COLONIE – On March 1, 2023, State Police charged Lucas J. Kaplan, 29, who is currently incarcerated at Fishkill Correctional Facility, with one count of grand larceny, 2nd degree, a class C felony, and one count of grand larceny 3rd degree, a class D felony. Kaplan was arraigned in Colonie town court and was returned to the custody of the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision pending a future court date.
Kaplan is accused of stealing two vehicles in the town of Colonie in May and June of 2020. Both thefts occurred in the area of the Albany County Jail in the town of Colonie, and in both instances, Kaplan stole the vehicles after being released from the jail on unrelated charges.
Kaplan is currently serving a sentence at Fishkill Correctional Facility on an unrelated burglary conviction out of the city of Albany.
Clifton Park man arrested for inappropriate contact
LATHAM – On Friday, March 3, State Police arrested Philip Spergel, 32, of Clifton Park, on four counts of felony criminal sex act and four counts of misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child.
On October 14, troopers were contacted and received a report of inappropriate sexual contact between a person under the age of 17 and an unknown adult.
An investigation identified the involved adult as Spergel. Further investigation determined Spergel had sexual contact with a person under the age of 17 in the town of Colonie, NY, and the town of Brunswick, NY.
Spergel surrendered himself to State Police in Latham, where he was processed. He was issued appearance tickets returnable to the Colonie Town Court on Wednesday, March 8 and Brunswick Town Court on Wednesday, March 29. He was released.
Felony DWI in Colonie
COLONIE – On Thursday, March 9, at about 9:26 p.m. State Police stationed at the State Capital stopped a vehicle on the Northway in Colonie for multiple Vehicle and Traffic Laws violations.
The driver was identified as Aaron M. Pennings, 31, of Clifton Park. Pennings was arrested for DWI and other vehicle and traffic law violations. He was transported to State Police barracks for processing, where he provided a breath sample that returned a 0.32 percent BAC.
Further investigation determined Pennings had a previous DWI conviction in the last ten years and failed to meet the conditions of his driver’s license requiring him to have an interlock device in his vehicle. He was charged with felony DWI and misdemeanor failing to have an interlock device in the vehicle.
Pennings was issued tickets returnable to the Colonie Town Court on Wednesday, March 22 and released to a sober third party.
Calls police
barracks to make threats
LATHAM – State Police of Latham received multiple phone calls on Thursday, March 9 from Christian M. Markus, 30 of Freehold. During these calls, he attempted to intimidate State Police members by threatening to cause them physical harm.
He also identified himself as a retired law enforcement officer.
Markus was located in Greenville and was taken into custody. He was transported to the Latham barracks where he was processed.
Markus was arraigned in Colonie Town Court and released under the supervision of the Albany County Probation Department.
Annoying caller has warrant
COLONIE – A Schenectady man, who made an annoying phone call to another person, was arrested by Colonie police on Thursday, March 9 on Central Avenue for an outstanding warrant.
Kenneth Horton, 26, of Schenectady, was arrested at 3:31 a.m. at Cumberland Farms on the bench warrant. He was sent to the Albany County jail as a pre-arraignment detainee.
DWAI Drugs and Alcohol on Wolf Road
COLONIE – Colonie police responded to a personal injury accident on Wolf Road near Metro Mattress on Wednesday, March 8 at 12:48 p.m. and found the driver to be impaired.
The driver, a 34-year-old woman from Troy, was found to be impaired by alcohol and drugs after an investigation.
The woman submitted to a breath test and a blood draw at the station. She was given an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court later that day.
Bench warrant
COLONIE – A Troy man was arrested on an outstanding bench warrant on Tuesday, March 7 as he was released from the Albany County jail.
Phillip Harris, 45, was processed and released without being arraigned per Colonie Judge David Green. He was scheduled to return to court the next day.
False records and grand larceny at Kohls
COLONIE – Colonie police arrested an Albany woman on felony grand larceny charges and falsifying business records on Tuesday, March 7 at Kohl’s department store on Central Avenue.
Alexis Brown, 20, was taken into custody, processed on the charges and released on an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Wednesday, March 15.
Criminal impersonation and attempted larceny
SCHENECTADY – A man from the city was arrested by Colonie police at the city of Schenectady police station for an outstanding warrant and new charges of criminal impersonation and attempted petit larceny, both misdemeanors.
Lyle Larose, 46, failed to appear in Colonie Town Court in November, He was released on an appearance ticket for the next day per Colonie Judge David Green.
Grand Larceny charges
COLONIE – On Tuesday, March 7 an Albany woman turned herself in to face two counts of grand larceny, which are felonies, for an incident that took place at Colonie Center on January 17. Layanna Morales, 18, was processed and released on an appearance ticket returnable to Colonie Town Court on Wednesday, March 15.
Felony DWI
COLONIE – Colonie police responded to a call for service near the intersection of Albany Shaker and Watervliet Shaker Roads on Monday, March 6 at approximately 12:29 a.m.
When officers arrived, they found Victoria McKinney, 32 of Colonie operating a blue BMW and conducted a traffic stop. While interviewing her, they observed she had bloodshot and watery eyes, slow and slurred speech and a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath.
McKinney was given and failed field sobriety tests and tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device.
She was taken into custody and charged with felony DWI because McKinney had a previous conviction for impairment. She was also charged with failure to obey a traffic device and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle.
McKinney was given an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Tuesday, March 20 and released.
Criminal contempt and harassment
COLONIE – A Colonie woman was taken into custody at her home after a police investigation on Monday, March 6.
Nancy Nolan, 48, was charged with criminal contempt – physical contact, a felony, and harassment – physical contact, a misdemeanor at 3:49 p.m. She was arraigned by Colonie Judge David Green.
Two women, multiple warrants, stealing, lying and endangering a child
COLONIE – Colonie police arrested two Albany women on Monday, March 6 for stealing at Target at the Northway Mall and found they were wanted on five warrants and had an additional open case in the town.
Shiyunda Cancer, 35, was wanted on two arrest warrants out of town, two warrants from the Town of Colonie and had an open case in the town.
In addition to the warrants, she was charged with two counts of petit larceny and one count each of criminal impersonation and acting in a manner that may injure a child, all misdemeanors.
She was arraigned by Colonie Town Judge Norman Massry.
The second woman, Zuchariah Bellamy, 21, was wanted by Guilderland police and was advised to turn herself into that department, because the agency could not take her at that time. She was also charged with petit larceny, false impersonation and acting in a manner that may injure a child, all misdemeanors.
She was issued an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Wednesday, March 22 and released.
Criminal contempt
COLONIE – On Monday, March 6, Colonie police arrested Joyia Camaj, 39, of Colonie stemming from a domestic incident.
She was charged with felony criminal contempt and misdemeanor criminal mischief – property damage and harassment -physical contact, a violation. Camaj violated a stay away order of protection.
She was taken to Ellis Hospital for evaluation and is scheduled back in Colonie Town Court on Wednesday, March 15.
Arrest warrant from 2022
COLONIE – Colonie police arrested an Albany man on Sunday, March 5 for failing to appear in court on March 31, 2022.
Vaughn Keith, 29, was processed then arraigned by Colonie Judge Andrew Sommers.
Bail jumping and criminal trespass
BRUNSWICK – A Bronx man arrested by State Police on other charges was arrested by Colonie police on Sunday, March 5 for multiple charges including not showing up for court.
Erman Marque-Brioso, 20, was transported to Colonie and charged with bail jumping, a felony, and criminal trespass, a misdemeanor, and a bench warrant.
He was processed then arraigned by Colonie Judge Andrew Sommers.
No license, DWI, criminal contempt after accident
COLONIE – Colonie police responded to a single vehicle property damage accident at the Price Chopper on Central Avenue on Sunday, March 5 and arrested a 34-year-old Schenectady man on multiple charges.
The officers witnessed the man exiting the passenger seat of his 2015 Nissan Pathfinder and observed that he had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and had an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.
The man refused to submit to field sobriety tests and breath tests and was taken into custody for DWI. He was also in the presence of a person that he has an active stay away order for.
The man was charged with DWI, criminal contempt, aggravated unlicensed operation and criminal tampering, all misdemeanors, and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle, refusal to take a breath test and operating a motor vehicle by an unlicensed driver.
He was arraigned by Colonie Judge Andrew Sommers.
10 active warrants
COLONIE – An Albany man who had 10 active warrants was arrested by Colonie police for having a vehicle with stolen license plates on it.
Officers found Jame Galarneau, 45, in a 2022 Chevrolet Trax at the Cumberland Farms on Central Avenue on Sunday, March 5. When they asked him to provide identification, Galarneau fled the scene on foot. He was located a short distance away.
After an investigation, Galarneau had 10 active warrants, most of which were from the State Police.
He was processed and transported to State Police in Clifton Park.
Five active warrants
COLONIE – Colonie police arrested a Massena woman for a State Police warrant on Sunday, March 5 at the Scottish Inn on Central Avenue.
Megan Laprade, 43, had five active arrest warrants. She was processed and transported to State Police in Clifton Park.
DWI on Troy Schenectady Road
LATHAM – A 34-year-old Troy man was arrested for aggravated DWI, in an unregistered Jeep Liberty, did not have a license and had alcohol in the vehicle.
The man was driving near the Niskayuna line when he was observed by Colonie police.
Officer observed that he had bloodshot and watery eyes, poor motor skills and had an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.
He was given and failed field sobriety tests and tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device and was taken into custody.
He was given an appearance ticket and released. The man is scheduled to return to Colonie Town Court on Monday, March 20.
Domestic dispute at Red Roof Inn
COLONIE – Colonie police responded to the Red Roof Inn on Wolf Road on Saturday, March 4 at approximately 2:38 p.m. for a report of a domestic dispute.
After an investigation, officers arrested Abimeleck Poell, 26, of Colonie for criminal contempt, a felony, and criminal obstruction of breathing and unlawful imprisonment, both felonies and harassment – physical contact, a violation.
Powell was arraigned by Colonie Town Judge Andrew Sommers.