Michael P. Bousquet, 55, of Ballston Lake, was charged by State police with two counts of possession of a forged instrument first-degree, grand larceny third-degree and criminal possession of stolen property third-degree. All charges are felonies. Bousquet is suspected of using two fraudulent checks to pay for a boat he purchased off the Facebook Marketplace. On Aug. 2, he met the victim in Gloversville to look the boat over and then agreed to purchase the vessel, providing the victim with two endorsed cashier’s checks as payment. The victim discovered the theft after contacting the banks that the checks were drawn on and being informed that the checks were fraudulent. The total amount of the theft was $5,600. The victim contacted State Police and Troopers were able to recover the boat in Ballston Lake. Bousquet was sent to Fulton County Jail without bail, he is due back in court on a later date. Anyone that believes they may have additional information or may be a victim is asked to please contact the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at SP Mayfield 518-661-5006.

Gary J. McClelland, of Round Lake, was charged Aug. 4 with two counts criminal possession of a controlled substance, and one felony count criminal sale of a controlled substance. McClelland is accused of distributing quantities of Crystal Methamphetamine and other drugs throughout Saratoga county. A search warrant was executed and as a result, quantities of numerous drugs, packaging materials and scales were located within the residence, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department. 

Gerald F. Colombe III, 35, of Glens Falls, and Jesus M. Ortiz, 20, of Schenectady, were each charged with felony robbery, in connection with incidents alleged to have occurred Aug. 6. According to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Colombe and Ortiz are accused of befriending a victim and then displaying what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol before they demanded the victim’s property, in the area of the Wilton Mall, Target and Home Depot on State Route 50 in the Town of Wilton.  Ortiz was sent to Saratoga County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash or $2,000 bond; Colombe was sent to the correctional facility on no bail, with a NYS Parole hold.

Aaron C. Licis, 36, of Fort Edward, was charged Aug. 9 with felony assault, and criminal mischief – a misdemeanor, after allegedly using a baseball bat to smash windows at a person’s residence on Northern Pines Road in the town of Wilton, and subsequently throwing the bat and striking a second person in the leg which caused physical injury. 

Thomas Casey, 53, of Norwich, Connecticut, was charged Aug. 4 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor DWI and failing to use designated driving lane. 

John Lavada, 30, of Saratoga Springs, was charged Aug. 4 with menacing, disorderly conduct, trespassing, and willful violation of health laws. 

Brian Raymond, 50, of Saratoga Springs, was charged Aug. 4 with trespassing and disorderly conduct. 

James Altamirano, 39, of Ballston Spa was charged in Saratoga Springs Aug. 4 with petit larceny and criminal trespass.

Barkim Tomer, 25, of Milton, was charged Aug. 5 in Saratoga Springs with two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts criminal possession of a controlled substance, and two felony counts criminal sale. 

Chad Lang, 46, of Saratoga Springs, was charged Aug. 5 with criminal trespass. 

Bradley Haskell, 31, of Saratoga Springs, was charged Aug. 6 with one misdemeanor and one felony count criminal possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession marijuana. 

Tosha Harrington, 31, of Saratoga, was charged Aug. 6 in Saratoga Springs with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

POLICE

Karissa A. Sanchez, 27, of Malta, was charged Aug. 3 in the town of Ballston with misdemeanor DWI, aggravated DWI – a felony with child under 16 tears of age in the vehicle, endangering the
welfare of a child, and multiple other infractions.  According to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Sanchez had been traveling northbound on Schauber Road when the car swerved to avoid a deer,
causing the car to flip over onto its roof. There were three children aged 2 to 6 in the vehicle at the time. The were not injured. 

Andre Simmons, 19, of Schenectady, was charged July 30 in Saratoga Springs with disorderly conduct/ obstructing traffic. 

Dennis Lescault, 28, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 31 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and operating a motor vehicle without signal devices/reflectors. 

Mark Desio, 35, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 28 with criminal possession of a controlled substance. 

Nicole Daly, 48, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 31 with felony grand larceny, and criminal impersonation. 

Corine Irish, 47, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 31 with felony welfare fraud. 

Sebastian Mabb, 27, of Clifton Park, was charged July 31 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor assault, criminal mischief, strangulation in the second-degree, and felony burglary.

James Altamirano, 39, of Ballston Spa, was charged July 29 in Saratoga Springs with criminal trespass. 

Bradley VanDusen, 56, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 29 with criminal mischief, and arson. 

Teva Glueck, 42, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 29 with misdemeanor DWI, aggravated DWI, leaving the scene of an accident, and multiple driving violations. 

Charles Maurer, 33, of Alcoa, Texas, was charged July 30 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor DWI, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, trespassing, and making an unsafe turn. 

Michael Twomey, 27, of Gansevoort, was charged July 30 in Saratoga Springs with assault in the second-degree w/intent to cause injury to officer/fireman/EMT/nurse/crossing guard. 

Joseph Benford, 32, of Elgin, Texas, was charged July 24 in Saratoga Springs wit misdemeanor DWI, and failure to use designated lane stop.

Johvanna Sampson, 37, of Paramus, N.J., was charged July 25 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor DWI and multiple driving infractions. 

 Berry Brandon, 21, of Gansevoort, was charged July 26 in Saratoga Springs with criminal possession of a controlled substance, operating a motor vehicle impaired by drugs, and a vehicle equipment violation. 

Meghan Eddy, 40, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 27 with criminal contempt in the second-degree. 

William A. Sawka, 38, of Gansevoort, was charged July 30 with felony assault, menacing, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, obstructing governmental administration, and criminal possession of a weapon. Sawka is accused of brandishing a knife, striking a person in the head with a folding chair, puncturing the tire of a person’s motor vehicle and causing physical injury to the arresting deputy,
according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. He was sent to Saratoga County Jail in lieu of bail, or bond. 

Sheriff’s Office, Prevention Council Educate Boaters About Dangers Of Boating Under The Influence 

Weekly Update

SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Prevention Council of Saratoga County joined the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office in the annual Operation Dry Water campaign, a coordinated campaign to educate boaters about the dangers of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

Alcohol use continues to be the leading known contributing factor in recreational boater deaths and a leading contributor in boating accidents. The mission of Operation Dry Water is to reduce the number of alcohol and drug-related incidents and fatalities on the water. 

Outreach partners and volunteers will be out on the water and at marinas in Saratoga County, working collaboratively with law enforcement to educate boaters about safe boating practices. Law enforcement will also be detecting and removing impaired operators from the water. No matter where you are boating, it is illegal to operate a boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 

In 2019, law enforcement officers across the nation issued a total of 9,524 citations and removed 563 impaired operators from our nation’s waterways. 

Boaters can learn more about boating under the influence by visiting PreventionCouncil.org or operationdrywater.org.

Weekly Update

Two months before Dr. Timothy Brooks was set to retire as medical director, chair and chief of emergency medicine at Saratoga Hospital, COVID-19 struck New York City. “We saw what was happening—and that it could happen here,” Dr. Brooks said. “I couldn’t in good faith walk away.”

Instead, he stayed for what would become some of the most challenging months of his more-than-30-year career. As he’d done so many times since coming here in 1987, Dr. Brooks helped lead the hospital and community response.

Now, with COVID-19 numbers down throughout the region and systems in place to identify, treat and protect patients and staff, Dr. Brooks can move ahead with his plans. He retires July 31 with the respect, admiration and gratitude of patients, medical and emergency response professionals, organizations and officials throughout the region.

Those who know Dr. Brooks weren’t surprised that he put the community first.

“In many ways, Dr. Brooks is a rock that we built the hospital on,” said Dr. Richard Falivena, vice president and chief medical and physician integration officer at Saratoga Hospital. “He has been instrumental in helping us launch almost every clinical program we offer. We can’t overstate his impact.”

Making a difference for millions If you’ve received emergency medical care, been an inpatient at Saratoga Hospital, or visited one of its urgent care centers, Dr. Brooks has made a difference in your care. He’s also informed public health policy and
decisions in Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County, and he’s been instrumental in bringing people together to improve emergency preparedness.

“After 9/11 we realized we had to change our approach,” Dr. Brooks recalled. “We formed a countywide committee and developed plans for managing mass-casualty situations, including biological warfare and pandemics. We’ve been meeting quarterly ever since.”

The committee, which Dr. Brooks chaired from its inception until his retirement, included dozens of health and safety officials. It also caught the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which asked Dr. Brooks to serve as a consultant on educating physicians on bioterrorism.

“He is so respected, within and outside the hospital,” said Ann Marie Cross, MS, RN, administrative director for emergency and urgent care services at Saratoga Hospital. “People know who he is, what he’s done, and how much he cares about everyone.” 

Ms. Cross and Dr. Brooks were “a tag team” for 11 years. She attributes his impact to a combination of exceptional clinical skills and bedside manner, a genuine love of teaching and mentoring, and a fundamental belief in collaboration.

“He knew that what we did in the Emergency Department would affect other providers and departments, so he always involved them in the decision-making,” Ms. Cross said.

“He set the stage for so much of what we do,” she added. “He was constantly striving to improve care, and that affected the way we develop protocols, learn from every experience, and collaborate to do what’s best for our patients.

“That’s not going to change,” Ms. Cross said. “It will be his legacy.

BALLSTON SPA – With a sense of resignation at the inevitability of no mass gatherings during pandemic of COVID-19, the organizers of this fun, family festival have reluctantly cancelled this years event. 

Initially scheduled for June 19 to 21 at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds, the event was pushed to August 14 to 16, hoping for a break from the onslaught from the coronavirus. However, there was no such luck.

While the promoters regret the circumstances surrounding the cancellation, they are optimistic about hosting the event in 2021 at the Fairgrounds. They hope for a vaccine to pave the way back to a semblance of normalcy by next spring.

According to Todd Monahan, the balloon meister, “we already have 30 balloons lined up for 2021. They are all psyched to come to Saratoga to fly here again.”

To keep informed about the Saratoga Balloon and BBQ Festival, check on the website www.balloonandbbq.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Local antiques specialist and auctioneer Mark Lawson secured an exceptional result in the sale of an antique Chinese bronze censer for his long-time client Jim Kambrich, the recently retired
anchor for WNYT Channel 13 News. 

The bronze censer had come down through Kambrich’s family from his grandparents and was among the items Jim and his wife Susan sold through Mark Lawson Antiques in an effort to downsize and move after Jim’s retirement. 

The censer was about 11 inches tall and took the form of a “foo dog,” the mythical Chinese guardian lion that typically stands in front of Imperial palaces. An initial sale price for this piece was $300 to $500. When the gavel finally fell, the sale price was $20,000. Remarkably, this kind of thing happens regularly with the sale of good quality Chinese antiques to a new and growing population of native Chinese collectors. 

Mark Lawson Antiques is currently cataloguing its next sale, a live auction with online-only bidding scheduled for Aug. 1, 2020. Live previews will be held on July 30 and 31. Please see marklawsonantiques.com for details. 

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Syracuse District, and SCORE present an update webinar on SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and New York State’s Women-Owned Enterprise (WBE) certification programs.

The free online event will take place 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6. 

SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship for more than 50 years. 

The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting certification  process is changing, and the new certification will be required as of Oct. 15. Applications can be submitted using the new process starting in July. Becoming certified for the WOSB program means your business is eligible to compete for WOSB Federal Contracting Program set-aside contracts.

The webinar will feature Stephen Barr - Business Opportunity Specialist, SBA Syracuse District Office, and Kayla Perry - Program Manager, North Country Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). 

Register for the webinar at: score.zoom.us/webinar/registerWN_5f5sKYCpQQWZYGQe68fqw

Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

COURT

Juan A. Vasquez, 46, of South Glens Falls, was arraigned and pleaded not guilty in Saratoga County Court July 24 to the felony charges murder in the second-degree, tampering with physical evidence, and the misdemeanor: criminal possession of a controlled substance. 

POLICE

Keegan Farrell, 20, of Greenfield Center, was charged July 21 in Saratoga Springs with felony burglary.

Perry Dow, 56, of Lake Luzerne, was charged July 21 in Saratoga Springs with assault in the second-degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth-degree, and menacing in the second-degree. 

Kelly Lion, 52, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 21 with criminal possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance in a non-original container. 

James Altamirano, 39, of Ballston Spa, was charged July 21 in Saratoga Springs with criminal trespass in the third-degree, a misdemeanor. 

David Dechants, 32, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 21 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third-degree. 

Scott Brennen, 41, of East Syracuse, was charged July 23 in Saratoga Springs with the misdemeanors: criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal contempt, and the violations: improper license plates, operating an unregistered vehicle, inadequate plate lamp – equipment. 

Joseph Benford, 32, of Elgin, was charged July 24 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor DWI, and failure to use designated lane. 

Candace K. Myers, 46, of Milton, was charged July 22 with aggravated unlicensed operation-alcohol and driving while ability impaired by drugs, after State Police responded to a one-car motor vehicle accident on Lewis Road in Milton. When a Trooper arrived, they found that the vehicle had left the roadway and struck a tree. Witnesses at the scene observed the driver exit the vehicle and leave on foot. Troopers were able to identify the driver.

Joseph H. Rogers, II, 31, of Granville, was charged July 26 with failing to report change of address or status within 10 days as a sex offender, and offering a false instrument for filing in the first-degree. He was sent to Saratoga County Jail in lieu of bail, or bond. 

Matthew Mackley, 41, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 13 with criminal mischief in the second-degree, a felony. 

Chad Lang, 46, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 13 with petit larceny misdemeanor. 

Sally Apolinsky, 22, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 14 criminal tampering, possession of graffiti instruments, and making graffiti. All charges are misdemeanors. 

POLICE

Alexander Nikola, 40, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 17 with criminal mischief. 

George Coleman, 32, of Amsterdam, was charged July 18 in Saratoga Springs with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Matthew Matrazzo, 23, of Ballston Spa, was charged July 18 in Saratoga Springs with disorderly conduct: obscene language/gestures. 

Donald Principe, 31, of Queensbury, was charged July 18 in Saratoga Springs with criminal trespass  — misdemeanor. 

Aturo Cruz-Agustin, 35, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 19 with misdemeanor DWI, aggravated DWI, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident, after being involved in an accident on South Broadway. 

Randall Alger, 47, of New York, was charged July 19 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor petit larceny. 

Robert McCall, 59, of Ballston Spa, was charged July 18 in Saratoga Springs with two counts aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and a violation for speeding.

Brendan Benequisto, 37, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 20 with criminal mischief: intent to damage property, a misdemanor. 

Yhashin White, 33, of Brooklyn, was charged July 11 in Saratoga Springs with felony DWI, refusal to take a breath test, drinking alcohol in motor vehicle on a highway, and two driving/ equipment violations. 

Richard McKeel, 25, of Newport, Virginia, was charged July 11 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor DWI, aggravated DWI, refusal to take a breath test, and passing a red light. 

Daniel Brzywczy, 38, of Highland Falls, was charged July 13 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor assault, and criminal possession of a controlled substance. 

 William M. Biette, 44, of Latham, was charged July 15 with felony DWI, felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, assault in the third-degree, circumvention of an ignition interlock device, criminal contempt in the second-degree, reckless driving, and several vehicle and traffic infractions. According to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s office, Biette was driving eastbound on Route 67 when he crossed the center line and struck two vehicles traveling westbound.  One of those drivers were trapped in their vehicle and needed to be extricated by emergency personnel. They were subsequently treated at Saratoga Hospital with a chest injury.  The incident occurred July 15 in the town of Malta. Biette was sent to Saratoga County Jail in lieu of bail or bond.

New York State Police STOP DWI Campaign

The New York State Police announced July 21 that Troopers issued a total of 9,214 tickets statewide during the 4th of July STOP-DWI enforcement campaign. The special enforcement period began on Friday, July 3, and ended at 6 a.m. on Sunday, July 5.

During the 36-hour campaign, which was funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, State Police utilized sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols, and ticketed distracted drivers who used handheld electronic devices.

Troopers arrested 180 people for DWI and investigated 456 crashes, including 99 personal injury crashes and one fatality, according to authorities. As part of the enforcement, Troopers also targeted speeding and aggressive drivers across the state. In the Capital Region specifically there were 20 DWI charges and 26 distracted driving charges. 

During last year’s 4th of July enforcement campaign, State Police issued 16,388 total tickets and arrested 255 people for DWI.

Additionally, State Police announced 85 tickets were issued for a host of violations, including speeding, use of a cell phone while driving, and failure to obey a flagger during two days of “Operation Hardhat” initiatives that took place on the Northway this month.

Motorists are urged to drive responsibly in work zones. They are reminded to move over a lane when safely possible, or slow down significantly, whenever encountering roadside vehicles displaying red, white, blue, amber or green lights, including maintenance and construction vehicles in work zones.

Dameon Myrick, 37, of Saratoga, was charged July 10 in Saratoga Springs with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. 

Theodore Eichler, 33, of Schuylerville, was charged July 10 in Saratoga Springs with criminal possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Mosley Trashaun, 40, of Kingston, was charged July 8 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, and two driving violations. 

Jade Graves, 25, of Ballston Spa, was charged July 8 in Saratoga Springs with identity theft – a felony; criminal use drug paraphernalia – a misdemeanor, criminal possession of a controlled substance – one felony count, one misdemeanor count, and unlawful possession of marijuana.   

Jamaine Myers, 42, of Troy, was charged July 9 in Saratoga Springs with false impersonation, a misdemeanor. 

Debra Berry, 38, of Saratoga, was charged July 10 in Saratoga Springs with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. 

John Larkins, 32, of Troy was charged July 6 in Saratoga Springs with resisting arrest, obstruct governmental administration, harassment, criminal tampering, unlawful possession of marijuana and disorderly conduct: fight/violent behavior, in connection with an alleged incident on Phila Street. 

Eric E. Sadlon, 48, of Schenectady, was charged July 11 with two felony counts unlawful surveillance in the second-degree. Sadlon is accused of surreptitiously placing a recording device in an employee bathroom at a state-run residential home for people with disabilities where he was employed. The hidden camera captured images and video of unknowing employees while they were using the restroom.  The recording device was discovered by a female employee concealed within a USB wall charger. Sadlon was arraigned and released in Milton Town Court. The investigation is ongoing at this time. The Sheriff’s Office is working on the case along with investigators with the NYS Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs.    

Todd D. Derush, 39, of Gansevoort was charged July 2 with felony assault, following an altercation at the Saratoga County Jail where he is currently incarcerated. The victim was treated at Saratoga Hospital for minor injuries. 

Angela M. Duross, 37, of Corinth, was charged June 29 with two felony counts criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fourth-degree and two felony counts criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth-degree. She is accused of actively selling controlled substances in the Village of Corinth. She was arraigned at Corinth Town Court and released to pre-trial services. 

Larry Stalbaum, 56, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 3 with misdemeanor DWI, speeding, and failure to keep right. 

Meghan Eddy, 40, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 3 with felony burglary and misdemeanor petit larceny. 

Mary Tedesco, 51, of Glens Falls, was charged July 6 in Saratoga Springs with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, circumvent interlock, and false impersonation – all misdemeanors, and moved from lane unsafely – a violation. 

Cassandra Barden, 35, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 5 with criminal contempt – a violation, and with a prior conviction of aggravated criminal contempt with five years rising to the count of a felony. 

Paolo Citone, 26, of Glenville, was charged June 30 in Saratoga Springs with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and license plate violation. 

Sean Phillips, 35, of Saratoga Springs, was charged June 30 with DWAI – rising to the count of a felony, and two driving violations. 

Joshua Usher, 27, of Ballston Spa, was charged June 30 in Saratoga Springs with criminal contempt, a misdemeanor. 

Ryan Meyer, 30, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 2 with misdemeanor DWI, and two driving/vehicle violations. 

Jaciel J. Santos, of Amsterdam, was charged June 24 in Milton with criminal possession of a forged instrument in the first-degree. According to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department, Santos is alleged to have been found to be in possession of counterfeit money while being booked into the Saratoga County Correctional Facility on an unrelated matter. He was arraigned before the Town of Milton Court, and released on his own recognizance. 

Thomas H. LeBlanc, 46, of Wrentham, Massachusetts was charged June 24 with arson in the third-degree. While working for Northline Utilities, LeBlanc is suspected of starting a company vehicle on fire by letting fireworks off within the vehicle.  LeBlanc was extradited back to New York State from the State of Massachusetts where he was being held as a fugitive from justice.  He was arraigned at the Town of Wilton Court, and released on his own recognizance.