ROCHESTER Archives

General

Rochester: Dominic Pezzola Charged with Destroying Property

Rochester Man: Dominic Pezzola Arrested and Charged with Destroying Property and Obstruction of Congressional Proceedings WASHINGTON, D.C (STL.News) A New York State man was taken into custody and charged with unlawful entry, destruction of government property and obstruction of an official proceeding. Dominic Pezzola, 43, also known as “Spaz” and “Spazzo,” of Rochester, New York, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of obstruction of an official proceeding, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(c)(2); one count of destruction of government property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1361; and one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, in violation of Title 18, United ...

Health

Minnesota: New COVID-19 Testing Site in Rochester

Pop-up site will offer saliva testing to everyone Rochester, MN (STL.News) The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced a new temporary COVID-19 testing site in Olmsted County. Testing at this site will occur Friday, Jan. 22 through Saturday, Jan. 23 at the 318 Commons in Rochester. Appointments are strongly encouraged, but not required. “Testing is a key component of our strategy to protect Minnesotans from COVID-19,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm. “Through a robust, collaborative statewide testing program, we have made great progress in removing obstacles to testing. When combined with social distancing, masking, avoiding crowds and staying home when sick, testing can help us slow the spread of COVID-19 and bridge to the better days we know are coming.” ...

General

Rochester: Trisha Cassidy Pleads Guilty To Defrauding Credit Union

Rochester Woman, Trisha Cassidy Pleads Guilty To Defrauding Credit Union ROCHESTER, N.Y (STL.News) U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Trisha Cassidy, 55, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer to bank fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that on February 20, 2018, the defendant opened a checking account at a branch of Summit Federal Credit Union located within the Western District of New York. Between February 20 and March 30, 2018, Cassidy executed a scheme attempting fraudulently to obtain money from the credit union. The defendant presented checks for deposit into her account that she knew had b...

General

Rochester: Chase Brown Sentenced Fraud Scheme

Rochester Man, Chase Brown Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Fraud Scheme SPRINGFIELD, IL (STL.News) Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Mills sentenced Chase Brown, 21, of the 1000 block of Heathrow Lane, Rochester, Ill., to serve 37 months in federal prison for operating a sham medical equipment reseller business that defrauded businesses and individuals from various states. A hearing has been scheduled on Jan. 19, 2021, to determine the final restitution amount. The court determined that Brown’s sentence be enhanced based on a finding that he engaged in ‘sophisticated means’ to carry out the scheme. Brown was held accountable for an intended loss of more than $750,000; however, the parties have agreed that for determining restitution, the actual loss and restitution amount is ...

General

Rochester: Freedom Lee Sentenced On Drug And Gun Charges

Rochester Man, Freedom Lee Sentenced On Drug And Gun Charges ROCHESTER, N.Y (STL.News) U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced that Freedom Lee, 26, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, was sentenced to serve 69 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie M. Kocher, who handled the case, stated that at approximately 2:50 a.m. on April 22, 2019, Rochester Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in the area of 1210 North Clinton Avenue in Rochester. The defendant was identified as the passenger in the vehicle. During the stop, police officers recovered from Lee approximately 5...

General

Rochester: Michael Regan Charged With Production Of Child Pornography

Rochester Man, Michael Regan Arrested, Charged With Production Of Child Pornography And Enticement Of A Minor CONTACT: Barbara Burns PHONE: (716) 843-5817 FAX #: (716) 551-3051 BUFFALO, N.Y (STL.News) U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced that Michael Regan, 38, of Williamsville, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography and enticement of a minor. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who is handling the case, stated that on December 2, 2020, the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force was contacted by the Buffalo Police Department, which believed that the defendant was engaged in a sexual conversation with a 13 year-old-girl (Victim) t...

General

Rochester: Aaron Graff Pleads Guilty To Possession Of A Machine Gun

Rochester Man, Aaron Graff Pleads Guilty To Possession Of A Machine Gun CONTACT: Barbara Burns PHONE: (716) 843-5817 FAX #: (716) 551-3051 ROCHESTER, N.Y (STL.News) U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Aaron Graff, 44, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer to possession of a machine gun. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, or both. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who is handling the case, stated that Graff was arrested after members of law enforcement intercepted and searched a package sent to him from an address in China. Officers found the package contained a Glock® conversion device which, when installed on a Glock® semi-automatic pistol, allows the pisto...

General

Rochester: Bryson McBride Pleads Guilty To Drug And Gun Charges

Rochester Man, Bryson McBride Pleads Guilty To Drug And Gun Charges CONTACT: Barbara Burns PHONE: (716) 843-5817 FAX #: (716) 551-3051 ROCHESTER, N.Y (STL.News) U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced that Bryson McBride, 22, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who is handling the case, stated that on May 16, 2019, at a residence on Baycliff Drive in Rochester, the defendant possessed a quantity of cocaine, which was packaged for distribution. McBride also possessed quantities of fentanyl and acetyl fen...

General

Rochester Man, Tomas Martinez-Devedia Pleads Guilty To Dealing Ecstasy

Rochester Man, Tomas Martinez-Devedia Pleads Guilty To Dealing Ecstasy BUFFALO, N.Y (STL.News) U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced that Tomas Martinez-Devedia, 27, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possessing with intent to distribute and distributing MDMA (Ecstasy). The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha Couslon, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating the defendant's possession and distribution of controlled substances that he acquired via Bitcoin. On October 26 and December 3, 2018, HSI conducted controlled purchases of MDMA from Martinez-Devedia. On December 10, 2018, investigat...

General

ROCHESTER: Tony Kirik Charged With Lying To The Department Of Transportation

Owner Of Rochester Trucking Company, Tony Kirik Charged With Lying To The Department Of Transportation ROCHESTER, N.Y (STL.News) U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced that Tony Kirik, a/k/a Anatoliy Kirik, 39, of Rochester, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with making false statements to the Federal Motor Commission Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, and conspiring to do the same. The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the defendant owned and controlled a trucking business called Dallas Logistics. The company was put in the name of a nominee owner to conceal the fact that it was affiliated with another t...

General

Rochester, N.Y; Former Teacher’s Aide Christian Michael Stutes Pleads Guilty

Rochester, N.Y; Former Teacher’s Aide Christian Michael Stutes Pleads Guilty To Child Pornogrphy Charges After Attempting To Have Sex With A Minor Child (STL.News) – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Christian Michael Stutes, 24, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to receipt and distribution of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that between April 12 and December 13, 2019, the defendant engaged in sexually explicit conversations via text message with an individual he believed to be the father of a 10-year-old male. The individual was actuall...

General

Rochester Man Jeffrey Wehs Sentenced For Possession Of Child Porngraphy

Rochester Man Sentenced For Possession Of Child Porngraphy (STL.News) – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jeffrey Wehs, 24, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, was sentenced to serve eight months home confinement and eight years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The defendant will also have to register as a sex offender. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Rossi, who handled the case, stated that members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force executed a search warrant on September 18, 2019, at the defendant’s residence in Rochester following a cybertip from an online social media company. The tip indicated that an account holder had uploaded an image of child pornography ...

General

Utica Fentanyl Trafficker Clifford Billins Going To Prison

(STL.News) – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Clifford Billins, 41, of Utica, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, fentanyl, crack cocaine, and heroin, was sentenced to serve 151 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. McGrath, who handled the case, stated that between September 2017 and August 2018, the defendant conspired with others to sell fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, and heroin. Billins routinely trafficked bulk quantities of illegal narcotics, which were then redistributed to individual drug users in the Rochester and Utica areas. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosi...

General

Rush Man Rungrot Phimthong Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Child Pornography

(STL.News) – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Rungrot Phimthong, 26, of Rush, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that on October 10, 2018, the defendant possessed a laptop computer, which contained more than 600 images of child pornography. Some of the images depicted prepubescent minors or minors under 12 years-old. Phimthong also admitted that prior to December 21, 2017, he electronically sent images of child pornography to other individuals with whom he was communicating. The plea is the result of an investigation by Homel...

General

Armed Trafficker Lazaro Aguilar Sentenced To Prison

(STL.News) – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Lazaro Aguilar, 20, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 81 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who handled the case, stated that Aguilar was arrested on February 16, 2018, after officers from the Rochester Police Department, who were patrolling the area of Murray Street and Lyell Avenue, saw the defendant driving a vehicle with excessively tinted windows in violation the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law. After officers pulled the vehicle over, they identified Aguilar as the driver but he did ...

General

Rochester Felon Jean Green-Alvarez Charged With Gun Possession

(STL.News) – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jean Green-Alvarez, 33, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being felon in possession of a firearm. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie M. Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that at approximately 12:30 a.m. on January 15, 2020, Rochester Police Department officers responded to 46 Backus Street in Rochester for a menacing call. According to the complaint, the victim was knocking on doors on nearby Emerson Street attempting to get assistance with charging his cellular telephone. As the victim approached 108 Emerson Street, he observed a male, later identified as the defendant, and a female in the doorway o...

General

Rochester Felon Freddy Moore Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Gun

(STL.News) – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Freddy Moore, 31, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant was arrested on August 28, 2019, after New York State Parole officers searched his residence on Central Park in Rochester. During that search, officers found a loaded semiautomatic pistol as well as quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. Moore was previously convicted in August of 2009 in Monroe County Court of Robbery in the First Degree and sentenced to serve eight years in prison. In Octob...

General

Michael Ruest Charged with Class B Felony by Deadly Weapon in Nashua

Michael Ruest - Charged with Reckless Conduct with a Deadly Weapon (Gun) and Criminal Threatening with a Deadly Weapon (Gun) NASHUA, NH (STL.News) On June 14, 2020, members of the Nashua Police Department’s Uniformed Field Operations Bureau arrested Michael Ruest, age 38, of 105 Whitehouse Road, apartment #92, Rochester, New Hampshire for Reckless Conduct with a Deadly Weapon - Class B Felony. On June 14, 2020, the Nashua Police Department’s Uniform Field Operations Bureau responded to the report of shots fired in a residential area close to downtown. Upon further investigation, it was determined that an argument had taken place between 38 year old Michael Ruest and two individuals that were known to him. During the argument Ruest fired his gun in the direction of the two individuals, st...