Police arrested a Prattsburgh man with multiple outstanding felony warrants after spotting him walking in the Village of Bath — and say lab results later confirmed he was carrying heroin.
Officers took Dominick M. Lepera, 34, into custody following a brief foot pursuit through backyards on September 24, 2025.
According to the Village of Bath Police Department, an off-duty officer saw Lepera around 8:58 a.m. on East Steuben Street and recognized him as someone wanted on several felony warrants.
An on-duty officer responded and attempted to take Lepera into custody. Instead, police say he ran through nearby backyards in an effort to avoid arrest.
After a short chase, officers caught and detained him.
During the pursuit, Lepera discarded a book bag, which officers quickly recovered, police said. Officers also found a large amount of cash on him.
Inside the bag, police located suspected narcotics and drug packaging materials.
Lepera was processed on the outstanding warrants and arraigned in Steuben County Court later that day. A judge remanded him to the Steuben County Jail, where he remains.
Police sent the suspected drugs to the New York State Crime Lab for testing. On January 29, 2026, the department received results indicating Lepera possessed 5.697 grams of heroin.
Bath Village Court later issued an arrest warrant charging Lepera with one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B felony.
On February 8, 2026, officers served the warrant and arraigned Lepera at the Steuben County Jail. He remains incarcerated, and additional charges are expected following presentation to a grand jury.
A criminal charge is an accusation. Lepera is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
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