Saratoga Springs
On Jan. 9, members of the Patrol Division responded to a residence in Saratoga Springs for a report of a fraud scam that involved a telephone call to an elderly resident that involved a request for money. The male caller claimed that her son was in an accident and needed money for bail after being arrested. The caller claimed to be an attorney and that someone would come to the home to retrieve the money for the bail bond. After completing the initial transaction and obtaining money, the caller continued to ask for additional money in order to drop further legal proceedings and compensate the victim of the accident. After the initial fraud, the victim’s family called the police and patrol officers responded.
The investigation continued with a second request for money being arranged. At a predetermined time, an individual arrived at the residence to collect the money for the fraud and was taken into custody.
Zebiullah Neyazy, 44, of Cohoes, Neyazy was charged with attempted grand larceny in the third-degree, a felony, released without bail and scheduled to appear in city court Jan. 25.
The Saratoga Springs Police Department advises the public that no police officer, court officer, or legitimate attorney, will make arrangements to pick up cash or other forms of payment, like credit cards or gift cards, to resolve legal matters.
Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office
Resulting from an investigation into a sexual assault complaint in the town of Milton on Nov. 17, 2023, the Sheriff’s Office arrested Curtis J. Bennifield, 21, of Milton. Bennifield was charged with Rape in the Third Degree, a class E Felony on Jan. 3. He is accused of having sexual intercourse with a female victim known to him without her consent. He was arraigned and released after posting bail. Bennifield is scheduled to appear again in the Milton Town Court on a later date.
Resulting from a sexual assault complaint on Dec. 20, 2023 in the town of Providence, Christopher P. Poirier, 60, of Providence was arrested and charged with Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree (class D felony). Mr. Poirier is accused of subjecting another person to sexual contact by means of forcible compulsion. He was arraigned and released to pretrial services pending further action in the matter.
The Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of an active domestic incident at 4:15 a.m. Jan. 8 in the village of Stillwater. Investigation into the matter resulted in the arrest of Michael T. Garrick, 41, of Stillwater. He was charged with Strangulation in the 2nd Degree (class D felony). Mr. Garrick is alleged to have impeded the normal breathing or blood circulation of a female known to him by applying pressure to her throat or neck causing her to lose consciousness. He was arraigned and sent to the Saratoga County Jail without bail pending further action in the matter.
On Jan. 5, members of the Sheriff’s Office’s narcotics unit and the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Sheriff’s Office’s special operations team, arrested the following persons following an investigation into the possession and sales of firearms and narcotics within Saratoga County:
Christopher E. Terry, age 19, of Halfmoon,
Six counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree (class B felonies)
One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 2nd degree (Class A2 felony)
One count of Criminal Possession of a Firearm (class E felony)
One count of Criminal Possession of a Disguised Gun (class D felony)
One count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd degree (class D felony)
Mikhail A. Green, age 21, of Albany,
Three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree (class B felonies)
One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 2nd degree (Class A2 felony)
One count of Criminal Possession of a Firearm (class E felony)
One count of Criminal Possession of a Disguised Gun (class D felony)
One count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd degree (class D felony)
Mr. Terry and Mr. Green are accused of possessing large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and hallucinogens with the intent to sell them within Saratoga County. They were also charged with being in possession of an illegal “ghost gun” as well as an extended 30-round magazine. Both were arraigned and sent to the Saratoga County Jail in lieu of bail or bond pending further action in the matters.
