Monday News Brief

Bergen Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Weapons Charges

Howard Owens with the Batavian reports, a 36-year-old Bergen man has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing machineguns, following a major investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies.
Peter S. Celentano, Jr. entered the plea before U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo and now faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Authorities say a search of his Bergen home last September uncovered 3D-printed pistol frames, firearm parts, ammo reloading tools, and two 3D-printed machinegun conversion devices.
Additional searches in Lyndonville and Medina revealed more firearm components, including over 200 firearms connected to Celentano.
Investigators also found that he gave another person modified receivers, two of which met the legal definition of machineguns. Those weapons were later recovered from the Erie Canal by a State Police dive team.
Sentencing is set for October 6.

Free Music

Happening tonight — enjoy live music and mouthwatering BBQ with the Dave Viterna Group at the Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant in Corfu.
The band plays from 6 to 9 p.m., rain or shine, with BBQ specials sizzling on the outdoor smoker.
It’s all happening at 1227 Gilmore Road — a great way to kick off your week with good food and great tunes!

Former School Security Guard Arrested

A former Brighton Central School District security guard has been arrested for allegedly attempting to meet a minor for sexual purposes.
Police say 54-year-old Christopher Kervin of Caledonia was charged Thursday with first-degree disseminating indecent material to minors. The arrest came after the group “Decoys Making a Difference” submitted chat logs showing Kervin believed he was speaking with a 14-year-old girl.
The logs reportedly include requests for explicit photos and comments about teaching the girl “lessons” about her body. Police say Kervin showed up at a Crosby’s in Perry to meet the decoy before being arrested.
Brighton school officials say Kervin hasn’t worked in the district for over a year and a half, and no prior complaints were reported during his employment.

Bills Player Visits Pembroke

Students at Pembroke Intermediate School got a special visit Thursday from Buffalo Bills defensive end Gregory Rousseau.
Rousseau joined all 250 students for games, photos, and autographs, encouraging them to “have the belief of confidence” and “be present where your feet are.”
To celebrate his birthday, April 5 is now “Gregory Rousseau Day” at the school. This year, students wore hats and raised $130 for The Rousseau Family Foundation through small donations.

Athletes Honored at Batavia High’s Athletic Awards

The Batavia City School District honored its top student-athletes Tuesday night during the 2025 Athletic Awards and Senior Signing Event at the Frank E. Owen Auditorium.
For the first time, the district combined its annual awards with college signings, creating an evening full of celebration for families and the community.
Led by Athletic Director Joel Reed, dozens of student-athletes were recognized for excellence in performance, leadership, and sportsmanship. Highlights included the Batavia Coaches Association Athlete of the Year honors going to Jameson Motyka and Campbell Riley, and Ava Anderson and Jeremiah Childs receiving Scholar Athlete Awards.
Seniors signing to play at the next level include Bronx Buchholz for baseball at MCC, Nicole Doeringer for ice hockey at St. John Fisher, and Sheldon Siverling for track at Clemson.
The event celebrated both achievement and commitment, shining a light on Batavia’s growing legacy of athletic excellence.

Accident in Le Roy

A car vs. motorcycle accident was reported Saturday around 1 p.m. at the intersection of West Bergen and Griswold roads. Le Roy Fire and Ambulance responded, finding the motorcyclist down with injuries. Mercy Flight was initially requested but later canceled. The patient was transported by ground ambulance to Strong Hospital.

Genesee County STOP DWI

Genesee County law enforcement is teaming up with the New York State STOP-DWI Program for the 100 Days of Summer campaign—an all-out effort to prevent impaired driving and keep roads safe from June through August.
As part of a statewide push, agencies will increase patrols, set up sobriety checkpoints, and boost public education to deter drunk and drugged driving.
Officials urge drivers to plan ahead: designate a sober driver, call a cab or rideshare, or wait it out. Only time can sober you up.
If someone’s been drinking, don’t let them drive—take their keys and help them get home safely.
This campaign is funded by the STOP-DWI Foundation through the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, and it’s all about saving lives.

Muckdogs

It was an action-packed weekend for the Batavia Muckdogs. Friday night’s game against Elmira was washed out due to rain, but Saturday brought fireworks at Dwyer Stadium.
The Muckdogs pulled off a thrilling 13-12 walk-off win over the Geneva Red Wings, scoring in the bottom of the ninth to seal the victory.
On Sunday, Batavia hosted a doubleheader against the Niagara Ironbacks. They took game one with a solid 5-1 win, thanks to strong pitching and timely hitting.
In game two, the bats cooled off, and the Muckdogs dropped a close one, falling 3-1.
Batavia continues its season this week, looking to build momentum from the weekend split.