On March 11, the New York State Police from the Rhinebeck barracks arrested Kevin M. Werner, 60, of Poughkeepsie, for three counts of Possession of a Sexual Performance by a Child, a class E felony.

Investigation by the Rhinebeck Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Troop K Computer Crimes Unit, and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office determined Werner possessed multiple images containing what he knew or believed to be child pornography.

Werner was arraigned before the town of Milan Court, and remanded by the Honorable Judge Mattson to the Dutchess County Jail in lieu of $15,000 cash bail or $30,000 secure bond. Werner is next scheduled to appear before the town of Poughkeepsie Court on March 13 at 2 p.m.

A Saugerties man faces misdemeanor charges after he allegedly drove onto the race course during Kingston’s annual Shamrock Run on Sunday, March 10 and resisted police efforts to remove him from his vehicle.

Kingston police say the incident occurred around 1:15 p.m. while the Shamrock Run was underway and Broadway was closed to vehicular traffic. According to police, David Roy Cardell, 75, drove his 2013 Chevy pickup truck from the parking lot of the Burger King at the corner of East Chester Street onto Broadway, nearly striking several runners. When police approached Cardell’s vehicle, police said, he ignored commands to turn off the engine and get out of the truck. An officer reached through the driver’s side window to grab the keys from the ignition, police said, but couldn’t remove Cardell from the truck because he had locked the doors. Officers eventually broke the passenger-side window to enter the truck and remove Cardell, police said.

Cardell was charged with misdemeanor counts of reckless driving, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration. He was released with tickets and ordered to appear in Kingston City Court on Monday, March 18.

Jolene Roy

In early January 2019 State Police at Middletown were contacted by officials in the Orange County town of Crawford regarding irregularities with the books and accounts within the Town Clerk’s office. After an extensive investigation, investigators allege that approximately $20,000 had been stolen by Town Clerk Jolene Roy, 44, of Pine Bush. Roy has held the elected position since 2014.

Roy was charged with third-degree grand larceny and first-degree tampering with public records, both felonies. She was additionally charged with second-degree falsifying business records, a misdemeanor.  She was arraigned in the Town of Wallkill Court and released on her own recognizance.  State Police were assisted by the New York State Comptroller’s Office and the Town of Crawford Police Dept.

This image provided by law enforcement shows the two suspects in the robberies.

Two thieves who police believe targeted a pair of gun stores in the Town of Ulster last month are now in the crosshairs of a federal investigation.

On March 8, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Shooting Sports Foundation announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the unidentified individuals.

“We want to get these individuals in pocket as soon as possible,” said ATF spokesman Matthew Fleming this week. “Because we don’t want to see innocent people get hurt.”

The first burglary occurred on Feb. 23 when, authorities said, two individuals — their features partially obscured by hooded sweatshirts — forced their way into Ruger’s Custom Guns at 1050 Morton Boulevard around 1:30 a.m. The thieves made off with a long gun, police said.

Police believe the same pair struck again on Feb. 27 when they broke into Safeshoot, an indoor shooting range and gun shop at 10 Kieffer Lane. In that incident, the thieves made off with two handguns and ammunition. Cops are investigating whether the same duo are behind a Feb. 22 burglary in Kingston that netted additional firearms.

There are no federal or state laws mandating security measures at licensed gun stores. But Town of Ulster Police Chief Kyle Berardi said that both of the targeted retailers had security cameras and other security measures in place. In both cases, Berardi said, the thieves simply forced their way into the business, grabbed whatever they could easily access and fled.

“Both owners have been fully cooperative,” said Berardi of the investigation. “I don’t think there’s anything they could have done to avoid it.”

While thefts of firearms from residences or vehicles are prosecuted at the state level, theft of a firearm from a “Federal Firearms Licensee” is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Most Federal Firearms Licensees are gun dealers who undergo rigorous background checks and must comply with strict record-keeping and other guidelines to maintain their license. The license allows for interstate sale and transportation of guns and, in some cases, allows holders to keep firearms like machine guns which are prohibited to the general public.

Thefts from gun stores, along with legal purchases by straw buyers working on behalf of criminal organizations and more routine thefts from homes, are the primary ways guns make it onto the lucrative black market. ATF sources, however, say gun store heists for trafficking purposes are more common in the South while burglaries in New York are more often the work of drug addicts looking to make fast money, or people seeking a gun to use in a crime. In 2017, there were five reported thefts from federal firearms license holders, accounting for 102 stolen guns. By contrast, Texas reported 57 FFL burglaries accounting for 769 stolen guns in the same year. Nationwide, 7,488 guns were lost to burglaries from FFL’s in 2016.

Anyone with information about either burglary or the stolen firearms should contact ATF at 1-888-ATF-GUNS (888-283-4867), the Ulster Police Department at (845) 382-1111, the Kingston Police Department at (845)331-1671 or email ATFTips@atf.gov or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf/atf-tips. Tips may also be submitted to the ATF through the Reportit app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com. All tips will remain confidential.

According to a press release sent out from the New York State Comptroller’s office the afternoon of March 20, former West Hurley fire department chief David Gutierrez and current commissioner Michael “Bucky” VanValkenburgh, a former chairman for the West Hurley Fire District, each pleaded guilty in Hurley Town Court, Tuesday night, March 19, to official misconduct following their earlier arrests for using fire district resources to support Woodstock Landscaping & Excavating, a business belonging to Gutierrez’ wife.  

Gutierrez pleaded guilty Tuesday evening to official misconduct and petit larceny, and received a sentence of a two year conditional discharge, $10,000 fine and an agreement to leave the fire department for at least five years.

VanValkenburgh received the same sentence regarding discharge, fine, and agreement to leave the department, but only pleaded to official misconduct. Hurley Town Supervisor John Perry said on Wednesday, March 20, that according to VanValkenburgh’s sentencing agreement, and the West Hurley Fire District’s governing policies and procedures, he would have to be removed from the board of commissioners until his five year ban is completed.

It was uncertain, as of press time, whether VanValkenburgh was going to resign his position on the five member West Hurley Fire District board of commissioners.

When first arrested on February 8 the two men were initially charged with abusing their authority and costing the district over $30,000 since 2012. Specifically, Gutierrez was accused of using the fire district water tanker to fill ponds, mix concrete and water plants and used a fire district vehicle to travel for the business. VanValkenburgh, who also worked for Woodstock Landscaping & Excavating, was initially accused of defrauding the district of $20,755 by laundering payments through a relative, who had a cleaning contract with the fire district.

Members of the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations report the arrest of 25 individuals on March 20.

According to police, the investigation involved members of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of crack cocaine, as well as heroin laced with fentanyl, over a two-year period, in and around the village of Ellenville.

The following defendants were arrested and charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances. They are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of New York:

• Antonio Naveo aka “Gratto” aka “Green Eyes”, 38, of Ellenville
• Margaret Vandyke, 56, of Ellenville
• Iqwan Mandiville aka “Qwan”, 26, of Ellenville
• Randy Mandiville aka“B-Murda”, 30 of Ellenville
• Jennifer McCombs aka “Jennifer Marks”, 49, of Ellenville
• Edwin Jorge, 46, of Ellenville.
• Luis Curet, 34, of Ellenville

The following defendants were arrested and charged with state charges being prosecuted by the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office:

(Note: The identities of suspects assigned the names John and Jane Doe will be revealed when their indictments are unsealed, according to the county DA’s office as quoted in local media reports.)

• Philip Ordway, 47, of Ellenville – The felonies of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (two counts), third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (two counts) and the misdemeanor of second-degree criminal use of a public benefit card (two counts). He was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash or $20,000 secured bond.
• Jane Doe, 23, of Ellenville – The felonies of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (two counts) and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (two counts). She was previously indicted by an Ulster County Grand Jury and was remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail.
• John Doe, 38, of Ellenville – The felonies of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (one count) and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (one count). He was previously indicted by an Ulster County Grand Jury and was remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail.
• John Doe, 39, of Ellenville – The felonies of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (one count) and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (one count). He was previously indicted by an Ulster County Grand Jury and was remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail.
• Jane Doe, 28, of Ellenville – The felonies of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (four counts) and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (four counts). She was previously indicted by an Ulster County Grand Jury and was remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail.
• John Doe, 19, of Ellenville – The felonies of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance(two counts) and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (two counts). He was previously indicted by an Ulster County Grand Jury and was remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail.
• Naja Mandiville, 27, of Ellenville – The felonies of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (one count), third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (one count) and third-degree welfare fraud (7 counts). She posted $1,000 cash bail at arraignment and was released.
• Jade Shorten, 20, of Wurtsboro – The felonies of second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (one count) and Criminal Facilitation in the 2nd Degree (one count). She was released on her own recognizance.
• Charles Jones, 31, of Monticello – The felonies of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (one count) and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree (one count). He was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash or $20,000 secured bond.
• Aqwasha Mandiville, 25, of Ellenville – The felonies of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (two counts) and third-degree welfare fraud (four counts). She was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $5000 cash or $10,000 secured bond.
• Melissa Quick, 39, of Ellenville – The misdemeanor of second-degree criminal use of a public benefit card (one count). She was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $500 cash or $1,000 secured bond.
• Paula Sciancalepore- The misdemeanor of second-degree criminal use of a public benefit card (two counts). She was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash or $5,000 secured bond.
• Shadell Zackery, 36, of Ellenville – The felony of third-degree welfare fraud (three counts). She was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash or $5,000 secured bond.
• Fatima Mandiville, 32, of Ellenville- The felony of third-degree welfare fraud (two counts). She was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash or $10,000 secured bond.
• Melida Naveo, 62, of Ellenville- The felony of third-degree welfare fraud (one count). She posted $1,000 cash bail at arraignment and was released.
• Tyriq Whitehead, 20, of Ellenville – The felony of third-degree welfare fraud (one count). He was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash or $10,000 secured bond.
• Robin Shaver, 57, of Ellenville – The misdemeanor of second-degree criminal use of a public benefit card (five counts). She was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $500 cash or $1,000 secured bond.
• Melinda Baker, 51, of Ellenville – The misdemeanor second-degree criminal use of a public benefit card (one count). She was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $500 cash or $1,000 secured bond.

The following agencies assisted with the investigation: U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of New York, Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Ellenville Police Department, Ulster County District Attorney’s Office and the New York State Office of Disability and Temporary Assistance.

(Governor’s Office)

William Sullivan

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and acting State Police Superintendent Keith Corlett announced the arrest of 21-year-old William Sullivan of Saugerties, who was charged with second-degree aggravated harassment, a class A misdemeanor, following an alleged anti-Semitic incident at a local health food store.

The arrest is the result of an investigation into an incident that occurred March 13 at Mother’s Earth’s Storehouse on Kings Mall Court in Ulster. A female employee, who is Jewish, reported that she was in the cooler with another co-worker when Sullivan came into the doorway, shut off the lights, and made an anti-Semitic remark, “You’re in the gas chamber now,” followed by “You f—ing Jew.”

“Bias-related crimes, hate crimes, are not just wrong, they’re not just unethical, they’re not just immoral, they are illegal,” said Cuomo.

While he gave the caveat that this particular was only an allegation at this point, Cuomo took the occasion to speak about a rise in hate crimes. He said that from 2016-17, anti-Semitic attacks increased 60 percent nationwide and 90 percent in New York State. “We see a virus of hate that is spreading across this country, that is spreading across this globe,” said the governor, according to a transcript provided by his office. “We see anti-Muslim activity, what we just saw in New Zealand. We see anti-Semitism all across the country, recently in the Pittsburgh Synagogue. Anti-Latino activity, anti-Puerto Rico activity…”

He vowed to prosecute all hate crimes to the fullest extent of the law.

“If you attack a Jewish person, you attack me. If you attack a Muslim person, you attack me. You attack an LGBTQ member, you attack me. That’s the New York credo.”

In his remarks, Superintendent Corlett restated the basic circumstances of the case, noting that the victim was “horrified” by the incident, mentioned that the investigation included the interview of one witness, and characterized the alleged incident as a “hate crime.”

A Kingston man, who tried unsuccessfully to outrun a K-9, and a Saugerties woman were arrested by sheriff’s deputies and now face numerous charges after a traffic stop in the Town of Esopus.

According to deputies, on March 23 at 2:30 p.m. deputies spotted Alyssa Mayer, 28, of Saugerties driving on Route 9W. Knowing there was an active bench warrant out on Meyer for a misdemeanor drug charge, deputies pulled her over. Investigation revealed she was driving with a suspended license and without a court-ordered ignition interlock device in the car.

During the investigation, Jamell Schleede, 34, of Kingston, a passenger in the vehicle, fled on foot, but was apprehended by sheriff’s K-9 Dozer and, deputies said, found to have heroin on him. He was evaluated at the hospital for injuries sustained from the K-9 and released.

Schleede was charged with the felonies of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence, and the misdemeanors of resisting arrest and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Mayer was charged with the misdemeanors of second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the second degree, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device.

Schleede and Mayer were both arraigned in Esopus Town Court, with Mayer being sent to Ulster County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 secured bond and Schleede without bail.

Deputies were assisted by state troopers and Town of Esopus Volunteer Ambulance Squad.

Yesterday at 5:30 p.m., Saugerties Police responded to Cottonwood Drive in the Town of Saugerties for a report of a pedestrian struck by an automobile.

Police said 57-year-old Gloria Dee of Beaverkill Road, Olivebridge, was operating a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta, when she backed her vehicle up, striking 65-year-old Scott Steyer of Cottonwood Drive.

Steyer was treated at the scene by paramedics from Diaz Ambulance and then transported to the Heath Alliance Broadway Campus in Kingston for treatment of a fractured leg.

Dee was taken into custody at the scene for operating her motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

According to police, Dee and Steyer had been out drinking and Dee had just dropped Steyer off at his residence, when Steyer began to walk down his driveway to check his mailbox, just as Dee backed her vehicle up, striking Steyer, knocking him to the ground and then running over his leg.

Dee was processed at Saugerties Police Headquarters on the felony of second-degree vehicular assault and the misdemeanors of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol in addition to operating a motor vehicle with a BAC greater than .08 percent. Dee was arraigned in the Town of Saugerties Justice Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail in Lieu of $20,000 cash bail.

Seth Young (KPD photo)

A Woodstock man with a long rap sheet is facing felony charges after he allegedly violated an order of protection by breaking into a Midtown home and assaulting a resident. Seth T. Young, 44, of Wittenberg Road was arrested around 6 a.m. on March 24 following an investigation by Kingston police into a burglary and assault earlier that morning.  

According to police, the incident occurred around 2:56 a.m. when Young allegedly broke into a house on Prospect Street and assaulted a resident. Cops say Young knew the residents of the house and one of them had an active Family Court order of protection against him. Kingston police officers located Young a few hours after the assault and took him into custody. He’s charged with felony counts of first-degree burglary and first-degree criminal contempt. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault. Following his arraignment in Kingston City Court, Young was sent to the Ulster County Jail without bail.

State records show that Young was released from prison on parole in May of last year after serving 20 months for forgery. In addition, Young has served three previous terms in New York prisons for burglary, assault, and possession of stolen property.

New York State Police Captain Michael Drake, Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa. (Photo by David Gordon)

The use of Narcan in combating the opioid crisis, issues around river and creek safety in the area, overcrowded jails, licensing for off-road vehicles, the increasing role of the Department of Environmental Protection in policing the area, mental health services, and the use of body cameras in police work were all areas of concern as 46 attendees heard Captain Michael Drake of the New York State Police, Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa and Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra, speak of the importance of community involvement in keeping their areas safe. 

“We have about 185,000 citizens in Ulster County…Some towns don’t have police departments, so we have to work with local and state agencies,” said Drake at the community policing forum March 21 at the Frank Greco Senior Center. “It really takes community involvement as well — you save lives when you pick up the phone and call me, or the Chief here, and go: ‘Listen, I drive this route every day and there’s always speeding here.’”

Building a closer relationship between law enforcement agencies and the communities they police was a recurring topic of discussion. 

“I am a big proponent of community policing — you have to know your folks, who belongs where, who they are, in order to be able to better serve them. That’s a huge part of policing,” stressed Drake. “You’re not missing that here. Community policing is huge in Ulster County, it is so, so valuable and you have to impress that upon the men and women you serve.” 

Apart from the role of community reporters in helping to curb would-be-speeders on their streets, the forum attempted to highlight the importance of community support in policing other issues, such as homelessness, drug use, and domestic abuse. “It comes down to communicating with us — if you hear that there’s a domestic violence issue next door, you’re going to have to make that phone call if you want to save someone’s life. You have to trust us, and we have to trust folks,” commented Figueroa. “In the community that I come from, I saw it on a regular, daily basis. Neighbors, family members don’t want to get involved, but you have to get involved. You have to pick up the phone.”

While local Saugerties officers and Sheriff’s deputies are fitted with body cameras, state troopers have yet to implement them. Sinagra said that they had become an integral part of the Saugerties police department process.

“We had the union that didn’t want it, and I had them agree to let us do it was a pilot program,” he said of the shift in 2014. “After six months, my cops demanded that we wore body cameras — it reduced personnel complaints by 90 percent. Every single one of our police officers, including myself, wears a body cam — it’s issued to you just like your weapon. Sometimes, someone is yelling at an officer, and they are showing great restraint. If it weren’t for the camera, they wouldn’t show such great restraint. And when people realize that the officer has a body camera, their tone changes too. It allows us to stop yelling and talk to each other. As long as I am police chief, we will have body cameras — I have not had one instance where it hurt a police officer.”

Also discussed was the size and diversity of each department: in Saugerties there are 20 full-time and 15 part-time officers and there are 160 corrections officers are employed by the sheriff’s department. All of these, the department heads said, including the state police, were predominantly white men. Within the state police, 23 percent of officers are minorities, and about fifteen percent are female. Sinagra said that when he took up his position as Saugerties chief, the department only had one non-white officer and no women; now, there are three female and two non-white officers. Within the 160 corrections officers working in the county, ten of them are non-white.

One larger topic of debate was the recent push towards allowing New York State drivers licenses to be obtained by undocumented immigrants, an idea that Sinagra has supported publicly via local news publications. One forum attendee questioned why the agencies would be on board with the practice, and whether this might serve to attract immigrants to the area. 

“I have extensive experience in law enforcement. Before 9/11, anyone could get a driver’s license, documented, or otherwise,” shared Figueroa with an attendee riled-up by what he perceived as a growing acceptance of undocumented immigrants in the community. “This is not anything new — it was like this before. My job is public safety, I’d rather have people that are insured and licensed on the road. Having a driver’s license for someone that could get insurance, documented or otherwise, is important. [Licenses] also let me get to know who’s in this county. It’s my responsibility. If someone commits a crime, I want to know who that person is. Any law enforcement officer would say the same.”

Chief Sinagra spoke extensively on the issue as well, giving a take closer to home. “[Undocumented immigrants] being here is a federal crime — we cannot enforce that. I can tell you that we have several hundred undocumented aliens in Saugerties. The problem is, I don’t know exactly who they are. We aren’t looking to go against the law, we’re asking that it be changed, the way it was prior to 9/11. My personal stance, which is not the position of the town of Saugerties, is that I agree with the Sheriff. I want people to travel safely. I don’t want someone on Main and Partition Street driving while undocumented, who gets pulled over by an officer and races past Cahill to hit a bunch of kids.”

Last night at 7 p.m., Saugerties Police responded to 67 Partition St. for a report of an intoxicated male hanging in the hallway of the apartment building. Upon arrival, officers located the individual, identified as 22-year-old Timothy Blagbrough of Brooklyn.

According to police, Blagbrough was highly intoxicated, and while officers were conducting their interview, an officer observed that Blagbrough was armed with a handgun, a Smith and Wesson .38 Special revolver which was concealed in Blagbrough waist band.

Blagbrough, who does not possess a permit to possess a firearm, was taken into custody and transported back to Saugerties Police Headquarters, where Blagbrough was processed on the Felony of Criminal Possession of a Firearm.

Blagbrough was arraigned in the Village of Saugerties Justice Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail. Blagbrough is scheduled to reappear in the Village of Saugerties Justice Court on April 11, 2019 to answer his charge.

An incident which began with anger and peeing in the bushes ended in felony charges early Sunday morning for a Saugerties man.

According to Ulster town police, officers got a call from a local business that a customer was belligerent to its employees and before leaving, “urinated in the shrubbery” outside the business. Workers got the man’s license plate number and shortly before 6 a.m. on April 7 pulled over and arrested Thomas Tommola, 27, of Saugerties. According to police, Tommola was intoxicated, and was driving even though his license had been revoked.

Tommola was charged, police said, with felony drunken driving and first-degree unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He was also charged with the misdemeanors of second-degree unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device and the violation of disorderly conduct.

Tommola was arraigned in Ulster Town Court and sent to Ulster County Jail on no bail pending a future court appearance.

On April 10, the New York State Police from the Rhinebeck barracks arrested Derek E. Guzman, 34, of Hyde Park, and Sara M. Gumaer, 33, of Poughkeepsie, for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 4th degree, a class C felony, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 5th degree, a class D felony, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th degree, a class A misdemeanor. Guzman was additionally arrested for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the 2nd degree, an unclassified misdemeanor.

At approximately 2:30 a.m., troopers conducted a traffic stop on a 2000 Mercury Marquis on State Route 9 in the town of Poughkeepsie. Police said a search found approximately 7.8 grams of heroin, 0.8 grams of cocaine, and 8.6 grams of Naloxone. In addition, Guzman, who was operating the vehicle, had five suspensions on his license.

Guzman and Gumaer were both arraigned before the town of Stanford Court, and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail.  Guzman was remanded in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 secure bond.  Gumaer was remanded in lieu of $8,000 cash bail or $10,000 secure bond.  Both subjects were scheduled to appear before the town of Poughkeepsie Court on April 10, 2019, at 2:00 p.m.

The suspect

Town of Poughkeepsie Police are seeking information about a theft that took place at a pet supply yard sale fundraiser on Saturday.

According to a Facebook post by the Poughkeepsie-based Hudson Valley Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, the phone and wallet of a volunteer, which contained the proceeds from the fundraiser, were stolen during the sale. The phone was found using a locator app, a mile away, destroyed.

The suspect, a woman in a long-sleeve light blue shirt, was caught on video, which can be viewed here. It shows the suspect grab the volunteer’s wallet and phone and place it in her back pocket. Anyone who knows the identity of this person is asked to contact the Town of Poughkeepsie Police at 845-485-3666.

The post has received over 2700 shares on Facebook. Here’s what the organization posted today:

Wow we are overwhelmed by how far this has reached! We really appreciate the outpouring of support. We want to share that we are not looking for donations out of this; we are more upset that someone would steal from a non-profit’s yard sale (and especially a volunteer’s phone and wallet!) than over the amount of money taken. If anyone wants to support us since this happened, you are welcome to come and visit our animals, bring donations of dog or cat food, blankets and towels, etc. Thank you all for looking out for us.

Hudson Valley Animal Rescue and Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) charity organization that rescues domestic and farm animals and rehabilitates wildlife. It also runs a low-cost vet clinic with wellness appointments for cats and dogs, and a spay/neuter program for cats, dogs and rabbits.

After, town police said, he threatened another person with a 12-gauge shotgun in front of two children on April 23, Allen L. Lawless of Saugerties, 48, was charged with a slew of misdemeanors: second-degree menacing, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree attempted assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Police said that the children in the incident were 10 and 14. Lawless was released on his own recognizance after he was arraigned in town court; all firearms were seized from his home by police upon a court order.

The Kingston Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) concluded an investigation yesterday into the sale of heroin and fentanyl from a residence on Janet Street in the City of Kingston with the arrests of Bruce M. Gilmore of Kingston, Ashley A. Skinnider of Kingston, and Robert A. Kovacs of West Shokan. Both Gilmore and Skinnider were recently indicted by an Ulster County grand jury in regards to the investigation, according to police.

New York State Police arrested a Red Hook couple Monday on felony fraud and theft charges following an investigation into thefts from the financial accounts of victims who employed them as caretakers.

Shelby M. Blanchard, 32, was arrested for second-degree grand larceny, four counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument, fourteen counts of second-degree identity theft, all felonies, and 356 counts of third-degree identity theft, a misdemeanor.

Alan W. Blanchard, 35, was arrested for third-degree identity theft, third-degree unlawful possession of personal identification, petit larceny, and sixth-degree conspiracy, all misdemeanors.

Police say the Blanchards were employed by the victims in a caretaking capacity, and used their positions to gain access to financial accounts belonging to the victims. Over the course of two years, police allege the Blanchards stole over $50,000 U.S. dollars via financial institution bank/credit cards, personal checks, and automatic teller withdrawals from accounts belonging to the victim.

Alan Blanchard was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the town of Rhinebeck Court on May 9.

Shelby Blanchard was arraigned before the town of Rhinebeck Court, and remanded by the Honorable Judge Kane to the Dutchess County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 secure bond.  Shelby Blanchard is next scheduled to appear before the Court on April 26.

If anyone believes they may have been a victim of theft or fraud by Alan or Shelby Blanchard, they are asked to please contact Investigator Radewitz of the New York State Police at (845) 677-7300.  Please reference SJS# 8273264.

Police say a registered sex offender and another resident of a Janet Street home sold heroin and fentanyl from the house. A local alderman, meanwhile, said that the house had been a persistent source of neighborhood complaints in the year leading up to the bust.

On April 23, Bruce M. Gilmore, 47, and Ashley A. Skinnider (age not provided) of Kingston were arrested by Kingston police and charged with felony third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. Robert A. Kovacs, 30, of West Shokan was charged with misdemeanor seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance following the raid by members of the KPD’s Special Investigations Unit. In a press release, KPD officials said that the arrests followed an investigation of heroin and fentanyl sales at the couple’s residence.

Common Council Majority Leader Rennie Scott-Childress (D-Ward 3) said that the house at 35 Janet St. had generated a number of complaints over the past year, including a report to the city’s Building and Safety Division about trash in the yard and a rat infestation. “They were not good neighbors,” said Scott-Childress.

State records show that Gilmore is a registered sex offender. In 2002 he was convicted of felony second-degree sexual abuse in the second degree involving a child less than 14 years old. Gilmore and Skinnider were sent to the Ulster County Jail pending arraignment. Kovacs was released with an appearance ticket returnable to Kingston City Court.

Ryan Williams

On April 30, a jury of ten men and two women convicted Ryan Williams, 29, of Poughkeepsie, on charges of murder in the second degree; aggravated vehicular homicide (four counts); unlawful fleeing from a police officer in the first degree, assault in the second degree (two counts) and aggravated operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree.

The case stems from an incident on July 1, 2018 on Route 299 in the Town of Lloyd where Williams, travelling in excess of 100 MPH while fleeing from police, struck and killed Danielle Pecoraro, 39, of New Paltz, while she was driving east in a Ford 150 pickup truck. Pecoraro’s daughter and a passenger in a vehicle following the pickup truck were seriously injured.

According to the District Attorney’s office, in convicting the defendant of murder, the jury found that Williams acted with depraved indifference to human life.

Moments before the crash, police received a civilian 911 complaint of a man operating a Porshe Cayenne in an erratic manner on Route 9W. The Town of Lloyd Police Department pulled Williams’ vehicle over as it turned from 9W onto Route 299. As the officer approached Williams’ vehicle, witnesses observed Williams throw a glass object out of the driver’s window and flee at an excessively high rate of speed from the officer. Travelling at speeds at times in excess of 120 MPH and passing vehicles on the right shoulder, Williams approached the South Street intersection before losing control of his vehicle and killing Pecoraro. The force of the impact literally tore the Porsche in half and crushed the pickup truck.

Williams’ BAC at the time of the crash was .33.

The case was prosecuted by Sr. Assistant District Attorneys Joey Drillings and Lisa Bondarenka. The defendant will be scheduled for sentencing before County Court Judge Donald Williams at a future date