COLONIE—Colonie police announced Thursday morning that it has arrested four people investigators have tied to last week’s burglary of a Central Avenue gun store.
It took only a matter of hours to identify and apprehend the suspects, according to Colonie Police Chief James Gerace Jr.
“In less than 24 hours, we had three arrests, multiple search warrants executed, and the recovery of the seven firearms,” said Gerace. “The theme for today… is going to come down to powerful partnerships. It’s really what we can achieve when we work together with our regional partners.”
The Colonie Police Department, with assistance from the New York State Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center; and the Albany and Troy police departments, recovered seven of the 14 handguns stolen from New York Shooter Supply, located at 1593 Central Avenue.
Within 24 hours of the burglary, three suspects were taken into custody, and seven of the stolen firearms were recovered. A fourth suspect was later apprehended, while law enforcement continues efforts to locate the remaining seven firearms, which include Glock, Shadow Systems, FN, and Rost Martin handguns.
Paul F. Gervasio, 37, of New Lebanon, has been charged with multiple felonies, including criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree (possession of more than 10 stolen firearms), burglary, and grand larceny.
Willie N. Moses, 40, of Albany, faces similar felony charges, including criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree and burglary. Moses was already awaiting sentencing for a prior felony burglary conviction.
Nicole M. January, 43, of Latham, has been charged with hindering prosecution, a felony, and misdemeanors including possession of stolen property, endangering the welfare of a child, and possession of a controlled substance.
Dante M. Chisholm, 50, of Troy, has been charged with criminal possession of stolen property, a misdemeanor.
Surveillance footage and investigative efforts revealed that the suspects gained access to the gun store through a shared hallway and cut through sheetrock to enter the premises. The suspects then fled to a getaway vehicle, later identified as a 2014 Subaru Forester. Police tracked the vehicle to an apartment complex in Latham and a storage unit in Colonie, where firearms and other stolen property were recovered.
“Public safety is paramount here in the Town of Colonie,” said Colonie Town Supervisor Peter Crummey, commending law enforcement’s rapid response. “We celebrate these agencies for promptly and openly working with our Colonie Police Department.”
Gerace noted that such incidents are rare, with the last similar gun store burglary in the area occurring in 2017.
“Public safety is paramount here in the Town of Colonie,” said Colonie Town Supervisor Peter Crummey, commending law enforcement’s rapid response. “We celebrate these agencies for promptly and openly working with our Colonie Police Department.”
Authorities are urging the public to provide any information that could lead to the recovery of the remaining stolen firearms or the identification of additional suspects. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Colonie Police Department’s investigations division.
