ALBION – Several people are headed to either state prison or the county jail being sentenced in Orleans County Court this morning.

Christopher Aldrich, 49, of Albion was sentenced to 1 2/3 to 5 years in prison for felony driving while intoxicated.

Two weeks ago, Judge Sanford Church rejected a plea offer where Aldrich would have been sentenced to a maximum of 1 to 3 years in prison.

The judge said Aldrich wasn’t taking responsibility for the crime. He was charged on Jan. 25, when he said he drank about a dozen beers before driving. He registered a BAC of 0.21 percent.

Judge Church said he was also worried that Aldrich, who has 6 DWIs, would drink and drive again when he was released from prison.

Aldrich, if he went to trial and was found guilty, could have faced up to 7 years in prison.

He pleaded guilty today and accepted the plea offer with a cap of 5 years. He apologized for drinking alcohol and then driving without a license.

The judge urged Aldrich to take advantage of alcohol treatment programs while in prison.

Aldrich was fined $2,000 and has other court and DMV surcharges of nearly $1,000.

In other cases in court today:

• A Rochester man was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to selling fentanyl in Orleans County. Dante L. Thomas, 30, was charged in December with 14 counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree.

Thomas has no prior criminal record. However, the judge said prison was necessary because Thomas had 12 undercover drug sales with either heroin or fentanyl.

“I learned my lesson,” Thomas told the judge.

In addition to prison, Thomas was sentenced to two years of post-release supervision and must pay $1,400 in restitution to the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force.

• A Kendall man was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison for felony driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Gilberto Gonzales, 49, was stopped in Albion on April 14. Gonzalez has prior DWIs in New York and Oklahoma.

He was fined $1,000 by the court and has other fines and surcharges of about $1,200.

• Isaiah Casanova, 19, of Medina was sentenced to six months in the county jail, plus five years of probation after pleaded guilty to a drug possession charge. He also must pay $180 in restitution to the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force.

• Dakota Hunt, 24, of Medina was sentenced to two months of weekends in the county jail pus five years of probation. She pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree and admitted she had cocaine on Oct. 31 with the intent to sell it. This is her first conviction.

“I’m going to work and surrounding myself with good influences,” she told the judge. “I don’t want to be in this position ever again in my life.”

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ALBION – A Michigan man was sentenced to a year in the Orleans County Jail this afternoon for having concentrated cannabis in the form of edible chocolate and edible candies.

William Q. Nowak, 41, was sentenced for attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.

He was stopped in Orleans County on Nov. 20. Nowak said in a previous court appearance he planned to sell the concentrated cannabis products in the county.

Nowak asked to be sentenced to jail rather than a longer sentence of probation.

“I just want to get this over with,” he told County Court Judge Sanford Church.

In another case, a Rochester woman was praised for completing a judicial diversion, where she stayed off drugs and completed a treatment program.

Adrienne Williams, 53, battled addictions for many years. The diversion program, which requires treatment, gives her a chance for breaking the cycle.

She faced a felony charge for bringing 49 pills to the Albion Correctional Facility. That was reduced to a misdemeanor of promoting prison contraband in the second degree. She will be on probation for three years and will serve that in Monroe County.

She thanked the local court for the opportunity to be on the diversion program.

“Thank you, your honor,” she said. “I am very proud of myself. There are successes with this program and I am one of them.”

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ALBION – Four people were sentenced in Orleans County Court on Thursday by Judge Sanford Church.

Katherine Hahn, 30, of Medina received the longest sentence at 2 ½ years in state prison for allegedly selling and distributing heroin and the prescription drug suboxone.

Hahn was charged with criminal sale and possession crimes last September. She also faces 1 year of post-release supervision when she is out of state prison.

Alberta Ellis of Niagara Falls was sentenced to five years on probation for burglary in the third degree. Alberta Ellis and two co-defendants allegedly broke into two farm labor camps in Carlton and Yates on Oct. 11 and stole money, sneakers, a television and household items from farmworkers.

Ellis also needs to pay restitution to the victim of the crimes.

Regina Russell of Niagara Falls is a codefendant in the case. She was arraigned on May 2 for two counts of burglary in the second degree and 10 counts of petit larceny. The other codefendant is a juvenile and that case is being handled in Family Court.

Kayla A. Spry, 24, of Medina was sentenced to nine months in the county jail for violating probation. Spry allegedly had contact with someone she was to avoid, and also drank alcohol and didn’t complete substance abuse program.

Bennie L. Coger IV, 24, of Medina was sentenced to six months in jail and five years on probation for criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Other people in court also pleaded guilty to crimes.

Quincy Casanova, 22, of Medina and Brittany Osby Turner, 28, of Medina both pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.

Casanova faces a maximum of 1 to 2 ½ years in state prison, while Turner could also face incarceration.

They will be sentenced on Sept. 12.

Maria L. Lape, 25, pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. She will be sentenced on Sept. 19.

Coley Doward Jr., 35, of Medina pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DWI and felony AUO of a motor vehicle. He will be sentenced on Sept. 19.

He was stopped in the Town of Shelby on Nov. 5. He didn’t have a license due to a previous DWI in 2007.

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ALBION – Christopher Aldrich, 49, of Albion was to be sentenced in Orleans County Court on Thursday, and faced a maximum of 1 to 3 years in state prison as part of a plea agreement for felony driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Judge Sanford Church, however, said he couldn’t agree to the plea because he said Aldrich hasn’t accepted responsibility for the crime and has six prior DWIs.

Church wanted to sentence Aldrich to 2 to 6 years in prison, but the plea deal capped the sentence at 1 to 3 years.

The judge said he reviewed Aldrich’s presentencing report from probation, and Church said he was concerned for the community that Aldrich would be threat with another possible DWI.

Aldrich could now be on trial beginning Sept. 25, or a revised plea agreement could be worked out with a longer sentence than 1 to 3 years.

Aldrich, in court on Thursday, apologized for the crimes. He said he hasn’t been in treatment for his alcohol addiction.

“It just keeps repeating back to the same thing,” Aldrich said in court. “I really need some help.”

Aldrich pleaded guilty on May 16 to felony DWI and AUO of a motor vehicle. He was charged on Jan. 25, when he said he drank about a dozen beers before driving. He registered a BAC of 0.21 percent.

His attorney, public defender Joanne Best, asked in court on Thursday that Aldrich be sentenced to the Orleans County Jail where he could receive treatment through GCASA.

Church said Aldrich has had plenty of opportunities for help and to change through probation.

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ALBION – A Medina man who allegedly led police on a three-county high-speed chase in March was arraigned in Orleans County Court on Monday.

Jessy Miller, 32, was arraigned by Judge Sanford Church for felony driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired by a combination of alcohol/drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree, unlawful imprisonment in the first degree, as well as misdemeanor criminal mischief in the fourth degree and unlawfully fleeing police officer in a motor vehicle in the third degree.

On March 4, Miller allegedly was driving a white Blazer on Main Street in Shelby. He was allegedly doing donuts in a yard on Main Street and hit a porch. He then took off with a passenger he refused to let out.

Police followed him to Genesee County, where he was stopped. Miller refused to get out, but his passenger was able to get out of the vehicle. Miller then sped off, hitting the passenger with the door of the vehicle.

Miller then went to Niagara County, where he was found crashed on Mountain Road with injuries.

He is currently in Genesee County Jail.

Judge Church set bail at $25,000 cash and $50,000 bond.

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ALBION – Two people from Orleans County were arraigned in County Court today for crimes against children.

Eric Warren, 30, of Ridge Road in Medina is facing charges of reckless assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a children.

Warren allegedly shook a month-old baby and threw the baby against the floor in February, causing brain damage.

Warren entered a not guilty plea in court today. Judge Sanford Church issued an order of protection for the baby in the case.

He remains free on $10,000 bail.

Andrew Campbell, 32, formerly of Albion was arraigned on two counts of unlawful surveillance in the second degree and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Campbell is currently living in North Carolina. He also is facing federal charges for possession of child pornography.

Campbell allegedly secretly videotaped minors, including children 13 and 14 years of age. Campbell allegedly did this unlawful surveillance for several years, according to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

He pleaded not guilty in court today. He is free on $10,000 bail but is wearing an electronic ankle bracelet to track his location.

Judge Church issued an order of protection for the children in the case, as well as their mother.

In another case, a Medina man was arraigned for criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, as well as grand larceny in the fourth degree.

Joseph Newton, 33, of Medina was charged in April as part of an investigation into crack cocaine sales distribution in Orleans County. Seven others were charged in that investigation by the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force.

Newton is facing the larceny charge for allegedly taking a boat motor from the Town of Shelby in August 2018.

Judge Church issued an order of protection for the person whose boat was stolen and also set bail at $20,000 for Newton.

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ALBION – Three people were sentenced to state prison in Orleans County Court this morning by Judge Sanford Church.

• A Rochester man was sentenced to 3 years in state prison after admitting to selling fentanyl in Orleans County in June 2018.

Oscar Rivera, 24, is a first-time drug offender. He pleaded guilty to attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree.

Rivera also needs to pay $100 in restitution to the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, which was the buy money for the fentanyl.

“I made mistakes in my life and I’m sorry,” Rivera said in court today.

• Jeremy Hodge, 33, of Albion was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison for felony driving while intoxicated. Hodge was charged in Clarendon on Jan. 1 and registered a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.30 percent, nearly four times the legal limit. He has a previous DWI in 2012 in Clarendon and also has a pending DWI in Pennsylvania from December 2018.

Hodge said in court he drank a 12-pack of beer during the day before his arrest on Jan. 1.

His attorney asked that he not go to prison because he is a dedicated employee for a painting company and has made strides with alcohol treatment.

Church, however, said he needed to protect the community from Hodge, especially given the high BAC level.

Hodge faces about $2,000 in fines and surcharges and will need to use an inter-lock ignition device on any vehicle he drives for the first year when he is released from prison.

• Devon Cappucci, 25, a former inmate at the Orleans Correctional Facility, was sentenced to 1 ½ to 3 years in prison after pleaded guilty to aggravated harassment of an employee by an inmate.

Cappucci spit blood at a corrections officer in September 2018.

His attorney asked for leniency because Cappucci lost both of his parents at a young age. He is trying to address some mental health issues, his attorney said.

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ALBION – A Medina man was sentenced to 2 1/3 to 7 years in state prison on Thursday by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church.

Stacy Moss, 29, previously pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny. That charge could have been reduced if he had successfully completed a court diversion program, but Moss didn’t meet the conditions for that program.

He appeared in court on April 18 after being wanted on a warrant since November.

Moss was removed from the diversion program because he hasn’t been going to a drug treatment program or showing up for court appearances.

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ALBION – A Rochester man admitted in Orleans County Court today to selling fentanyl and heroin to an informant with the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force.

Jonathan Velasquez, 25, on Tuesday pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl. That charge carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5 million fine. Velasquez is accused of conspiring with others to distribute quantities of heroin throughout Western New York, including Orleans County.

Velasquez pleaded guilty in Orleans County today to attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, and will receive a maximum sentence of 2 years in state prison. That sentence will be served concurrently or with the federal sentence.

District Attorney Joe Cardone said in court an informant made a call from Orleans County to Velasquez about buying fentanyl and heroin. The informant went to Monroe County to get the drugs, which were analyzed by a lab in Niagara County and found to be heroin and fentanyl.

In other cases in County Court this afternoon:

• A Medina man pleaded guilty to course of sexual contact against a child in the second degree.

Jeffrey Woodroe, 39, admitted to sexual contact with a girl under age 12 on a least two occasions between April 2008 and April 2012.

He will face up to six months in the county jail and 10 years of post-release supervision when he is sentenced on Aug. 15. Judge Sanford Church also issued an order of protection for the victim.

• Kayla Rowling, 28, of Medina admitted she had cocaine on Nov. 28, 2018. She pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance.

As part of a plea agreement she will avoid state prison, but could be sentenced to up to a year in the county jail when she is sentenced on Aug. 15. She is a first-time felony offender.

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ROCHESTER – A Rochester man who faces charges for allegedly selling heroin and fentanyl in Orleans County a year ago in June pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday.

Jonathan Velasquez, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer to conspiracy to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl. The charge carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5 million fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant conspired with others to distribute quantities of heroin throughout the Western District of New York.

Velasquez is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 5 before Judge Larimer.

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