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Thursday, June 20, 2013
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Watertown man gets up to 4 years in prison for break-in at DEC garage

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A Watertown man was sentenced Tuesday in Jefferson County Court to up to four years in state prison for trying to damage items in a state Department of Environmental Conservation garage in June.

Frank D. Lavancha II, 35, of 819 W. Main St., was sentenced to two to four years in prison for Aug. 8 guilty pleas to third-degree attempted burglary and third-degree attempted criminal possession of stolen property. He admitted that he tried to break into a DEC garage at 17893 Game Farm Road, town of Brownville, on June 10 and that he tried to steal a sport utility vehicle from the property.

He also was ordered to pay $68,000 in restitution in the form of a civil judgment for unspecified items damaged at the garage. He was sentenced as a second felony offender, having been convicted of two counts each of fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and a single count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon in County Court in 2010. He was sentenced in September 2010 to two to four years in prison.

In other activity Tuesday:

Amber M. Come, 24, whose last known address was 227 Stone St., was sentenced as a second felony offender to 1½ to 3 years in prison for a July 17 guilty plea to second-degree attempted assault. She also admitted violating probation by committing the new crime. She admitted that on May 25 she tried to injure Christine A. Countryman by stabbing her with a kitchen knife at 116 Keyes Ave. Police said at the time that Ms. Countryman suffered three cuts. At the time, Miss Come was serving five years’ probation imposed May 10 for an attempted third-degree robbery conviction, a felony, for trying to push a customer out of the way as she attempted to leave the Mercer’s convenience store in Adams with stolen property.

Natasha A. Hull, 32, Poughkeepsie, formerly of LaFargeville, was sentenced to three years’ probation and fined $1,000 for May 29 guilty pleas to misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. She had been accused of DWI and driving without a license Nov. 4 on Arsenal Street. Her probation supervision will be transferred to Dutchess County. She also had her driver’s license revoked and was ordered to install an ignition interlock device on any vehicle she owns or regularly operates.

Cecil E. Mellen, 53, of 6722 Route 12E, Three Mile Bay, was sentenced to a three-year conditional discharge and ordered to complete the Bridge program for a July 25 guilty plea to felony DWI. He admitted he drove while intoxicated May 12 on Riverside Drive in Clayton. He also was fined $2,000, had his driver’s license revoked and is subject to the ignition interlock provision.

Hillary A. Collins, 35, of 537 Davidson St., was sentenced to a three-year conditional discharge and ordered to complete the Bridge program for a June 29 guilty plea to felony aggravated DWI. She admitted driving while intoxicated April 12 on Court Street. She also was fined $2,500, had her driver’s license revoked and is subject to the ignition interlock provision.

Maribel Bristol, 44, Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to second-degree promoting prison contraband. She admitted that on April 14 she smuggled synthetic marijuana into Cape Vincent Correctional Facility while visiting an inmate. She subsequently was sentenced to an unspecified amount of time served at the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building and three years’ probation. Her probation supervision will be transferred to New York City.

In court activity Monday:

Anthony D. Joseph, 34, whose last known address was 1021 Boyd St., was sentenced to five years in prison, followed by an additional two years of supervision upon his release, for a June 29 guilty plea to third-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance. He admitted he tried to possess cocaine with the intent to sell it last July.

Wanda J. Bedore, 42, also known as Wanda J. Benedict, was sentenced to two to four years in prison for a July 19 guilty plea to second-degree bail jumping and an admission that she violated terms of Drug Court. She was referred to the program in July 2010 after pleading guilty to first-degree criminal nuisance, admitting that she allowed her State Street residence to be used as a place where drug sales occurred. Following a court-ordered stay in a residential substance abuse rehabilitation program, she failed to show up for further Drug Court proceedings in September, leading to the bail-jumping charge. She violated conditions of Drug Court by absconding from its supervision.

Eugene Muhammad Jr., 46, whose last known address was 519 Emerson St., was sentenced to a year in the PSB after pleading guilty June 27 to felony DWI and admitting he violated probation. He was charged with DWI April 19 on Bronson Street. He violated probation by committing the new crime. He also was fined $1,500, had his driver’s license revoked and will be subject to the ignition interlock provision.

Robert I. Brigham III, 28, Watertown, was sentenced to a year in the PSB, was fined $2,000, had his driver’s license revoked and is subject to the ignition interlock provision for a June 20 guilty plea to felony DWI. He admitted that he drove while intoxicated June 3, 2011, on Lee Street.

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