North Country Briefs
Former deputy admits
having unregistered gun
A former South Carolina sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty Tuesday in Jefferson County Court to a charge that he had an unregistered handgun at U.S. Customs on Wellesley Island.
Lee Thao, 39, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor. He subsequently was granted an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. If he stays out of further legal trouble for the next year, the charge will be dismissed. He also was ordered to forfeit the gun.
Mr. Thao, who recently had resigned as a deputy with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Department, was trying to enter Canada on Jan. 10 when he was denied entry into the country by Canadian customs.
Upon being returned to U.S. Customs for further investigation, it was found he had a loaded 9 mm handgun.
Bringing a gun into New York when it is not registered in the state is a misdemeanor, and the charge becomes a felony when the gun is loaded.
Tupper Lake man facing
several drug, theft counts
TUPPER LAKE — A 29-year-old man faces drug and theft charges stemming from several incidents last month.
Patrick E. Hache, Tupper Lake, was charged Monday with four counts of petit larceny, two counts each of second-degree forgery and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and single counts each of second-degree criminal impersonation, fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, village police said.
He is accused from Dec. 15 to 30 of breaking into a car and taking several items, cashing a forged check, taking a DVD player and flat-screen television and stealing a prescription pad to get oxycodone from a drugstore, police said.
He was arraigned in Village Court and sent to Franklin County jail, Malone, on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond.
Man sentenced to prison
for possessing child porn
A Chase Mills man will serve 171/2 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography.
David Rosenberg, 53, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court, Utica, before Judge David N. Hurd on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. Rosenberg will have to register as a sex offender and be subject to post-release supervision for the remainder of his life, federal prosecutors said.
He was accused of having more than 5,500 images and about 55 videos of child pornography on his laptop, external hard drives and a memory card from March to December 2008, federal court records show.
State police led the investigation through Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide effort designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.
Brownville man charged
with assaulting girlfriend
BROWNVILLE — A village man was arrested early Tuesday on allegations that he pushed his live-in girlfriend, causing her to hit her head against a wall, and broke her cell phone when she attempted to call for police assistance.
Jesse J. Kiblin, 22, of 201 Brown Blvd., is charged with third-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal mischief. The victim in the late Monday night fight was identified as Angela Pierce, 23, same address.
Mr. Kiblin was sent to the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building, Watertown, following arraignment before Brownville Town Justice Richard M. Parker, who set bail at $250.
Pair halted on Route 37
with untaxed cigarettes
MASSENA — Two Ogdensburg men were accused of having 200 cartons of untaxed cigarettes when stopped Monday on Route 37.
Michael F. Johnson, 34, of 341 Belmont Courts, and Paul A. Schwartfigure, 39, of 609 Grove St., both were charged with felony possession of untaxed cigarettes, state police said.
Troopers said the two allegedly picked up the cigarettes on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. State law allows a person to have up to two cartons of cigarettes.
The men were issued appearance tickets for Louisville Town Court.
Pair accused of refusing
to return ATV to owner
WADDINGTON — St. Lawrence County Sheriff's deputies charged Joshua M. Bennett, 17, and Jordan M. Bennett, 21, both of 58 Pork St., Madrid, with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.
The charge was added about 7 p.m. Monday to a petit larceny charge related to an all-terrain vehicle theft investigation. Deputies said the two refused to return the ATV to its owner.
They are to appear in Waddington Town Court.
Deputies say teen shoved
boy's head into a toilet
EVANS MILLS — A teenager shoved a 4-year-old boy's head into a toilet bowl, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department charged Monday.
Chad A. Countryman, 17, of 8120 Schell Ave., is summoned to town of LeRay Court to answer to charges of harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. The incident occurred Sunday night at the Countryman residence, according to the sheriff's office.
Man accused of sending
unwanted text messages
PHILADELPHIA — Richard P. Fisher, 46, of 13 Clark St., was arrested by state police Monday afternoon on a charge of fourth-degree stalking.
He was released without bail following arraignment in town of Cape Vincent Court to await prosecution. Police said he is accused of sending unwanted text messages to Rhonda L. Rupard, Cape Vincent, who filed a complaint Thursday.
Lisbon woman arrested
following domestic fight
LISBON — Carrie L. Todd, 30, of 9207 County Route 27, was charged Tuesday with fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree harassment for reportedly damaging a door and hitting Christopher G. Booth several times during an argument, St. Lawrence County sheriff's deputies said.
She was issued appearance tickets for Town Court.
