Predicate Felon found with loaded handgun in Jamestown sentenced to at least 15 years in prison...
A man from southern Erie County, NY will spend the next 15 years to life in state prison for being a persistant Felon in possession of a firearm. Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt announced Thursday that the sentence was handed down for 36 year-old Joshua Hammer of Collins Center... who was convicted by a County Court Jury last October of illegally possessing a pistol in the city of Jamestown. Schmidt says the arrest was made during a traffic stop in 2022... in which Hammer was in possession of a loaded, .380-calibur pistol. Schmidt says the case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant D.A.'s Andrew Molitor and Erik Bentley... and, thanked Jamestown police for their "hard work on this case." He says Hammer had three prior felony convictions... making him eligible for the enhanced sentence. Schmidt says “just this past Monday three people were shot in Jamestown, killing one of them, by illegally possessed handguns. We hope this conviction sends a strong message across Chautauqua County that felons in possession of illegal guns will be caught and fully prosecuted by our office where they will face significant prison time."
North county man arrested following road rage incident in town of Sheridan...
An Irving man is facing several charges after an investigation into a two-vehicle crash Thursday morning in the Town of Sheridan. State Police in Fredonia say the crash on Middle Road, which was reported at about 8:30 a.m,. was a road rage incident where a vehicle driven by 33-year-old Jose Lebron-Ortiz struck the other vehicle, which was driven by an ex-girlfriend and also occupied by a one-year-old child. Troopers say all three people were sent to Brooks Memorial Hospital for evaluation. Injuries suffered in the incident were minor; the child was uninjured. Lebron-Ortiz was charged with first-degree criminal contempt... first-degree reckless endangerment... fourth-degree stalking... endangering the welfare of a child... and was issued several traffic tickets. He was taken to the County Jail... and, jailed on $100,000 bail.
Two arrested during Dunkirk drug bust...
Two north county residents have been arrested during a drug raid Thursday afternoon in the city of Dunkirk. Sheriff's officers say narcotics investigators with their office... and, the Dunkirk Police Department... executed a search warant at 27 West Lucas Ave. shortly after 1 p.m. with the help of the Dunkirk SRT Team. The raid culminated a six-month investigation into alleged drug trafficking at the residence. Deputies say they located 46 year-old Yajaira Herrera Hernandez... and, 26 year-old Jose Pacheco... who was observed leaving the lower apartment just prior to police arriving. During a search of the home... investigators seized 2.78 grams of crack cocaine... scales and packaging material for the distribution of narcotics... and, a quantity of cash. Herrera Hernandez was charged with third-degree criminal sale, and possession of a controlled substance... second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia... first-degree criminal nuisance... and, endangering the welfare of a Child. Pacheco was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession... and, second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia. Officers say Pacheco and Herrera Hernandez were jailed pending arraignment.
Early Presidential Primary voting begins in Chautauqua Co. this Saturday...
New York state's presidential primaries will be held on Tuesday, April 2nd. However... early voting for those primaries gets underway this weekend. Chautauqua County Republican Elections Commissioner Brian Abram... says early voting for the Democratic and Republican primaries gets underway today (Saturday), Mar. 23, and will run through the following Saturday, Mar. 30. Abram says the state's presidential primaries are usually held in late April, but this year's primaries are slated for early April. And... with Easter on Sun., Mar. 31, Abram says early voting will only run for eight days. Abram says hours each of those eight days will run one hour later than previously. He adds you can vote at any of the four locations they'll have set up. They include: the County Fairgrounds in Dunkirk... the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood... the Jackson Center in Jamestown... and, the Board of Elections Offices in Mayville. He says all Democratic and Republican party members are eligible to vote, while all other party members or voters without a designated party are not eligible.
Whitaker says Jamestown Public Schools closing in on pre-pandemic attendance levels...
The Jamestown Public Schools have seen student attendance return to just about pre-COVID 19 levels... but, officials are still looking for improvement in some areas. That from School Superintendent Kevin Whitaker... who says -- overall -- they are close to 90% attendance each school day. Dr. Whitaker says that's been helped most by more than 91% in the elementary and middle-school levels. He says the problem is a lag in high school attendance... where attendance is just over 80%. Whitaker says it's a challenge that's faced all public schools in the state. He says there are a number of factors that can be involved with the high school. One is the student there is older, and more of an adult. There are also the parents sometime focusing on younger siblings and making sure they get to school. Whitaker says attendance at Jamestown High School has been just over 80-percent. He made his comments during a Thursday interview with our Dennis Webster.
