Hogansburg man sentenced to probation for stealing copper

MASSENA - A Hogansburg man charged with stealing copper from a Maple Street garage has been placed on probation.

Massena Village Justice Eric J. Gustafson fined Andrew D. Wheeler, 19, of 237 Cook Road, Hogansburg, formerly of North Main Street, Massena, $200 and ordered him to pay a $50 DNA fee for a petit larceny conviction. He was also placed on probation for three years. He had previously made restitution of $141.

Village police had charged Wheeler and Samuel Hurlbut with third-degree burglary following an investigation into the theft of 15 feet of copper wire, 150 feet of small gauge copper wire and four grounding rods from a garage on Maple Street at 2 a.m. Oct. 27.

The copper, valued at $141, was owned by Gerald Johnson.

In other recent court action before Judge Gustafson:

• Angela J. Alaimo, 27, of 35 East Orvis St., Massena, pleaded guilty to an endangering the welfare of a child count. The court directed the probation department to conduct a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for May 8.

The Massena woman had been charged with endangering the welfare of a child stemming from an incident in September when she allegedly took a large number of pills over a short period of time and didn't know the whereabouts of her 8-year-old daughter in the early evening hours of Sept. 14.

Police said they responded to a residence on East Orvis Street after receiving a check on the welfare complaint from a probation officer who had heard Alaimo had taken a large quantity of pills over a three-day period.

Police said they saw Alaimo on the couch when they arrived at the residence, but she didn't respond to their knocks on the door or verbal orders. They said, when they entered the residence and woke Alaimo, she was slurring her words and relatively incoherent.

They said, when they told Alaimo they were going to transport her to the hospital for evaluation, she said she would need someone to watch her child.

Police said they then began a search for the child, who was located a short time later at the Massena Creative Playground. Police allege Alaimo was unaware her daughter had walked to the playground.

• John R. Empey Sr., 48, of 2 Richards St., Massena, was fined $200 and a $125 surcharge after an endangering the welfare of a child count was reduced to disorderly conduct. He was also placed under a one-year conditional discharge with a stipulation he undergo an alcohol and substance abuse evaluation.

Police said Empey's 8-year-old child had been transported to Massena Memorial Hospital by Massena Rescue Nov. 18 for treatment of a neck injury.

Empey, who police said had a blood alcohol content of 0.23 percent, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent, went to the hospital and wouldn't allow the child to be treated. He reportedly removed the child from the hospital prior to treatment without notifying staff of his intentions.

• Ralph A. Van Guilder, 45, of 14 1/2 Sober St., Norfolk, was fined $75 and a $125 surcharge for a disorderly conduct conviction.

Police said Mr. Van Guilder was engaged in a screaming match with his son dealing with custody issues related to the elder Mr. Van Guilder’s grandson outside Kid's Korner. He reportedly failed to comply with a request from police to stop screaming and told police to arrest him. His wish was granted, according to court documents.