Former mobster arraigned in County Court on drug, contraband charges

Thomas Torpey allegedly tried to smuggle drugs into women’s prison at Albion

Thomas Torpey

ALBION – A Rochester man who was convicted of a mob-related murder in 1981 was in Orleans County Court this afternoon to be arraigned on drug charges and for promoting prison contraband.

Thomas Torpey, 68, of Rochester was arrested on Aug. 23 by State Police. He was arraigned today along with Ashley J. Sizemore, 31, who is an inmate at the Albion Correctional Facility.

Torpey is accused of bringing drugs to the prison for Sizemore, who is serving a 42-month sentence for an arson in February 2014 at the Spencerport residence of a former Irondequoit police officer.

Torpey said in court today he didn’t have a job or means of paying for an attorney so Judge James Punch assigned Nathan Pace as Torpey’s lawyer.

Torpey was arraigned on first-degree promoting prison contraband, tow counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.

The judge continued bail at $30,000, which was set in town court.

Torpey is a former bodyguard for a Mafia crime boss. He served 23 years in state prison and was released in 2008 from the Attica Correctional Facility.

Sizemore was arraigned on first-degree promoting prison contraband which, as a second felony offender, carries a maximum of 3 ½ to 7 years in prison.

The judge set bail at $30,000. A full arraignment for Sizemore will be completed at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday when she has an assigned attorney.