Afternoon News Brief

The Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force announced today that police arrested 26-year-old Xavier Hand of Medina. He’s charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a loaded firearm. Hand is currently on probation and has been committed to the Orleans County Jail. The investigation is ongoing; further charges and more arrests are pending.

 

 

43-year-old Justin Swift of LeRoy has been charged with grand larceny. This followed an investigation by the Genesee County Department of Social Services. It’s alleged that Swift failed to report that he had earned wages through employment, resulting in him receiving over $3300 ($3324) in SNAP benefits for which he was not entitled. Swift was arrested and arraigned in Batavia Town Court and released on recognizance to appear at a later date.

 

 

Two men are now facing multiple charges following what’s being called a massive drug bust in Erie County. Sheriff John Garcia says this investigation began a few months ago and led to five ounces of fentanyl, more than three kilograms of cocaine, over $200,000 (thousand) in cash and eight guns being seized. Sidney Mellerson and Keshaun Atwood have been taken into custody and arraigned. This was the second big drug bust in the area since the beginning of the month.

 

Law enforcement has released early impressions from the investigation into a truck accident. It happened Wednesday afternoon in the Town of Wethersfield; they determined that 72-year-old George Foote of Gainesville failed to yield the right-of-way to a tractor-trailer truck while taking a left turn; the truck struck the rear end of Foote’s trailer, struck a guard rail and rolled over onto its side in a ditch. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 59-year-old Mark Ikeler of Gainesville who was pronounced deceased at the scene. Foote was issued a citation for failing to yield the right of way at a stop sign; the investigation continues.

 

A man accused of plotting to kill a Monroe County Family Court judge has been sentenced. Dimitri Cash, who’s already serving time for arranging the kidnapping of his children from their foster home, was sentenced yesterday to 8 to 25 years in prison. Cash was convicted in December of conspiring with others to murder Judge Stacey Romeo because he was upset with her rulings in his custody case. Cash defended himself in court, arguing his actions were not a crime because Romeo is still alive. Prosecutors said the murder plans went as far as staking out the judge’s home and neighborhood, monitoring her daily routine and doing online research about her life. Cash’s sentence will run consecutively to his sentence of 115 years to life for his separate case involving kidnapping and robbery charges.

 

 

The Starpoint High School wrestling team is currently under investigation by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office. Earlier this week, it was announced that the rest of the team’s season has been canceled following serious allegations that have been made against one or more members of the varsity wrestling squad. No other details about those claims have been revealed. The Lockport school was supposed to host a wrestling tournament this weekend, but the event has been moved to North Tonawanda.

 

 

Love will be in the air as Valentine’s Day nears, and the state Division of Consumer Protection is warning New Yorkers about romance scams. The agency says romance scams occur when a criminal lies about their identity and feigns romantic interest to steal from victims. Officials say if someone you haven’t met asks you for money, assume it’s a scam. Also, never give out personal information to someone you’ve met online and only use trusted online dating sites. People can also do a reverse image search of an individual’s profile photo to see if it’s linked to another name or scam.

 

The big game is coming up on Sunday, and police across the state are going to be cracking down on drunk drivers during this Super Bowl weekend. People who are out on the roads can expect to see increased patrols from today through Monday as part of the latest STOP-DWI campaign. Police say folks can ensure that they get home safely by having a designated driver or by using a taxi or rideshare service. Drivers who see any suspicious or dangerous activities while traveling should dial 911 right away.

 

Damar Hamlin stole the show at the NFL Honors. The 12th annual year-end awards gala took place in Phoenix last night, just days ahead of the Super Bowl. The highlight of the show was when the Buffalo Bills safety made a surprise appearance and received a standing ovation after suffering cardiac arrest on the field earlier this year.

 

 

The Buffalo Sabres will be returning from break this weekend as they look to continue their push towards making the playoffs. The Sabres are set to host the Calgary Flames at KeyBank Center. Buffalo last played on February 1st when they were defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1. Face-off for tomorrow’s contest is set for 12:30.