Michael Goot

Saratoga Springs Police arrest man on drug charges Saratoga Springs Police have arrested a man on drug charges. Michael Dzieniszenski, 37, allegedly sold narcotics on numerous occasions. The investigation stemmed from complaints of drug activity at Vanderbilt Terrace, police said. Dzieniszenski was charged with a felony count and misdemeanor count of criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a narcotic drug. He was arraigned and turned over to the custody of the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office. He is due back in court on May 21.

A New Hampshire man was sentenced on Friday to 15 years in prison for coercing a 15-year-old Troy girl to send him sexually explicit images and videos. Isaiah Lafoe, 26, of Lancaster, had previously admitted in federal court that between Sept. 30, 2020 and Feb. 15, 2021, he communicated with the girl via social media apps and told her to send images and videos of her engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Persistent felon gets 100 years to life for sex with Schenectady County teen A five-time felon was sentenced Friday to 100 years to life in prison for having sex with a 13-year-old girl from Schenectady County. Joshua Hodgson, 43, of Mayfield, was found guilty by a jury of 20 felonies and three misdemeanors stemming from a summerlong relationship he had with the girl. In addition to sex acts, Hodgson convinced the girl to send him explicit videos, according to the Schenectady County District Attorney's Office. Hodgson was a longtime friend of the child's father, who had given him a place to live and got him a job. Hodgson groomed the child during and continued the online sexual relationship until Sept. 15, 2021, when the child told her family and police about what was happening, according to prosecutors. Hodgson denied that the relationship was sexual and sent the family threatening messages demanding that they return a sterling silver chain cross necklace he gave to her as a gift. Acting Schenectady County Court Judge Mark Caruso called Hodgson a “persistent menace to society,” and the victim's grandmother called him a “predator,” and a “monster,” prosecutors said. Hodgson told the court that he was the “victim” in this case and had no remorse, the DA's Office added. Hodgson has a lengthy criminal record including four previous felony convictions for burglary, attempted burglary, grand larceny and aggravated family offense for violations of protective orders, which added up to 100 years to life in state prison.

Death of Cohoes native who went missing 30 years ago classified as homicide Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. A homicide investigation has been opened into the death of a Cohoes native who went missing from the town of Sodus in 1991. Her remains were found in 2020 and confirmed to be hers. The death of a Cohoes native who went missing from Wayne County over 30 years ago is being classified as a homicide. Judith Geurin was last seen on Feb. 20, 1991 in the town of Sodus. Her belongings were left behind in her apartment. Hunters found her remains in October 2020. And police have matched the remains to Geurin, according to WHEC-TV in Rochester. Police are asking anyone with information to call the Wayne County Sheriff's Office tip line at 315-946-5800.

Troy restaurant robbery under investigation Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. Advertisement Nighthawks in Troy say they were the victim of a robbery. Nighthawks, a Troy restaurant, said it was robbed. The robbery happened Wednesday night, they said. Three women in a Pontiac robbed them. One person ran into the store and grabbed money while the other two distracted the staff, according to a post on their Facebook page. They add that there are multiple cameras that caught it, and it seemed like the women knew exactly what they were looking for. The restaurant said it just wants its money back and hasn't taken any further action yet.

Colonie apartment building fire caused by construction A fire at an apartment building on Monday was caused by construction work, according to investigators. The fire broke out at a building at 610 Broadway in Colonie, investigators said. Several fire departments responded, and put out the fire in about 2 ½ hours. One firefighter was treated and released from a local hospital. The Red Cross is helping the people who live there.

Appeals court overturns Troy man's conviction in 2018 Albany shooting Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. An appeals court has thrown out the conviction of a Troy man for assault and criminal possession of a weapon in a 2018 shooting in Albany. An appeals court has thrown out the conviction of a Troy man for a 2018 shooting in Albany. Jeffrey Walker was found guilty of assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal use of a firearm. He was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison for the Oct. 7, 2018, shooting outside a bar near Lark Street in Albany. The incident had stemmed from a dispute in which the victim had a brief conversation with a person who he identified as a gang member. The person had pressed the victim to provide financial assistance to the gang member's cousin. The victim declined. He encounters the same group of people later that night and attempts to speak with him. At that point, the group including Walker surrounds the victim, who gets struck in the head with a heavy object. The victim breaks free and runs and then is shot in the back, according to the background of the case. The victim told police that he saw another person try to pass a gun to Walker. When he turns around to look, Walker did not have the gun. Walker had appealed the conviction, claiming that he was just a bystander to the incident and video evidence didn't prove he was the shooter. A panel of judges with the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department, sided with his argument. They wrote that the victim only saw another person try to pass a gun to Walker, but “he never saw defendant with the gun either immediately before or after the shooting, a span of only a few seconds at most.” “Considering the foregoing together with the absence of any evidence that defendant was even aware that a gun was present or was being offered to him, it cannot be concluded without resort to improper speculation that defendant personally fired the gun,” the justices wrote. The court reversed the conviction and dismissed the entire indictment. The Times Union first reported the story.

Amsterdam man pleads guilty to federal drug charges An Amsterdam man has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Samuel Payano, 24, admitted in federal court on Friday that from May 2022 to December 2022, he conspired with Bernardo Tovar to distribute counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, as well as cocaine and meth. He also admitted to distributing fentanyl pills and a firearm to another person on Oct. 12. Payano and Tovar also had fentanyl pills, cocaine and meth as well as firearms on Dec. 7, 2022, when their apartment was searched, investigators said. Payano faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on Sept. 6. Tovar previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to over 15 years in prison.

Woman's near-death during childbirth spurs her push for blood donations A Clifton Park woman is using her scary experience during childbirth to draw attention to the importance of donating blood. Sara Bovee Hines was induced at 38 weeks. Her son Jamison came into the world two days later. However, he was rushed off to the intensive care unit with some medical issues. Then, she realized there was a puddle on the floor of her room, and she realized it was blood. Hines needed to have all the blood in her body replaced. She is now trying to call attention to the importance of blood donations. There is a drive on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kitchen and Bath World at 1980 Central Ave. in Albany. Learn more about how she felt going through this experience by watching video of Steve Kuzj's story. Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. Clifton Park uses childbirth scare, where she lost all her blood to push for blood donations

Queensbury man gets 23 years in prison for attempted murder Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. Queensbury man gets 23 years in prison for trying to kill someone in Albany last April. A Queensbury man was sentenced to 23 years in prison for shooting a person in Albany last April. Christian Maldonado , 43, was convicted in February of attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial. Maldonado fired shots on April 27, 2023 in the area of Lark and Orange streets in Albany using an illegal firearm, the Albany County District Attorney's Office said. An order protection has been issued banning Maldonado from having contact with the victim. Maldonado has a criminal record, including drug convictions in Saratoga County Court in 2009 and Albany County Court in 2017.