Five arrested for protest-related crimes
Five people have been arrested on federal charges involving arson and assault during protests on May 30 in Rochester and Buffalo. In Rochester, four individuals have been charged for their roles in connection with the burning of three government vehicles and a private mobile construction trailer. In Buffalo, a fifth person has been charged with […]
Niagara Falls man facing drug, weapons charges
A Niagara Falls man has been indicted on numerous charges, including making a bomb. Jeffrey Richards, 28, is facing multiple drug trafficking and charges in addition to possessing a destructive device, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and, possession of a stolen firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. If convicted of the […]
Nassau County man admits to cyberstalking and sending drugs to ex-girlfriend
Thomas Traficante, 23, pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and distribution of a controlled substance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson on Thursday. Traficante, of Seaford, is facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Between October 2017 and December 2017 Traficante sent many threatening text messages to his ex-girlfriend, […]
Buffalo man admits to making child porn
A Buffalo man has admitted to making child pornography. Duke Jimenez, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara, to production and possession of child pornography. Jimenez is facing a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 50 years, and a fine of $500,000. Between Feb. 10, 2014, and […]
Brooklyn man admits fraud charge
A Brooklyn man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Corey Buddle, 25, is facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Buddle, along with co-conspirators from Jamaica, defrauded elderly people in the United States by telling them they won cash prizes of more than $1 million and, […]
Debt collector admits bilking victims out of more than $1M
A Buffalo debt collector has pleaded guilty to federal charges that he coerced thousands of victims into paying more than $1 million in debts they may or may not have owed. Federal prosecutors say 30-year-old Alan Ceccarelli hired a number of debt collectors to defraud victims across the country between January 2013 and January 2016. […]
Trump win makes WNY legal community wonder
The entire nation is waiting to see how a Donald Trump presidency plays out, but his upset victory poses a few questions of particular interest to the legal community in western New York. For starters, what does the election outcome mean for the judicial nomination of Kathleen M. Sweet in U.S. District Court for the […]
Rochester child porn defendant gets eight-plus years in prison
A Rochester man who was convicted of possession of child pornography has been sentenced to eight years and one month in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci. Pedro Cruz, 40, had thousands of images of child pornography on a laptop computer, thousands of images of child pornography on a desktop computer, over 30,000 images […]
Colorado man admits making threats to SUNY Buffalo faculty and staff
A Colorado man has admitted making threats to faculty and staff SUNY Buffalo . Benjamin Bolton, 32, of Glendale, Colo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to transmitting interstate communications containing threats to injure the person of another. The charge carries a maximum of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 […]
Erie County union leader sentenced
A former union leader has been sentenced to three years in prison for conspiracy and racketeering charges. Mark N. Kirsch, 57, former president and business manager of operating engineers Local 17, based in Hamburg, Erie County, also was sentenced to pay $198,121.50 in restitution, by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. From at least January […]
Buffalo man sentenced for arson
A Buffalo man who was convicted of arson of a commercial building has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. On June 13, 2014, Lowell Carey, 56, along with co-defendants Ryan Smolinski and Christopher Gorman, went to 349 Ontario St., Western New York Property Contractors, and […]
Irondequoit man sentenced for “sextortion”
An Irondequoit man has been sentenced to six years in prison for coercing a 15-year-old girl to take pornographic pictures of herself and then using them to extort sex from her. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Field says 29-year-old Jose Alvarado was sentenced in federal court Thursday. Field says Alvarado used his iPhone and other digital […]
Case Digests
- Fourth Department – Breach of contract: Hausrath Landscape Maintenance Inc. v. Caravan Facilities Management LLC
- Second Circuit – New York Child Victim’s Act: Kane v. Mount Pleasant CSD; Coe v. Eastport Union Free School
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Appointing law clerk: Opinion 22-149
- Fourth Department – Bill of particulars: Harris v. Rome Memorial Hospital, et al.
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Accusations against co-judge: Opinion 22-148
- Fourth Department – Medicaid: Washington Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Home v. NYS Dept. of Health
- Fourth Department – Criminal possession of a firearm: People v. Wilson
- Fourth Department – Promoting prostitution: People v. Watts
- Second Circuit – Class certification: Arkansas Teachers Retirement System V. Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
- Fourth Department – Show-up identification: People v. Waggoner
- Fourth Department – Association: Victory Village Tenants Assoc. v. Evergreen Communities, et al.
- Second Circuit – In personam jurisdiction: Kaplan v. Bank Saderat PLC
Law News
- Greenlight Networks selects Buffalo-based attorney as general counsel
- Barclay Damon hires attorney Matt Smith
- Rochester man sues Geneseo police, alleging false arrest, assault
- The Daily Record’s Power List for Intellectual Property 2023
- NY ethics panel says judges can join NRA
- Harter Secrest & Emery LLP names partner-in-charge of Buffalo office
- Banned professor sues SUNY Fredonia leaders
- Hochul signs law requiring unemployment insurance information from employers