A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following a home invasion and assault in Geneva, with a murder charge pending against him in another county. Eddie Marte of Rockland County, New York was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Tuesday, by the Ontario County Judge Brian Dennis, after pleading guilty to charges of burglary, kidnapping, robbery, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Marte and Malik Weems were arrested by Geneva police in April 2021 after they were accused of holding a man at gunpoint, beating him with belts and cords, punching and kicking him, and burning him with a knife. Weems is awaiting trial.
The incident was described as a “direct, targeted attack” by Police Chief Mike Passalacqua. In addition to Marte and Weems, Thomas Bovaird of Horseheads, Chemung County, faces charges of murder, kidnapping, and assault in the death of a New York City man in 2021. Police believe the man was kidnapped and tortured in the Elmira area and his body dumped in northern Pennsylvania.
During the investigation, police searched a residence and two vehicles after obtaining a warrant, seizing two handguns (one reported stolen), about a pound of crystal methamphetamine, 1.4 pounds of heroin, 1 ounce of suspected cocaine, and about $5,000. Prosecutors said the street value of the drugs was about $75,000.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].