ALBION – A Medina man who was out of jail and awaiting sentencing for a drug crime was arrested on Sept. 7 after allegedly getting in an altercation with another person and stabbing that person, causing non-life-threatening injuries.

Michael D. Thompson

Michael D. Thompson, 49, was arraigned in Orleans County Court on Monday for second-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and second-degree menacing.

Thompson entered a not guilty plea in court. Judge James Punch set bail at $50,000 and issued an order of protection for the victim in the alleged assault.

The latest charges against Thompson will be prosecuted separately from the drug charge. Thompson pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance, which carries a maximum of 2 ½ years in state prison.

In other arraignments on Monday:

• Adam Gallo, 31, of Eagle Harbor Road in Albion was arraigned on 3 counts each of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, one count of criminal sale of marijuana in the fourth degree, and one count of criminal sale of marijuana in the third degree.

Gallo was charged on Sept. 14 and was allegedly selling marijuana and marijuana wax, a highly potent form of concentrated marijuana.

District Attorney Joe Cardone told Judge Punch that Gallo also allegedly been intimidating an informant. Gallo denied that through his attorney Michael O’Keefe. Punch told Gallo to avoid the informant. If Gallo is threatening the informant, the judge said Gallo will be held in jail without bail. Gallo is currently out of jail after posting $10,000 bail.

• Marcie Conlon, 43, of Holley was arraigned on several felonies, including forgery in the second degree, falsifying business records in the first degree, criminal diversion of prescriptions or prescription medication in fourth degree, petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.

Conlon is currently in jail for violating conditions of probation, including driving while intoxicated. The latest charges stem from an alleged crime in April 2015 when she was working at the Iroquois Job Corps in Shelby. Conlon allegedly took a prescription sheet from physician’s assistant and wrote a prescription for student. Conlon then allegedly used the Ativan, a prescription for anxiety, for herself.

• Sherri L. Bartenstein, 35, of Middleport was arraigned for three counts each of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree. She allegedly sold Clonazepam, which is used to treat anxiety or panic disorders, from May 11-18, and on June 21.

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ALBION – Three people pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court on Monday and could be sentenced to either state prison or the county jail.

A Lyndonville man admitted to having cocaine and selling on March 16 in Ridgeway. Jarred Hodgins, 28, of South Townline Road pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, which carries a maximum sentence for 4 years in state prison.

He will be sentenced on Jan. 3 at 2 p.m.

• Dustin Herzog, 27, of Albion pleaded guilty to petit larceny. He admitted to stealing chainsaws from Nesbitt Farms, a Waterport fruit farm where he was working.

Herzog said he sold some of the chainsaws at pawn shops.

He could face up to a year in jail when he is sentenced on Dec. 12 at 2:30 p.m.

• Heather Pratt, 32, of Countyline Road in Kendall admitted to driving while intoxicated in Kendall on Sept. 11, 2016. She registered a 0.16 Blood Alcohol Content. She has a previous DWI in December 2013.

She could be sentenced to up to six months in jail when she is sentenced on Jan. 3 at 2 p.m.

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Sebastian Bonk

ALBION – A Medina man was arraigned in Orleans County Court today for felonies after he allegedly made fake money and escaped custody when he ran out of Medina Memorial Hospital.

Sebastian Bonk, 24, was in jail on Aug. 4. He was taken to Medina Memorial for a health issue. Bonk was at the hospital at 11:20 p.m. when he allegedly ran out of the Emergency Department door, through the lobby and out of the hospital.

Bonk had pulled his leg shackles up higher on his legs to make it easier to run, Undersheriff Chris Bourke said after the arrest.

Bonk was pursued by two nurses along with a correction officer. The nurses and corrections officer were able to catch Bonk and take him to the ground about 80 yards north of the hospital on Ohio Street. Bonk injured the three during the process, leading to him being charged with three counts of second-degree assault.

Bonk was arraigned today in Orleans County Court before Judge James Punch, who set bail at $100,000 for Bonk, who also has been charged with five counts of first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, second-degree escape and resisting arrest.

Bonk also is one of four people facing charges for making counterfeit money. That charge of first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument carries up to 15 years in state prison.

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2 others are sentenced in county court, including Batavia man for child rape

ALBION – A Medina man was sentenced to 8 years in state prison today for his role in operating a methamphetamine lab in Shelby.

Joshua Miller

Joshua L. Miller, 36, of 4706 East Shelby Rd. was arrested in July 2015 after police found an active meth in a camping trailer at Miller’s address.

Miller had a prior felony and five prior misdemeanors before his arrest in July 2015. He faced numerous felonies with the meth lab for criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine in the 3rd degree and 1 count of criminal possession of precursors of methamphetamine.

Miller in court today said his criminal behavior has occurred when he was either drunk or high on drugs. His attorney, David Owens, asked County Court Judge James Punch to send Miller to a shock facility or alternative to incarceration.

Punch said Miller is deserving of a long prison sentence.

“You are a perpetrator of serious crimes and you have been profiting from serious crimes which lead to more addicts in our community and people struggling with their lives,” Punch said.

Miller was responsible for introducing a new and dangerous drug into the community, Punch said.

In other sentencings today:

Nicholas McKague

• Nicholas L. McKague, 24, of West Main Street Road in Batavia was sentenced to seven years in state prison after he allegedly raped a 5-year-old child in Clarendon in 2011.

McKague faced charges of endangering the welfare of a child and course of sexual conduct against a child. He attorney, David Owens, asked that mental health counseling be available for McKague.

Judge Punch said McKague’s “serious crimes” warranted state prison, as well as five years of post-release supervision.

He said McKague hasn’t shown remorse for the crimes. The judge also assessed McKague a $1,000 victim fee, $325 court surcharge and $50 DNA fee.

• A Shelby man who allegedly used his job as a taxi driver to sell crack cocaine and transport a drug dealer to customers – and to transport customers to the drug dealer – was sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation.

Roy W. Bishop, 42, of 11345 Main St. in February was arrested on charges of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree as well as conspiracy in the fourth degree.

Because he is a first-time felony offender, Bishop wasn’t sentenced to state prison, Judge Punch said.

Bishop has been in drug addiction counseling through GCASA and has been working to rebuild his life, his attorney, Jon Ross Wilson, told the judge during sentencing today.

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MEDINA – A Medina man faces multiple drug charges after he was arrested today for allegedly selling crack cocaine in the villages of Albion and Medina, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force is reporting.

Eddie Joe Nichols, 61, of 520 West Ave., Medina, has been charged with three counts each of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree (all Class B felonies).

The Task Force and the Medina Police Department arrested Nichols on an Orleans County sealed indictment warrant, handed up by an Orleans County grand jury.

Nichols was arraigned on the sealed indictment in Orleans County Court by Judge James Punch. Nichols was committed to the county jail on $250,000 cash bail. He is to return to County Court on Oct. 31 at 2 p.m.

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ALBION – An 18-year-old from Albion and a 17-year-old girl face numerous charges after being arrested last week after being found in a local motel allegedly with crack cocaine, heroin, prescription pills and marijuana packaged for sale.

The Albion Police Department and Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force executed a search warrant on Oct. 6 at a local motel located at 436 West Ave.

After entry was made into the room, police discovered a runaway juvenile inside the room from Parsons Children and Family Center in Albany. Two other people were in the room.

Police also found drugs packaged for sale, including crack cocaine, heroin, prescription pills, marijuana, cash and other drug paraphernalia, the Task Force reported today.

Police arrested:

Andrew L. Coley

• Andrew L. Coley, 18, of 160 Platt St., Albion. He was charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree (Class B felonies), one count of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree (A misdemeanor), and one count of endangering the welfare of a child (A misdemeanor).

• A 17-year-old female also was arrested and faces the same charges as Coley.

Coley and the 17-year-old were arraigned in Albion Town Court by Town Justice Joseph Fuller. Both were committed to the Orleans County Jail on $100,000 cash bail. Both appeared in Town Court at 9 a.m. today for arraignment with counsel.

The runaway juvenile was transported back to the Albany area by the Albion Police Department and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Dept.

Further arrests and charges are pending in this investigation, the Task Force said in a press release.

Leah McGee

ALBION – A Gasport woman has been charged with promoting prison contraband in the first degree after she allegedly tried to bring drugs into the Orleans County Jail, Sheriff Randy Bower said.

Leah M. McGee, 38, of Gasport on Sunday was visiting an inmate in the jail when corrections officers allegedly confiscated contraband.

“The contraband was field tested by the Deputy Sheriff John Doyle and showed positive results for marijuana and heroin,” Bower said. “The arrests were made based on the diligence of the Corrections Officers that were monitoring the inmate visitation session on the date of the incident.”

An investigation is being conducted and criminal charges are still pending for the inmate that conspired with McGee to introduce the dangerous contraband, Bower said.

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MEDINA – A former Medina resident who worked as a public defender in Monroe County has been disbarred after the Appellate Court in Rochester upheld that punishment.

Adam Rissew, 40, is serving 60 months in federal prison for drugs and weapons convictions. He was admitted as a lawyer on Feb. 21, 2008.

On Oct. 5, 2015, he was convicted in U.S. District Court of WNY for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a federal felony.

Rissew’s then-residence at 305 Catherine St. in Medina was searched by police on July 20, 2012. Officers with the Medina Police Department and Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force found and seized in excess of 50 marijuana plants, paraphernalia related to the grow operation, numerous firearms and 684 rounds of various types of ammunition.

Among the firearms found and seized was a loaded Glock 9mm semi automatic pistol that was secreted between Rissew’s mattress and box springs. During his plea Rissew admitted he used the pistol to protect his marijuana growing operation.

The U.S. District Court suspended Rissew as an attorney on Oct. 28, 2015 and gave him a chance to show cause while he shouldn’t be disbarred. Rissew expressed his remorse for his crimes to the court, and said he was engaged in misconduct to finance his addiction to illegal narcotics, for which he has since successfully sought treatment, the Court said in a decision on Friday.

The court rejected Rissew’s arguments as valid reasons for keeping his law license. The Appellate judges said Rissew’s misconduct “is patently incompatible with the high standards imposed upon members of the bar and, in our view, any sanction other than disbarment would serve to undermine public trust and confidence in the legal profession.”

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A Barker man was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty on March 22 to possession with intent to distribute methylone.

Allen M. Young, 40, could have faced up to 30 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Pimentel, who is handling the case, stated that between October 21, 2011, and December 13, 2012, the defendant conspired with Peter Viera to obtain methylone from China, which Young then distributed.

On December 13, 2012, while members of the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force were attempting to execute a search warrant on Young and his car, he fled at a high rate of speed before crashing the car in Ridgeway.

Young fled the scene on foot. Nine rounds of .50 caliber ammunition were found in the car. As he fled, the defendant discarded a backpack near the scene of the crash which contained 1.8 pounds of methylone and just over one pound of marijuana.

Young was subsequently arrested in Erie, Pa. on Feb. 14, 2013, and has been in custody ever since. On April 5, 2013, officers executed a search warrant at his residence and seized seven firearms belonging to the defendant.

Peter Viera has also been convicted and in May was sentenced to 70 months in prison.

The plea by Young is the result of an investigation on the part of the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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ALBION – Two people admitted to felony crimes during Orleans County Court on Monday. Both could face incarceration when they are sentenced on Dec. 12.

Jada Sorta, 20, of Sawyer Road in Kent pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in the second degree, which carries a maximum of 3 to 7 years in state prison. Sorta admitted in court she entered a home without permission on Ridge Road in Murray on May 21, and stole a bank card, keys to a vehicle and a MP3 player. She will be sentenced at 2 p.m. on Dec. 12.

Betty Russell, 56, of West Avenue in Medina pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, which normally carries a maximum sentence of 1 ½ to 3 years in prison. However, as part of a plea deal, Russell will face no more than 6 months in county jail when she is sentenced at 2 p.m. on Dec. 12. She admitted she sold hydrocodone and acetaminophen pills on Jan. 29, 2016.