North Country Briefs

Another charge is lodged

against Potsdam man

POTSDAM — A 25-year-old man is accused of having sex with a second underage girl.

Dustin L. Musick, Potsdam, was charged Friday with felony third-degree rape, village police said. He was accused of having sex with a 16-year-old girl in October.

He was arraigned in Village Court and sent to St. Lawrence County jail, Canton, on $5,000 bail, police said.

On Monday, Mr. Musick was charged with two counts of third-degree rape and a single count of third-degree criminal sexual act, all felonies, police said. He was accused of having sex several times with a 15-year-old last summer.

Mr. Musick was arraigned on those charges in Stockholm Town Court and sent to county jail on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond.

He also is wanted by Norfolk, Va., police on a probation warrant. He reportedly skipped on his probation from a 2003 robbery conviction, police said.

Man accused of having

sexual contact with child

WADDINGTON — A 46-year-old man is accused of having sexual contact with a child under age 11.

Timothy J. Johnson, of 640 County Route 33, Waddington, was charged Friday with first-degree criminal sexual act, a felony, and child endangerment, St. Lawrence County sheriff's deputies said.

He was arraigned in Town Court before Judge Lloyd Grandy and sent to St. Lawrence County jail, Canton, on $20,000 bail or $40,000 bond.

Police: man visited, called

woman, violating order

NORFOLK — A Norfolk man is accused of violating a protection order by visiting an ex-girlfriend's home several times.

Adam A. Gauthier, 22, was charged Thursday with felony first-degree criminal contempt, state police said. He reportedly visited the home of Brandee J. Arquiett, along with calling her.

He was arraigned in Town Court and sent to St. Lawrence County jail, Canton, on $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond.

Careless smoking blamed

for Louisville house fire

A cigarette discarded in a wastepaper basket was blamed for a midafternoon blaze Friday in the town of Louisville.

Firefighters from Louisville, Massena, Norfolk and Waddington and the Massena Rescue Squad responded to a 3:07 p.m. fire at 14464 Route 37. The fire broke out in a second-floor bedroom and was extinguished before spreading to the rest of the home, which sustained smoke and water damage.

Fire officials as of late Friday did not know the names of the residents of the home.

Louisville Fire Chief William P. Shirley said the occupants had been home at the time of the fire but escaped unharmed with their pet, a small dog.

The house reportedly was insured.

Fort Drum woman admits

to fraud with credit cards

A Fort Drum woman will have to pay back at least $20,000 for obtaining five credit cards in the name of a Las Vegas woman and using the cards to make purchases.

Jessica M. Garcia, 24, of 10930 Anzio Loop, Apt. A, pleaded guilty Friday in Jefferson County Court to second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.

She admitted that on Aug. 19 in the town of LeRay she possessed a credit card in the name of Ariana Rojas while knowing the signature on the card has been forged.

At the time of her arrest in August, state police investigators said she used the Nevada woman's identity to obtain credit cards. She initially made payments on her purchases, so the alleged fraud was not discovered until Ms. Rojas recently checked her credit rating report, police said. She notified Las Vegas police, who notified state police when determination was made of where bills were being mailed, an investigator said.

Mrs. Garcia is expected to be sentenced April 9 to five years' probation. She also agreed that she would be responsible to pay about $22,000 in restitution, although the exact amount remains to be determined.

Two Gouverneur teens

accused of harassment

GOUVERNEUR — Village police charged Britney A. Barr, 17, of 470 Smith Road, and Alivia M. Vaughns, 16, of 68 Austin St., with second-degree harassment Thursday night.

The pair allegedly pushed a female victim and punched her in the head six or seven times Jan. 21 on East Main Street.

Miss Barr and Miss Vaughns are to appear in Gouverneur Town Court.