Week of July 26 – August 1, 2024    

Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office

The Sheriff’s Office handled a call of an assault of a corrections officer at the Saratoga County. As a result of the investigation into the complaint, John A. Rathbun, 26, homeless was charged with assault in the 2nd degree (class D felony). Rathbun is accused of punching a corrections officer to his facial area and of biting him causing physical injury. The corrections officer was treated at a local healthcare facility and released.

The Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of an unknown motor vehicle crash on New York State Route 29 in the town of Milton. Investigation into the crash led to the arrest of Kyle J. Kilburn, 35, of Milton. Kilburn was charged with DWAI – drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the 1st degree (class E felonies), criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 7th degree, and resisting arrest (class A misdemeanors). Kilburn was the sole person involved in the collision. He is accused of operating a motor vehicle while his ability to do so was impaired by the use of a drug and the charge was upgraded to a felony due to a previous conviction within the preceding 10 years. It is also alleged that his driver’s license was revoked at the time of the crash. Additionally, Kilburn is charged with knowingly and unlawfully possessing a controlled substance and physically resisting deputies attempting to take him into custody. 

The Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of an inactive larceny on Hudson River Road in the town of Halfmoon. As a result of the investigation into the matter, Kristen A. Yerry (age 25) of Richford, VT. Was charged with burglary in the 2nd degree (class C felony) and grand larceny in the 4th degree (class E felony). Yerry is accused of entering and remaining unlawfully within a dwelling with the intent to commit a crime therein, and with stealing property from the residence with a value in excess of $1,000. Yerry was arraigned and sent to the Saratoga County Jail in lieu of bail or bond, pending further action in the matter.

The Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged Jacob L. Merchant (age 25) of Malta with failure to report a change of address within 10 days as a sex offender (class D felony).  The charge was upgraded to a class D felony due to a previous conviction in 2023. He was arraigned and sent to the Saratoga County Jail without bail pending further action in the matter.

Saratoga County Court

James A. Topper, 28, of Galway, pleaded to felony DWI, charged February 2024 in Saratoga Springs, and felony DWI charged November 2023 in Malta. Sentencing Oct. 2. 

Terrance Crawford, 39, of Moreau, pleaded to rape in the second-degree, charged January 2024 in Saratoga Springs.  Sentencing Sept. 10. 

Dokotah McNabb, of Glens Falls, was sentenced to 2 to 4 years incarceration, after pleading to felony grand larceny, charged October 2023 in Moreau.

Marquin A. Blake, 33, of Schenectady, pleaded to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in the second-degree, charged January 2024 in Saratoga Springs. Sentencing Sept. 9. 

Jamel D. Gray, 29, of Ballston Spa, pleaded to grand larceny in the fourth-degree, charged February 2024. Sentencing Sept. 9. 

Eugene F. Wachtel, 57, of Schenectady, pleaded to grand larceny in the fourth-degree, charged June 2023 in Clifton Park. Sentencing Oct. 22. 

NY State Police

State Police of Wilton charged Shana M. Firenze, 39, of Saratoga Springs, with Criminal Trespass in the second-degree, Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the first-degree, and other Vehicle and Traffic Law violations.