North Country Briefs
Police: Watertown man
filled home with smoke
A man placed a plastic gift box over an open flame on his kitchen range during a domestic fight Monday night, filling the residence with smoke, state police allege.
Two boys, ages 16 and 11, were in the house at the time, police said.
Gurdip S. Samra, 44, of 15702 Pheasant Run Road, also stopped his wife and sons from leaving the house, police allege.
He was arrested on charges of fifth-degree arson and endangering the welfare of a child. He was released on $1,000 bail by town of Watertown Justice Andrew N. Capone, and awaits prosecution.
Town of Watertown firefighters were sent to the house at 8:30 p.m. Monday, found the source of smoke and ventilated the dwelling.
Police said the box contained flowers and a stuffed teddy bear, which were Valentine's Day gifts for his wife.
Hogansburg man jailed,
accused of sex with child
MASSENA — A Hogansburg man was jailed Tuesday without bail in St. Lawrence County jail, Canton, for allegedly having sexual contact with a child.
Aristides Rojas, 38, of 520 McGee Road, was arrested on a St. Lawrence County Court warrant alleging first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child and endangering the welfare of a child, state police said.
He is accused of engaging in at least two sexual acts with a child from fall 2004 to summer 2006. The girl was 8 years old when the alleged acts began, according to court records.
He entered a plea of not guilty Tuesday in County Court and is scheduled to appear in court again next Tuesday. Court officials said Mr. Rojas will apply for a public defender.
Police say motorist had
marijuana under hood
ALEXANDRIA BAY — A Niagara County man consented to a search of his car Monday night, leading to the discovery of 129 grams of marijuana in the vehicle's engine compartment, according to state park police.
Nicholas E.B. Patterson, 24, Sanborn, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana. He is also cited with following too closely and having no rear license plate lamp after being halted on Route 12 in the town of Alexandria.
Theresa Town Justice Roger Duvall set bail at $2,000, sending him to the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building, Watertown.
Police said marijuana was found under a breather cover.
Watertown woman cited
with child endangerment
A 4-year-old girl and her 17-month-old brother wandered out of a second-floor apartment Monday afternoon while their mother slept, Watertown police allege.
Corina M. Kaiser, 23, of 608 Academy St., was charged with endangering the welfare of a child as a result of the incident, which was reported to police about 4:45 p.m., according to police. She is summoned to appear in City Court.
Watertown woman faces
disorderly conduct count
Watertown police charged Tara S. Schnoor, 25, of 122 Winslow St., Apt. 1, about 2:30 a.m. Sunday with disorderly conduct and unlawful possession of marijuana.
Ms. Schnoor allegedly yelled obscenities while walking on Arcade Street and refused to stop yelling when asked by other people. Police said they also found some marijuana in her purse.
She is to appear in City Court.
Glenfield man charged
with another bad check
A day before being sentenced for bouncing checks totaling $11,488, a Lewis County man was charged by state police with writing yet another big check.
James R. Bender, 59, Glenfield, was charged Sunday with issuing a bad check to Champion Materials, Route 26, Carthage, in the amount of $1,521.44. Police received the bad-check complaint Jan. 26. He is ordered to appear in town of Denmark Court.
Mr. Bender pleaded guilty in January to fourth-degree grand larceny in connection with checks written to 84 Lumber, Route 12F, and was sentenced Monday in Jefferson County Court to five years' probation, with orders to pay restitution.
Police: Lowville woman
had untaxed cigarettes
MADRID — A Lowville woman was charged Monday with having untaxed cigarettes after state police stopped her car on Route 310.
State police in Canton said Patricia A. Baker, 50, of 7561 Glenn Road, was stopped after a patrol car license plate reader detected that her vehicle's insurance had lapsed.
Troopers said she had 13 cartons of untaxed cigarettes and six rolls of untaxed chewing tobacco in her car. She was charged with felony evading cigarette tax and misdemeanor possession of untaxed cigarettes and was released on appearance tickets for Madrid Town Court.
West Carthage woman
charged with harassment
CARTHAGE — During a dispute about money, a woman struck her estranged husband on the back on a February afternoon while they were standing on State Street, village police allege.
Lumilla N. Lawton, 29, of 27 N. Broad St., West Carthage, is cited with second-degree harassment in the Feb. 22 incident, and is summoned to appear in Village Court.
Joseph Lawton, 34, of 426 N. Clinton St., had just come out of a bank after cashing a tax refund check when their argument developed, police said.
Norfolk woman accused
of break-in at man's home
MASSENA — A Norfolk woman was jailed Tuesday after allegedly breaking into her ex-boyfriend's home.
Rebecca M. Newcombe, 21, of 96 Trippanyville Road, was charged Tuesday with second-degree burglary. State police allege she broke into the unidentified man's town of Massena home, caused damage inside the house and stole some items.
She was arraigned in Village Court and sent to St. Lawrence County jail, Canton, on $2,500 bail or $5,000 bond.
Watertown teen charged
with shoplifting at mall
Cody J. Frazier, 19, of 23960 White Road, was charged by state police Monday afternoon with petit larceny and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property at Salmon Run Mall.
He is ordered to appear in town of Watertown Court. Police said he is accused of shoplifting a pair of shoes from Sears and four items from Zumiez. The theft value was not tabulated, police said.
Ontario resident accused
of possessing stun gun
COLLINS LANDING — A man from Kingston, Ontario, was charged Tuesday morning by state police with a misdemeanor after he was found possessing a stun gun that looked like a cell phone at U.S. Customs on Wellesley Island.
Ahmad R. Bakhshai, 21, was released to await arraignment on a charge of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
