ALBION – A former Albion man pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court to attempted course of sexual conduct in third degree and could get up to five years in state prison when he is sentenced on Dec. 3.

Joel Prouty, 39, now lives in Bethany. He admitted in County Court on Wednesday to having anal sexual contact at least twice with a victim between June 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. The victim was the ages of 9 and 10 when this happened, the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office said.

Prouty was charged on May 21 by the Albion Police Department with course of sex conduct against a child in the 1st degree and endangering the welfare of a child.

In other cases in County Court:

Allan Bieber, 22, pleaded guilty to third-degree rape for having sex with a 15-year-old girl at St. Joseph’s Park on South Clinton Street on April 25. It was dark at the park at about 9 p.m. when the alleged rape occurred.

Bieber will face probation and no incarceration as part of a plea agreement. He could be a registered sex offender for 10 years. That will be determined at a hearing before Judge Sanford Church.

Jamar Daniel, 41, of the Bronx pleaded guilty last week to attempted promoting prison contraband in the first degree.

Daniel admitted to bringing a folding ceramic blade into the Orleans Correctional Facility on Nov. 17, 2024.

He faces up to 364 days in the county jail when he is sentenced.

ALBION – A Ridgeway man appeared in Orleans County Court this morning facing first-degree manslaughter charges for allegedly killing his mother after hitting her in the head with a hammer.

Curtis Schroth, 51, allegedly hit his mother with a hammer on Oct. 15, 2024 at her home on Rutherford Road in Ridgeway. Dolores Schroth died from those injuries at age 78 on Oct. 27, 2024.

Her son was living with her at the time of the crime, District Attorney Susan Howard said.

After seriously injuring his mother, Schroth went to the Albion Police Department on Oct. 15, and confessed to the crime, Howard said.

The case has been at a standstill because Schroth was deemed to be mentally incompetent. He has been in a psychiatric facility for several months but was brought to Orleans County this morning to appear in court after being found competent.

He was arraigned on first-degree manslaughter in County Court on Jan. 8, 2025. Public defender Joanne Best requested a mental competency exam on March 12.

Schroth was held in the county jail for several months before being transferred to a psychiatric facility. He is now back in the county jail. County Court Judge Sanford Church is continuing bail at $100,000 cash, $500,000 bond and $750,000 partially secured bond.

The charge of first-degree manslaughter carries a maximum of 25 years in prison. Howard presented an offer to Schroth today to plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter and face no more than 20 years in prison. Howard said she made the offer after consulting with Dolores Schroth’s other children.

Best, who is representing Curtis Schroth, has until Oct. 22 to file motions in the case with the motions to be argued in court on Nov. 5.

Best in court today said Schroth has an option of a plea of not criminally responsible, where a mental disorder or defect at the time of the crime makes defendants unable to understand the wrongfulness of their actions.

ALBION – A Lyndonville man pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court on Wednesday to felony aggravated driving while intoxicated.

Jason Dusett, 50, is being held in the county jail for a parole violation. In January 2019 he was sentenced to four years in state prison for first- and second-degree sexual abuse.

In the DWI charge, he was stopped on June 12 and a state trooper recorded Dusett’s Blood Alcohol Content at 0.19 percent, more than double the legal limit. Dusett has a previous DWI in Victor in 2018.

He pleaded guilty in County Court on Wednesday and faces up to 6 months in the county jail when he is sentenced on Nov. 12.

In another case in county court on Wednesday:

Richard Kress, 37, of Albion pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the fourth degree and faces a maximum 1 to 3 years in state prison when he is sentenced on Nov. 19.

Kress and a co-defendant, Daniel Fritz III of Clarendon, are accused of taking a safe from a  Clarendon home that had cash and jewelry inside. There will be a restitution hearing. District Attorney Susan Howard is seeking $5,000 in restitution for the victim of the crime.

Fritz has pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in the third degree and could be sentenced to up to 2 to 4 years in state prison.

In cases in court last week, Joseph Reamer, 53, of Medina was arraigned on first-degree rape, forcible touching and unlawful imprisonment in the second degree. He posted a bail bond for $20,000.

Charles Santiago, 37, of Albion also pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree for having a loaded Taurus handgun on April 13 without a permit.

Santiago faces a split sentence of up to 6 months in the county jail and five years of probation when he is sentenced on Nov. 19.

ALBION – Bail has been set for a man facing manslaughter after his passenger died Tuesday following a high-speed chase that ended when the driver plunged a U-Haul truck into the Erie Canal.

Ryan S. Armstrong

Ryan S. Armstrong, 43, of Brockport has been charged with second-degree manslaughter after his passenger drowned.

Armstrong has a prior felony record. He was being held in the Orleans County Jail pending a bail application hearing this morning.

Judge Sanford Church set bail at $100,000 cash, $200,000 insurance bond or $500,000 partially secured bond at 10 percent. Those were at the levels requested by the District Attorney’s Office.

Orleans County District Attorney Susan Howard was represented by first assistant DA Daniel Punch while Armstrong was represented by Public Defender Joanne Best.

Armstrong is next to appear in Murray Town Court on Sept. 24.

He is accused of stealing items from the Walgreens in Brockport at about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. He and his passenger were putting merchandise in a U-Haul truck when law enforcement were called.

Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies and Brockport police officers attempted to stop the vehicle once it was on the move but Armstrong refused, leading law enforcement on a pursuit throughout the west side of Monroe County and into Orleans County.

Armstrong eventually drove onto the Erie Canal path in the Town of Murray. The pursuit ultimately ended when he suddenly veered the vehicle into the canal, just east of Bennetts Corners Road.

Monroe deputies observed Armstrong exit the vehicle and swim to the opposite side, where he exited the canal and fled on foot. The passenger also exited the vehicle in an attempt flee. Deputies could see he was struggling to swim and jumped into the canal to rescue the passenger, losing sight of him when he went under in the murky water, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The MCSO Underwater Search and Recovery Team worked with fire companies and the Orleans County Sheriff’s marine patrol to search the canal for the passenger. Following a thorough search of the canal, they were able to recover the male, who had drown.

Armstrong faces the manslaughter charge due his “reckless actions” that led to the death of the passenger, whose name hasn’t been released.

MEDINA – Two people have been sentenced to state prison for their roles in a stabbing in Medina’s Canal Basin on Nov. 1.

Edward Gibson, 43, and Deon Jackson, 25, both of Medina, were charged with first-degree assault.

Gibson used a knife to cut a woman’s throat and stab a man. But were treated at Erie County Medical Center for their injuries.

Gibson was sentenced to 12 years in state prison last week by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church.

Deon Jackson was the accomplice in the crime, and helped lure the two to the basin where they were attacked, the district attorney’s office said.

Jackson was sentenced to 7 years in state prison by Judge Church in court this morning.

Jackson also faces a new charge since he was being held in the county jail. He was charged with aggravated harassment of employees by an inmate. He allegedly through feces and urine at corrections officers. Jackson could face an additional 2 ½ to 5 years in state prison for that charge.

ALBION – Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church this morning arraigned an Albion man on multiple charges, including first-degree rape.

Allan Bieber, 22, allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl at St. Joseph’s Park on South Clinton Street on April 25. It was dark at the park at about 9 p.m. when the alleged rape occurred.

Bieber also has been charged with third-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child.

Judge Church set bail at $5,000 cash, $15,000 bond or $30,000 partial secured bond.

Bieber is to next appear in County Court on Aug. 13.

Press Release, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, Western District of New York

BUFFALO – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kyle Stack, 39, of Medina pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that in July 2020, Stack possessed a cellular phone, which contained more than 4,000 images and videos of child pornography. The child pornography included prepubescent minors less than 12-years-old and images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, Stack possessed a laptop, which contained more than 9,000 images and videos of child pornography.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm.

Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 7 before Judge Sinatra.

Press Release, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, Western District of New York

BUFFALO – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Peter Celentano, 36, of Bergen pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to illegal possession of machine guns, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that on September 29, 2024, the New York State Police, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, executed a search warrant at Celentano’s residence in Bergen.

During the search, law enforcement recovered numerous items, including 3D printed pistol frames, firearm parts and accessories, ammunition reloading equipment, tools for constructing privately made firearms, a drill press, and two 3D printed machinegun conversion devices.

Law enforcement also conducted additional searches at properties in Lyndonville and Medina, during which they seized numerous AR-style lower receivers, 3D printed handguns, and additional firearm parts and accessories. In total, law enforcement seized over 200 firearms tied to Celentano.

During the investigation, law enforcement learned that Celentano provided another individual with nine lower receivers, two of which contained the “third pin hole,” qualifying them as machine guns.

An individual known by defendant had subsequently discarded these firearms off the Beals Road Bridge into the Erie Canal. A New York State Police dive team searched the Erie Canal beneath the bridge in Medina and recovered a cardboard box containing 10 AR-style receivers, an unmarked handgun, ammunition magazines, and additional firearm parts.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Joseph M. Graff, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 6 before Judge Vilardo.

Governor willing to delay state budget until changes with discovery requirements

Photo by Mike Groll/Office of Governor – Governor Kathy Hochul on March 24 convenes a domestic violence prevention roundtable with survivors, advocates and law enforcement. She said “technicalities” are causing too many cases to be dismissed due to the discovery laws where the prosecution has strict timelines to turn over evidence.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said too many cases in the court system are being dismissed due to “technicalities” on how quickly the prosecution has to turn over evidence to the defense.

She is demanding changes in the discovery laws that set strict timelines for handing over evidence to the defense. She is joined by the district attorneys around the state in seeking changes to the discovery laws.

Hochul is so adamant she is willing to hold off on approving the state budget.

“I’m really proud to be fighting on their behalf, and people all over this state who are denied the justice because of some technicality in the discovery laws that are written out,” Hochul said on Thursday in Albany after meeting with domestic violence survivors. “And they put their heart and soul into trying to get justice and it’s thrown out because something minor, irrelevant, is missing — I’m going to keep fighting until we fix this. I’m going to keep fighting to put this in the budget.”

 The Orleans County Legislature on March 24 also passed a resolution seeking changes in the discovery laws.

The Legislature said early and thorough discovery of evidence is not only fair to defendants, “but also facilitates meaningful plea discussions and efficient resolution of cases.”

However, the state’s reformed discovery laws in 2019 have put an “unreasonable drain on resources and forces DA offices to make difficult decisions on which cases they can prosecute,” county legislators said.

The new laws force prosecutors to collect all material that “relates to” a case within short timeframes, and then to certify the entirety of evidence by filing a Certificate of Compliance.

“The breadth and scope of discoverable material under New York’s new discovery statute is unparalleled nationwide, and includes any material that merely ‘relates to’ an incident regardless of its utility, relevance, or admissibility,” according to the Legislature’s resolution.

New York is the only state that allows cases to be dismissed due to minor discovery violations. Since the new discovery laws were enacted, speedy trial dismissals in the state are up from 12,398 cases in 2019 to 42,212 cases in 2023, according to the Office of Court Administration.

The District Attorneys Association of the State of New York wants the discovery laws amended.

Orleans County District Attorney Susan Howard is among the district attorneys seeking discovery law changes. Before 2020, it was a much simpler process of handing over the paper police reports to defendants, she said.

Now, there is a digital management system where a the initial discovery obligations must be submitted within 20 calendar days after arraignment if the defendant is in custody, and 35 calendar days if the defendant is not in custody.

“That’s not a lot of time,” Howard said. “Small departments don’t have the staff to download and get in the files. The discovery laws have made it very difficult for us.”

Hochul is seeking to not have cases be automatically dismissed if the all the evidence isn’t turned over in the time frames. The governor also wants to narrow the required materials to be those “relevant” to a case and not “related” – which would lower the workload on law enforcement agencies and the District Attorney offices.

Orleans DA, Justice for Children Advocacy Center coordinate the training

Provided photo: Pictured from left include Kathy Colgan, expert forensic interviewer; Susan Howard, Orleans County district attorney; Matt Stegner, retired State Police investigator; and Trisha Reynolds, program coordinator for Justice for Children Advocacy Center.

Press Release, Orleans County Crime Victim Coordinator Michelle Wirth

ALBION – Members of every law enforcement agency in Orleans County gathered today at the Orleans County Legislative Chambers to hear expert speakers share ideas and information as to advanced techniques in the investigation of child and adult sexual abuse cases.

The Justice for Children Advocacy Center, based in Genesee County with a satellite office in Albion, organized the event along with the District Attorney’s Office.

Expert Forensic Interviewer, Kathy Colgan, advised attendees in the best practices of handling these special victims with empathy, and outlined the services provided by the Advocacy Center.

Retired New York State Police Investigator Matt Stegner educated officers by offering a 10-step investigative checklist to guide these types of cases to a successful prosecution.

Orleans County has a very active Sex Abuse Task Force that meets monthly and consists of the District Attorney’s Office, the Child Advocacy Center, Child Protective Services, Probation, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the New York State Police, the Albion Police Department, the Holley Police Department and the Medina Police Department.

These Special Victims’ cases are of utmost importance and the collaboration of all of the above agencies is essential.

This training was well-received by all and future educational opportunities are being planned.

Press Release, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, Western District of NY

ROCHESTER – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Tonya D’Agostino, 53, of Farmington, who pleaded guilty to HIPAA: unlawfully obtaining/disclosing individually identifying health information, was sentenced to serve one year probation by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. D’Agostino was also ordered to pay $13,410.42 in restitution.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that on March 23, 2023, D’Agostino mailed a USPS Priority Mail parcel to an individual in Medina, NY, which contained individually identifiable health information of four individuals.

D’Agostino did not have authorization to obtain or disclose the individually identifiable health information. She did this in an attempt to obtain $216,000 from the individual who received the parcel.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Naomi Gruchacz.

Noah Magee

ALBION – Noah Magee was sentenced to up to 15 years in state prison this morning, the maximum for second-degree manslaughter.

Magee, 20, offered a tearful apology for the death of Roger Kingdollar III,  who was 24 when he died after being hit by a pickup truck driven by Magee in Barre on Feb. 8, 2024. Kingdollar was riding a dirt bike when Magee crossed the opposite lane and hit Kingdollar on the north side of McNamar Road.

“I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart,” Magee said during sentencing today. “I would give my life to have Roger back.”

Magee said he and Kingdollar had their differences, but Magee said he didn’t mean for him to be killed.

“I’m really not a monster and the heartless person I’ve been made out to be,” Magee said. “I hope you won’t hate me and despise me forever.”

But Magee’s conduct caused the death of Kingdollar, and Magee has refused to take responsibility for his actions, said Joe Cardone, the recently retired Orleans County district attorney and acted as an assistant DA during sentencing today.

Magee has maintained the fatal collision with Kingdollar was an accident and random, the result of making too wide of a turn from Angevine to McNamar roads, Cardone said.

“There is no question what happened was deliberate on the defendant’s part,” Cardone said in court. “His actions have a lasting impact on everyone, most certainly the Kingdollar family.”

Kingdollar’s sister, Vanity Bennett, said her brother was a positive force for his friends and family, especially her three children.

“He will always be my baby brother,” she said during sentencing. “He was the light of the room.”

Her brother loved riding his dirt bike, and never missed a birthday party for Bennett’s three children.

She decried Magee for causing her brother’s death “in such a senseless and ruthless way.”

“He drove his truck as a weapon,” Bennett said. “We don’t ever want to see him on the streets. I hope he rots in prison.”

Magee’s attorney Paul Vacca insisted the collision was an accident. He said Magee has maintained his innocence throughout the case, since his arrest the night of Feb. 8, nearly a year ago.

Vacca asked for five years of probation for Magee, who has no prior criminal record. Vacca also noted Magee wasn’t found guilty of the more serious charge of second-degree murder.

Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church said Magee is deserving of the stiffest sentence, 5 to 15 years in state prison.

“You certainly caused his death,” Church told Magee, who was wearing the orange clothing for inmates in the Orleans County Jail.

The judge said Magee hasn’t been truthful about why he veered across the road, and hasn’t taken responsibility for the crime.

Magee also was sentenced to 2 ½ to 7 years in state prison for leaving the scene of a fatal accident, 30 days in the county jail for reckless driving, and 15 days in jail for failure to keep right. Those sentences will be served concurrently or at the same time with the longer sentence for manslaughter.

When the judge announced the maximum sentence for Magee, up to 15 years in state prison, many of Kingdollar’s friends and family clapped and shouted in support.

ALBION – The sentencing for Noah Magee has been moved from Wednesday to Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Magee, 20, on Dec. 4 was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in the death of Roger Kingdollar III, age 24.

Magee faced a more serious charge of second-degree murder but was instead found guilty of second-degree manslaughter.

Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church said on Dec. 4 the case didn’t meet the level of “depraved indifference to life” for second-degree murder but did for manslaughter, which is “recklessly causing another person’s death.”

Magee could have faced up to 25 years in prison if found guilty of second-degree murder. With the manslaughter charge, he faces 5 to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced. He has been held in the county jail without bail until sentencing.

Magee also was found guilty of leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving and failure to keep right.

Magee was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado truck when crossed over the center lane and went to the north side of McNamar Road on Feb. 8, 2024. Kingdollar was driving a dirt bike on the north side of the road.

The truck struck the dirt bike’s handle bars. Kingdollar suffered a fatal fracture in his neck.

ALBION – A woman who was incarcerated at the Albion Correctional Facility was sentenced to more time in state prison today for allegedly assaulting a corrections officer.

Caitlyn Jacobs, 34, was charged with second-degree assault, which was reduced to attempted assault in the second degree as part of a plea agreement.

She was sentenced this morning to another 1 ½ to 3 years in state prison by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church.

Jacobs has been moved to the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility where she is finishing a 5-year sentence for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the second degree, and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. She was convicted of those charges in Cayuga County in October 2022.

In another case today, Judge Church sentenced Erika Poole, 44, of Medina to time already served and a conditional discharge to stay away from controlled substances for a year.

Poole pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.

Poole admitted to having cocaine on Nov. 10, 2022. She has a credit of 92 days in jail and won’t need to do additional time. She also was ordered to pay $250 in court charges.