The Ontario County District Attorney’s Office announced several significant court outcomes between June 13 and June 23, including multiple sentencings for serious felony offenses and guilty pleas in a range of criminal cases.
Sentencings for Felony Offenses
On June 18, John Yarger was sentenced to seven years in state prison followed by 20 years of post-release supervision for Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child. The case stemmed from incidents occurring between June 2017 and August 2018 in the City of Canandaigua. Yarger was arrested in April 2019 by Canandaigua Police.
Also sentenced that day, Brandon Phelps received 6 to 12 years in state prison after being found guilty in a bench trial on five counts of Aggravated Family Offense, related to incidents in Canandaigua spanning late 2022 through mid-2023.
On June 23, Dakota Porteus was sentenced to one year in county jail on each count of Attempted Assault in the Second Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, stemming from a 2022 incident in the Town of Manchester. The sentences will run concurrently.
Natasha Smith, who pleaded guilty to Assault in the Second Degree and Criminal Contempt in the First Degree, was sentenced to three years in state prison followed by three years of post-release supervision. The charges stemmed from an August 2024 incident in Canandaigua.
Guilty Pleas Entered in DWI, Weapon, and Drug Cases
On June 19, Thomas Conroy pleaded guilty to Driving While Intoxicated as a Class E felony for a November 2024 offense in the Town of Richmond. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 18.
That same day, Jara Jenkins-Carmichael admitted guilt to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree following her 2024 arrest in the Town of Canandaigua. Sentencing is scheduled for September 1.
Thomas Lapp also pleaded guilty on June 19 to Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree and Driving While Intoxicated for an October 2024 incident in the Town of Geneva. He will be sentenced in June 2026.
Lastly, Jessica Shoemaker pleaded guilty to felony DWI for an April 2025 arrest in the Town of Victor. Her sentencing is also set for August 18.
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