Weekend News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on August 26, 2023
Two men from New York City are now facing felony charges following a yearlong joint investigation between deputies in Wyoming and Genesee counties into an identity theft scheme. Authorities said 20 year old Joel Rojas Perallon and 30 year old Raul DeLeon DeLeon are accused of obtaining account and credit card information from victims by pretending to be Verizon Wireless workers and then fraudulently buying iPhones between April and October of 2022. Perallon was arrested at his NYC residence earlier this month, arraigned in Wyoming and Genesee counties, and released on his own recognizance. DeLeon turned himself into the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office this week, was arraigned in both counties, and also released from custody. Both men are charged with identity theft, grand larceny, and scheme to defraud, according to deputies.
The Town of Cheektowaga has filed restraining orders against hotels that are housing migrants bussed out of New York City. Their files say that any hotel housing more than 500 migrants are no longer operating as hotels and are therefore in violation of zoning laws. The Town of Cheektowaga says they weren’t consulted about New York City’s plan to send migrants to their hotels and they had rules in place banning businesses from accepting them. The order was granted to the Town Friday afternoon. This is in connection to a pair of sexual assault cases, involving asylum seekers staying in town.
Erie County Comptroller Kevin Hardwick said about $114,000 in taxpayer money is missing from the Erie County Clerk’s Office. Hardwick says that it is highly likely much more is missing. A new nine-page analysis of the clerk’s office account and deposit activity shows discrepancies and signs of tampering. Hardwick said that there is mounting evidence of this happening from January of 2022 to June of this year and part of that evidence points to deposit tickets filled out by individual cashiers. He added nothing has been missing since June 12th. He said the evidence has been turned in to the Erie County Sheriff’s and District Attorney’s office.
In a press release Assemblyman Steve Hawley denounced the state government’s recent decision to require background checks for all ammunition purchases in New York. While the current system allows for free customer background checks for firearm purchases, this initiative would hand over this duty to the New York State Police. Once this new system goes into effect, customers will be charged an additional fee of $9 for firearms and $2.50 for ammunition in order to cover the cost of a background check. Hawley is disappointed the state government is once again disregarding New Yorkers’ Second Amendment rights.
