Port Byron man sentenced for fatal kitten abuse
A 23-year-old Cayuga County man has been sentenced for throwing a kitten so violently it had to be euthanized, according to The Citizen. Jeremy J. McNair of Port Byron will serve weekend jail time for ... more
‘Peanut the Squirrel’ owner claims state acted illegally
The owner of viral animals Peanut the Squirrel and Fred the Raccoon has filed a 40-page lawsuit, alleging the state may have unlawfully seized and euthanized them, according to WENY. Mark Longo says newly uncovered ... more
Angelica man charged in fatal Steuben County crash
An Angelica man is facing felony charges after a deadly 2024 crash in Steuben County that killed his passenger. Lukas J. Ellsessor, 31, was arrested July 1 and charged with vehicular manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and ... more
Ontario County court hands down prison sentences for sex crimes and burglary
The Ontario County District Attorney's Office reported multiple felony convictions and prison sentences this week, including cases involving sexual abuse, harassment, burglary, and fraud. Shelbi Hamman was sentenced on June 30 to 1 year and ... more
Ex-Hochul aide pleads not guilty to pandemic fraud charges
Linda Sun, a former aide to New York governors Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul, has pleaded not guilty to new federal charges tied to pandemic profiteering, according to the Associated Press. Prosecutors allege Sun and ... more
Interlaken man pleads guilty in $50K Medicaid fraud case
A Tompkins County transportation business owner has pleaded guilty to a felony charge for stealing more than $50,000 from New York’s Medicaid program. David Moore, 56, of Interlaken, admitted to Grand Larceny for submitting fraudulent ... more
Auburn man pleads guilty to exploiting minor across state lines
An Auburn man could spend decades behind bars after admitting to traveling across multiple states to engage in sexual activity with a minor. According to WSYR, Kyle Samsel of Auburn pleaded guilty in federal court ... more
Syracuse man gets 7 years for cocaine trafficking, laundering
A Syracuse man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his role in a cocaine distribution and money laundering conspiracy that stretched from New York to Puerto Rico. Juan Correa, Jr., 31, ... more
Court affirms convictions of Shameek and Junnell Copes
An appellate court has upheld the convictions of Shameek and Junnell Copes, rejecting both defendants' appeals in connection with a 2022 homicide and illegal weapons possession in Auburn. Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci ... more
Waterloo supervisor pleads not guilty to charges
Waterloo Town Supervisor Don Trout pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges tied to a 2024 incident at the town Highway Department, according to the Finger Lakes Times. Charges include third-degree burglary, criminal mischief, official misconduct, ... more
Cayuga Nation court issues first jail sentence
The Cayuga Nation Court handed down its first-ever jail sentence Tuesday, marking a new chapter in the Nation’s exercise of sovereign judicial authority. Jason John was sentenced to seven days in jail with credit for ... more
Letitia James reaffirms abortion access rights under federal law for New York hospitals
On the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, New York Attorney General Letitia James co-led a coalition of 22 attorneys general to reaffirm that hospitals must provide emergency abortion care ... more
Waterloo man pleads not guilty in police shooting case
A man accused of shooting at police during a mobile home park standoff has entered a not guilty plea. Randy M. Davis faces a slew of felony charges stemming from the April 1 incident in ... more
Waterloo town supervisor to appear in court over 2024 incident
Waterloo’s top town official is set to be arraigned today on multiple charges linked to a 2024 incident at the Highway Department, according to the Finger Lakes Times. Supervisor Don Trout, 41, faces a felony ... more
Frankfort man pleads guilty to drug and firearm charges
A Frankfort man has pleaded guilty to federal charges of cocaine trafficking and illegal firearm possession, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday. Michael Austin, 46, admitted to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute and ... more
Sexual conduct, assault cases lead Ontario County Court sentencings
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 ... more
SCOTUS clears way for Buffalo Billion retrial
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a petition to block a retrial in the high-profile "Buffalo Billion" corruption case, according to Spectrum News 1. Defendants Louis Ciminelli, Steven Aiello, Joseph Gerardi, and Alain Kaloyeros argued ... more
Drug convictions mark progress in Finger Lakes crackdown
Two major drug cases in Ontario County are being highlighted by prosecutors as a win against regional narcotics activity, according to the Finger Lakes Times. A Canandaigua man has been indicted on 23 charges, while ... more
Florida man sentenced to 100 months for prison gift basket scam
A Florida man who ran a fake gift basket company that targeted families of incarcerated individuals has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison. Robert Rahrle, 35, was sentenced last week to ... more
