was arraigned and remanded to Cattaraugus County Jail on $2,500 bail. Both are to appear at the Town of Carrollton Court later in February 2024. Sources: https://troopers.ny.gov/news/vehicle-collision-results-drug-and-gun-arrest

Press Release On January 29, 2024, at approximately 4:00 p.m., troopers from SP Rochester Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiated a traffic stop on a 2016 Nissan Rogue for no seat belt on Hudson Avenue in the city of Rochester. The suspect vehicle fled northbound on Hudson Avenue, and a police pursuit ensued. The operator, later identified as Delassaio Grimes, age 35, of Churchville, NY, lost control of the vehicle in the area of Hudson Avenue and Pulaski Street, striking four uninvolved vehicles. Grimes then exited the vehicle and fled on foot. After a brief foot pursuit, Grimes was apprehended. Grimes was transported to SP Rochester for processing. He was charged with Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs: Prior Conviction (E Felony), Obstruction of Governmental Administration 2nd (A Misdemeanor), Unlawful Fleeing a Police Office in a Motor Vehicle 3rd (A Misdemeanor), Reckless Driving (Unclassified Misdemeanor), and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 2nd (Unclassified Misdemeanor). Grimes was issued an appearance ticket to the City of Rochester Court on February 22, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. Grimes was released to a sober third party. The uninvolved 2020 Honda Civic CRX operator, Sintrel L. Lee, age 28, of Rochester, NY, and a two-year-old female passenger were transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by AMR Ambulance. Lee was arrested for Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a child as a passenger (E Felony). Lee was issued an appearance ticket for the City of Rochester Court on February 26, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. Sources: https://troopers.ny.gov/news/two-are-arrested-after-pursuit-city-rochester Contact Troop E Public Information Officer: Trooper Lynnea Crane Contact us by phone: Office(585) 398-4169 Cell (585)944-8483 Contact us by email: LYNNEA.CRANE@troopers.ny.go

Press Release On January 30, 2024, Troopers from SP Malone responded to a one-car fatal motor vehicle accident on State Route 30, in the town of Malone. A preliminary investigation revealed a brown 2013 Honda Odyssey operated by Francis D. Perry, age 25, of Malone, NY exited the roadway, entered the west shoulder of State Route 30, and came to rest in a small pond.  Perry was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced deceased at the scene by the Franklin County Coroner. The New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Underwater Recovery Team, and Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene. State Police were assisted at the scene by Malone Fire and Rescue. This is an active investigation. Sources: https://troopers.ny.gov/news/state-police-investigate-car-fatal-state-route-30-town-malone