CITY OF LOCKPORT: Woman charged with lying about robbery

Crime

May 15, 2008

By April Amadon<br><a href="mailto:amadona@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail April</a> The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Thu May 15, 2008, 01:25 AM EDT

A Gasport woman has been charged with fabricating a robbery in order to cover up the fact that she spent bingo funds from the Hartland Volunteer Fire Co.

Lee A. Smith, 46, 7542 Ridge Road, was charged Tuesday afternoon with third-degree falsely reporting an incident.

Officers responded to the Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union on Stevens Street on Monday afternoon to investigate a report of a robbery.

Smith reportedly told police she went to the bank to deposit $8,560 for the Hartland Volunteer Fire Co..

The funds had been raised by bingo events at the fire hall. Smith is reportedly the bingo chairwoman for the fire hall and had been responsible for depositing the money.

Smith reportedly told police she arrived at the bank at about 3:30 p.m. and parked on Stevens Street instead of in the bank parking lot.

She said she was carrying the blue bank deposit bag in her right hand as she got out of her car, while closing her car door with her left hand, the report said.

Smith allegedly said at that moment, a man on a bicycle rode by her and grabbed the bag forcefully from her hand. She said he rode away west on Stevens Street, the report said.

She described the man as in his 20s, with tan skin, wearing a dark baseball cap, the report said.

Smith reportedly said she'd driven her car into the bank parking lot and gone inside the bank to call for help.

All available patrol units searched the area for the suspect.

Detective Lt. John Yotter said he interviewed Smith, and after an interrogation she admitted the story was not true.

“She admitted to me during interrogation that she made the whole thing up and she spent all the money,” Yotter said.

She reportedly said she was afraid to tell the fire company that she’d spent the money.

Smith was released on her own recognizance and pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Lockport City Court. She is due again in court May 28.

Contact reporter April Amadon at 439-9222, ext. 6251.

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Crime

Police blotter items published May 22,2012
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: The sheriffs patrol responded to Mapleton Road for a criminal mischief report Monday. According to the manager of Philpac Lumber, electric service wires and steel fencing were damaged with an estimated loss of $500. Sometime between 5 p.m on Sunday and 7 a.m. on Monday, someone cut through the wire fence around the property. The covers were taken off of the plastic conduit that houses the 800-amp service that comes into the building. The person started to cut the wires but stopped halfway through once he discovered the wire was not copper. The person propped up a large wood pallet against a large stack of lumber to gain access to the roof and took the plastic cover off of a large unity light and began to cut the wires. Again the person stopped cutting once he discovered the wire was not copper. Another section of fence was also found to be cut along the south west end of the building.

May 22, 2012
Police blotter items published May 21, 2012
HARASSMENT: Curtis E Hunter, 26, 36 South Transit Street, Apt. 2, was arrested by Lockport police at 12:37 a.m. Sunday and charged with harassment in the second degree and menacing in the third degree. According to the report, patrol was dispatched to a Main Street business on May 12 to investigate an assault. Upon arrival, police were told that Hunter came up behind a female victim while she was sitting at a bar stool, pulling her hair and kicking the bar stool out from under her. Hunter also pushed the victim to the ground, police were told, then fled the bar. Hunter was found and arrested Sunday morning. He is slated to be arraigned today. The victim was granted an order of protection.

May 21, 2012
Police blotter items published May 20, 2012
HARASSMENT: Roderico R. Madore, 18, 13 South St. Apt. 2, was arrested at 3 a.m. Saturday by Lockport police and charged with harassment, criminal obstruction of breathing and false personation. According to the report, patrol responded to a South Street address for a domestic incident and were told that a guy named “Rico” had choked a woman at the South Street address but left and went to Roderico’s address. When police arrived, Madore and the woman were at the apartment. She told patrol that he had choked her. While being questioned, Madore told patrol his name was Roderico Vasquez, leading to the false personation charge. LPD states that Madore has active warrants from Erie County. The victim was granted an order of protection and Madore is scheduled to appear in City Court at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

May 21, 2012
Police blotter items published May 18, 2012
ASSAULT: Nicholas J. Reed, 21, 249 Genesee St., Apt. 1 was charged with resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration and third-degree attempted assault Wednesday. The police responded to Lewis Street for the report of an assault. According to the report, the victim was walking on Evans Street when he was confronted by two males who struck and kicked the victim. Reed grabbed a bottle of wine and smashed in on the roadway. The victim fled and was able to identify Reed at a gas station. Reed fled from the police and was arrested on Washburn Street.

May 18, 2012
Police blotter items published May 17, 2012
WARRANT: Richard E. Cavagnaro, 43, of Chestnut Ridge Road, Lockport, surrendered Wednesday on a warrant for second-degree grand larceny. Police say Cavagnaro stole as much as $60,000 in copper and scrap metal from his employer over a two year period. He was held for court.

May 17, 2012
Police blotter items published May 16, 2012
MARIJUANA: Deon M. Gill, 16, 289 North Transit St. Apt. 2 was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and criminal possession of stolen property Monday. While being booked on a separate case involving a burglary in the Town of Lockport, the Lockport police found Gill in possession of marijuana. Gill had a backpack with several items reported stolen, including a $200 iPod and $80 in cash. Gill is currently on probation and scheduled to appear in Niagara County Family Court on May 22.

May 17, 2012
Police blotter items published May 7, 2012
DWI: Stefan E. Belliveau, 38, 7947 Chestnut Ridge Road, Gasport, was charged Sunday with driving while intoxicated following a traffic stop. According to the report, Lockport Police observed Belliveau commit several vehicle and traffic violations on Summit Street. When stopped, they oberserved a strong odor of alcohol from Belliveau’s breath. He was administered some field sobriety tests but refused to do others. Belliveau, who was uncooperative in booking and therefore unable to be fingerprinted or photographed, is scheduled to appear Monday in City Court.

May 7, 2012
Police blotter items published May 2, 2012
Lockport

HARASSMENT: Daniel R. Potter, 53, 192 Genesee St., rear was charged with second-degree aggravated harassment Monday. According to the report, Potter repeatedly called the victim after being advised to cease. The calls were causing annoyance and alarm.

May 2, 2012
Police blotter items published May 1, 2012
Lockport

TRESPASS: Nicholas E. Joseph, 22, no address, was charged with trespass Monday. Police responded to a complaint at 4:30 a.m. and found Joseph sitted in a wooded area with a blanket wrapped around him near the caller’s property on Elmwood Avenue. He said he had no home and was trying to keep warm.

May 1, 2012
Police blotter items published April 30, 2012
City of Lockport

CONTEMPT: Tricia E. Cassenti, 6493 Dysinger Road, Apartment No. 6, was charged Sunday with aggravated unlicensed operating of a motor vehicle and second-degree criminal contempt following a traffic stop. According to the report, a Lockport Police patrol observed the vehicle driven by Cassenti and a check of the NYSPIN database showed that she had a suspended license. Cassenti told police that “I forgot my court time in Town Court, I missed my court date. I thought it was at 9 a.m. and it wasn’t and it had to be rescheduled.” No paperwork indicated that this was correct, and police arrested Cassenti, who is scheduled to appear today in City Court.

May 1, 2012
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