Medina man accused of burglary allegedly threatened witness in court
2 others arraigned for crimes at County Court
ALBION – A Medina man who has been in jail on $125,000 bail for allegedly being part of a burglary now faces an additional charge of intimidating a witness.
Jason Wills, 28, of Church Street in Medina was arraigned on the new charge on Monday in front of Orleans County Court Judge James Punch.
Wills is one of four people who have been charged with breaking into a house in Albion on East State Street on May 19. The defendants allegedly also caused property damage and attacked one of the residents, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
One of the accused, Stormy Osby, 18, of Medina pleaded guilty. In court, she said Wills was involved in the break-in. Wills was in court at the time and allegedly threatened Osby.
Wills already faced charges of second-degree burglary, criminal mischief in the fourth degree and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child for the alleged crime.
His attorney Zachary Mauer asked Punch to reduce bail from $125,000 on Monday. Mauer said Wills never entered the house during the burglary. Wills is also a life-long resident who has always appeared for his court dates, Mauer said.
Given the additional charge, Punch said he would keep bail at $125,000. The judge said he would likely have to recuse himself from the intimidation charge because the crime allegedly happened in the courtroom in front of Punch. The judge said he didn’t hear Wills make the alleged threat.
In other cases:
A Byron man was arraigned for second-degree assault after allegedly striking a victim in the head with a bottle on Sept. 14 in the Town of Murray.
Gregory Vogt, 27, of Cook Road was given a day to post $1,500 bail or else report to the jail.
“This was a completely unprovoked attack on the victim,” said Assistant District Attorney Susan Howard.
The judge issued an order of protection for the victim in the case.
Phillip Barsonti was arraigned for violating his Probation after allegedly pushing and shoving someone in the Town of Barre on Nov. 11.
Barsonti, 33, no address available, was charged with second-degree harassment and second-degree criminal contempt. The judge increased Barsonti’s bail from $500 set in the Barre court to $2,500.
