May 4 – 10, 2024

Saratoga County Court

Gregory Adams, 47, of Malta, pleaded to grand larceny in the fourth-degree charged October 2023. Sentencing June 28. 

Anthony J. Torres, 25, of Waterford, pleaded to aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first-degree, charged April 2023 in Greenfield, and robbery in the third-degree, charged in Waterford January 2024. Sentencing June 28.

Travis L. Smith, 23, of Greenfield Center, pleaded to attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, charged January 2023. Sentencing June 28. 

Jammel A. Dillon, 33, of Saratoga Springs, was sentenced to 2-1/2 to 5 years after pleading to felony robbery, and 1 year after pleading to misdemeanor assault, charged 2023 in Mechanicville. Sentences to run concurrently. 

John A. Speigel, Jr., 33, of Wappingers Falls, pleaded to felony DWI, charged February 2024 in Wilton. Sentencing May 21. 

Clint J. Clark, 51, of Cohoes, pleaded to felony DWI charged December 2023 in Waterford. Sentencing July 11. 

Dominic Bradfute, 26, of South Glens Falls, was sentenced to 5 years’ probation, after pleading to unlawful surveillance in the second-degree, a felony, charged June 2023 in Moreau. 

Brandon Bakerian, 41, of Whitehall, pleaded to criminal contempt in the first-degree, charged November 2023 in Wilton. Sentencing Aug. 5. 

Mark P. Ottati, 34, of Schenectady, pleaded to felony DWI, charged December 2023 in Clifton Park. Sentencing June 25. 

Shahid Smith, 43, was sentenced to an aggregate term of 31-1/2 years in a state correctional facility followed by a post-release supervision of 3 years, Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen announced April 30. 

The sentences were imposed after a trial jury found Smith guilty of four counts criminal sale, and four counts criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree, and one count each criminal sale and criminal possession in the fifth-degree, Heggen reported. The evidence at trial indicated that Smith sold fentanyl, cocaine and crystal methamphetamine on four different occasions in Saratoga County during December 2022, Heggen added. 

To date, there have been 277 overdoses – 17 of them fatal this year in Saratoga County. In 2023, there were 727 overdoses with 39 fatalities countywide. 

Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office

Members of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office’s Narcotics Unit and Special Operations Team executed a search warrant at 11 Liberty St. in the village of Corinth following a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking in Saratoga County. As a result of the investigation and warrant service, Nicholas E. Harwood (age 35) of Corinth was arrested and charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree: one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth-degree, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree.

Harwood is accused of possessing and selling quantities of crack cocaine and cocaine throughout Saratoga County. He was arraigned before the Honorable Ellwood A. Sloat, Jr., in the Malta Town Court and sent to the Saratoga County Jail in lieu of bail, bond, or partially secured bond, pending further action in the matter.

NY State Police

State Police of Clifton Park received a complaint of an erratic vehicle in the area of Clifton Country Road in Clifton Park. Troopers located a vehicle matching the caller’s description and stopped it on State Route 146 with the assistance of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. The driver was identified as Steven P. Foster, 61, of Clifton Park. Foster was arrested for Driving While intoxicated and other Vehicle and Traffic violations. He was transported to SP Clifton Park for processing, where he recorded a 0.21% BAC. Foster was issued tickets returnable to the Clifton Park Town Court and released.

State Police of Saratoga arrested Frank W. Grasso, 21, of Waterford, for Criminal Possession of Cannabis in the first degree, a class “D” felony, and other Vehicle and Traffic Law violations. Troopers stopped a vehicle on State Route 9 in Saratoga Springs for Vehicle and Traffic Law violations. The driver was identified as Grasso. Further investigation discovered more than 20 pounds of cannabis in Grasso’s vehicle. Grasso was arrested and transported to SP Saratoga for processing. He was arraigned at the Malta Town Court and released on his own recognizance.