Police agencies coordinate to charge and clear retail crime cases, outstanding warrants for four separate suspects
COLONIE – Local police agencies worked together to collect four retail crime suspects in the past few weeks to charge and arraign them before they are out again. Under State law, agencies cannot hold people charged for most non-violent retail crimes, even if there are multiple incidents. Judges cannot consider bail in many of these cases either, even if the person charged does not show up for court.
“To me, this is like Groundhog’s Day. This is the third press conference regarding retail theft,” Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said last week at Colonie Center. “We need to get out there and change some of these laws. And I know everybody’s sick of hearing about bail reform and everything else but this goes glove in glove with it.”
Kamel Pickens
Albany Police brought Picken, 33, of Albany, to Colonie police for eight active arrest warrants for retail theft on Saturday, Jan. 27.
According to Colonie police Deputy Chief Dan Belles, the charges are from incidents that span from September 21 to January 14.
“We charged him with the following: Five separate incidents at Dicks (Two for over $3,000 in merchandise and three were over $1,000, a Walmart theft over $1,000 and petit larcenies from Kohls and TJ Maxx.,” Belles said.
Pickens was charged with two counts of grand larceny – third degree and four counts of grand larceny – fourth degree, and two counts of petit larceny.
“I am aware of multiple other agencies that were also investigating Kamel for similar incidents, but at this point I do not know the status of their arrests or investigations, so I don’t want to name any agencies,” Belles said.
Pickens also had thefts investigated and charged by the State Police in August. He was released from that case, but did not show up for court for subsequent appearances and the Moreau Town Court issued a bench warrant. He was arraigned for that when he was transported from Colonie on Sunday, Jan. 28.
August 4, State Police arrested Myunique D. Mcqueen, 20, of Albany, NY, Jonneasia A. Welcome, 19, of Albany, NY, and an 18-year-old each for grand larceny in the third degree, conspiracy in the fifth degree and false personation. Pickens, 32 was also arrested for conspiracy in the fifth degree and other vehicle and traffic law violations.
At about 6:52 p.m. on that day, Troopers responded to the report of a larceny that had just occurred at the Ultra Beauty Store located in Wilton. Three suspects were reported to have fled in a vehicle. Surrounding patrols located the vehicle matching the description on Sitterly Road in Halfmoon, NY, and stopped it. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Pickens. Mcqueen, Welcome, and an 18-year-old were located in the vehicle along with the stolen items valued at approximately $11,000. All three passengers initially provided false identifying information.
All four were arrested and transported to SP Wilton for processing. Pickens was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Wilton Town Court on August 22 and released. The remaining three suspects were arraigned at the Malta Town Court. Welcome and the 18-year-old were sent to the Saratoga County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 cash, a $20,000 bond, or a $100,000 partially secured bond. Mcqueen was released on her own recognizance and then turned over to the Bethlehem Police Department for an active unrelated warrant.
In the most recent charges in Colonie and other municipalities, Pickens was arraigned in Albany County Court.
“He ended up in Albany County, I am not sure if it was based on our charges or on other agencies’ charges, but he has subsequently bonded out,” Belles said.
Mark Nolan-Schou
On Monday, Jan. 29, Nolan-Schou, 37, of Albany, was brought from the Schenectady County Jail, where he was held on other charges to face additional charges in Colonie. He has been charged in nine incidents in the last 12 months.
Nolan-Schou had four warrants from Colonie for retail crimes spanning from August 16 to December 16.
According to Belles, Colonie charged him with grand larceny from Target, a felony, and petit larceny from Price Chopper and Target (separate incident), and Napa Auto parts, all misdemeanors.
Two of the incidents took place after he was arrested for a separate larceny at Napa Auto Parts in Ravena and a car chase through Bethlehem and the port of Albany on November 14. He was also charged with package thefts in Bethlehem at that time.
Even though he was charged with two felonies and three misdemeanors at that time, none were bail eligible and he was released with an appearance ticket.
He was also picked up by State Police in that time span.
According to Public Information officer Trooper Stephanie O’Neil, Nolan-Schou was arrested on November 29 by State Police in Clifton Park on a warrant for a petit larceny from the Market 32 in Clifton Park that occurred on August 9. The same day he was transported to State Police in Fonda due to a warrant for petit larceny from the Lowes in Amsterdam that occurred on November 9.
After the arraignment in Colonie, Nolan-Schou was sent back to the Schenectady County jail, where he was being held on additional charges.
Shannon Hughes
Troy police transported Hughes, 37, of Troy to Colonie on Friday, Feb. 2 to face charges and an outstanding warrant for retail thefts in December and January.
According to Belles, she had two petit larcenies from LL Bean and one from Target. Hughes had prior petit larceny charges from TJ Maxx, and Macy’s, and failed to appear resulting in a bench warrant in November. In earlier cases, she also had active warrants from East Greenbush PD for similar thefts.
She did not have any outstanding warrants at the time of the latest charges, so Hughes had to be released with an appearance ticket by law. She is scheduled to be back in Colonie Town Court on February 14.
Gino Guadagno
Used as an example of the need for a law change last week, Apple referred to a man who was arrested 22 times in 2023 for retail crimes in Albany County. Guadagno, 28, of Hudson, was that person.
“One of these people was arrested 22 times in 2023 and now has seven warrants for his arrest out there, seven. Arrested 22 times. Something is fundamentally wrong with that and I don’t understand why it’s so hard to fix this,” Apple said.
Guadagno also was convicted in 2015 for burglary and grand larceny and spent four years in state prison. As of press time, we are not aware of his location.
“We need to get out there, we need to stop this, we need to make sure people know that our communities are safe,” Apple said. “We want to do it. So I need the State, I need the Senate, I need the Governor, I need the Assembly. We need to get out there and change some of these laws. And I know everybody’s sick of hearing about bail reform and everything else but this goes hand in glove with it.”
NY Senator Jake Ashby and Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara introduced bill (S.7599) in the State Legislature in July that would increase penalties for repeat retail theft offenders.
The bill is in committee and is not scheduled as of yet for a vote in either house.
Ashby also sponsored legislation (S.5973) which would restore judicial discretion to the pretrial process and allow jurists to remand dangerous, repeat offenders after their arraignments and prevent them from immediately reoffending.
This story was featured on page 12 of the February, 14 2024 edition of The Colonie Spotlight
This story was updated to add the reference to the bill restoring judicial discretion.
