Arson, burglary among grand jury indictments
NORWICH – A Chenango County grand jury met last week and handed up several felony indictments, including the crimes of arson and burglary.
At the proceedings, the District Attorney’s Office presents evidence against those they wish to prosecute and the jury decides if there is enough reasonable cause to charge a person.
On May 12, the grand jury indicted eight individuals for crimes against the people.
• Jeffrey A. Maxson, 44, of New Berlin, was indicted for second degree arson, a class B felony. At 11:40 p.m. on April 26, firefighters responded to a one story home at 5156 state Route 8. New York State Police Investigator Jason Besset said alcohol may have been a factor in the domestic incident. He said Maxson’s parents, the homeowners, were not at home when the fire started, but other relatives were present at the time. Besset said Maxson, who is unemployed, had been living at the home for the last three weeks. Fire officials estimated that the home burned for about 10 to 15 minutes before emergency crews arrived.
Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matthew Beckwith said crews responding to the scene were hampered in their efforts to fight the fire by Maxson, describing him as “intoxicated and belligerent.”
Beckwith said crews ordered Maxson to leave the scene and he was escorted off the property by family members. “At the time we asked him to leave, we had not began our investigation into the cause. They we’re just trying to put out the fire and make sure no one was hurt. Later as we developed what took place, we realized this was not an ordinary fire and fire investigators contacted police,” said Beckwith.
The fire claimed the life of the family’s German Shepherd, and destroyed the home and all its contents, reported Besset.
The indictment stated the “defendant did intentionally damage a building by intentionally dropping a lit cigarette onto a pile of clothes starting a fire which destroyed the residence.”
Maxson was also indicted with third degree arson, a C class felony.
• Joshua J. Squires, 28, New Berlin, was indicted for second degree burglary, a C class felony, for allegedly breaking into residence at 11:15 p.m., May 5, in the Town of New Berlin with the intention of committing a rape.
The indictment claims Squires removed a bedroom window screen before reaching inside the window and grabbing a sleeping female victim by the hair. After grabbing her, the indictment claims Squires verbally threatened to sexually assault the female, which prompted her to start kicking and punching him as he attempted to climb in the window. “The defendant continued to try and gain access even while the victim was screaming and kicking,” stated the indictment.
• Jonas F.L. Parmeter, 19, 4206 South Lebanon Road, Lebanon, was indicted for third degree burglary and second degree criminal mischief, both D class felonies.
According to the Norwich police, officers responding to a complaint of a disorderly man along Midland Drive were searching the area for the subject when they spotted Parmeter through a window inside the Norwich Middle School, at 4 a.m., May 9, in the City of Norwich.
“Officers attempted to locate the male inside the middle school, but he fled when they attempted to make contact with him,” reported Norwich Police Sgt. Gard Turner.
Within 15 minutes of spotting the man and conducting a search of the school, police encountered the alleged burglar just outside the building. Again, the man fled on foot and a brief chase ensued, with officers eventually tackling him.
Police said Parmeter was not a current or former Norwich student and appeared to be intoxicated at the time of his arrest.
The indictment states that while inside the middle school, Parmeter set off a fire extinguisher, broke windows and caused more than $1,547.80 worth of damages.
• Roger C. Lansdowne was indicted for driving while intoxicated a D class felony, and first degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle , an E felony. Allegedly at 2:52 p.m., Feb. 9 in Town of Otselic, Lansdowne was traveling along State Highway 26 intoxicated and driving with a license that was already suspended for a previous DWI conviction.
According to court documents, Lansdowne was convicted of a felony DWI in Madison County Court on July 8, 2005 and another DWI on July 17, 2001 in Moravia Village Court, in Cayuga County.
• Michael P. Miller was indicted for two counts of second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a D class felony. Allegedly he had a forged Chase Traveler’s check and defrauded NBT for $500 on March 6, in the Town of Norwich.
• John M. Hunt was indicted for fourth degree criminal possession of stolen property, an E class felony for allegedly having a stolen ATM/Debit card on his person May 15, 2007, in The Town of Norwich.
He was also indicted for fifth degree criminal possession of stolen property, a misdemeanor, over the incident
• Salvatore V. Buffa was indicted for six counts of second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a D class felony. Allegedly between April 19 and 23, in the Town of Norwich Buffa used six separately forged checks to buy $775 worth of items from Lowes.
• Stephanie L. Cutting was indicted for second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a D class felony. Allegedly on April 15, in the Village of Bainbridge Cutting cashed a forged checked at Sydney Federal Credit Union for $215.
She was also indicted for third degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a misdemeanor, in relation to the incident.
At the proceedings, the District Attorney’s Office presents evidence against those they wish to prosecute and the jury decides if there is enough reasonable cause to charge a person.
On May 12, the grand jury indicted eight individuals for crimes against the people.
• Jeffrey A. Maxson, 44, of New Berlin, was indicted for second degree arson, a class B felony. At 11:40 p.m. on April 26, firefighters responded to a one story home at 5156 state Route 8. New York State Police Investigator Jason Besset said alcohol may have been a factor in the domestic incident. He said Maxson’s parents, the homeowners, were not at home when the fire started, but other relatives were present at the time. Besset said Maxson, who is unemployed, had been living at the home for the last three weeks. Fire officials estimated that the home burned for about 10 to 15 minutes before emergency crews arrived.
Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matthew Beckwith said crews responding to the scene were hampered in their efforts to fight the fire by Maxson, describing him as “intoxicated and belligerent.”
Beckwith said crews ordered Maxson to leave the scene and he was escorted off the property by family members. “At the time we asked him to leave, we had not began our investigation into the cause. They we’re just trying to put out the fire and make sure no one was hurt. Later as we developed what took place, we realized this was not an ordinary fire and fire investigators contacted police,” said Beckwith.
The fire claimed the life of the family’s German Shepherd, and destroyed the home and all its contents, reported Besset.
The indictment stated the “defendant did intentionally damage a building by intentionally dropping a lit cigarette onto a pile of clothes starting a fire which destroyed the residence.”
Maxson was also indicted with third degree arson, a C class felony.
• Joshua J. Squires, 28, New Berlin, was indicted for second degree burglary, a C class felony, for allegedly breaking into residence at 11:15 p.m., May 5, in the Town of New Berlin with the intention of committing a rape.
The indictment claims Squires removed a bedroom window screen before reaching inside the window and grabbing a sleeping female victim by the hair. After grabbing her, the indictment claims Squires verbally threatened to sexually assault the female, which prompted her to start kicking and punching him as he attempted to climb in the window. “The defendant continued to try and gain access even while the victim was screaming and kicking,” stated the indictment.
• Jonas F.L. Parmeter, 19, 4206 South Lebanon Road, Lebanon, was indicted for third degree burglary and second degree criminal mischief, both D class felonies.
According to the Norwich police, officers responding to a complaint of a disorderly man along Midland Drive were searching the area for the subject when they spotted Parmeter through a window inside the Norwich Middle School, at 4 a.m., May 9, in the City of Norwich.
“Officers attempted to locate the male inside the middle school, but he fled when they attempted to make contact with him,” reported Norwich Police Sgt. Gard Turner.
Within 15 minutes of spotting the man and conducting a search of the school, police encountered the alleged burglar just outside the building. Again, the man fled on foot and a brief chase ensued, with officers eventually tackling him.
Police said Parmeter was not a current or former Norwich student and appeared to be intoxicated at the time of his arrest.
The indictment states that while inside the middle school, Parmeter set off a fire extinguisher, broke windows and caused more than $1,547.80 worth of damages.
• Roger C. Lansdowne was indicted for driving while intoxicated a D class felony, and first degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle , an E felony. Allegedly at 2:52 p.m., Feb. 9 in Town of Otselic, Lansdowne was traveling along State Highway 26 intoxicated and driving with a license that was already suspended for a previous DWI conviction.
According to court documents, Lansdowne was convicted of a felony DWI in Madison County Court on July 8, 2005 and another DWI on July 17, 2001 in Moravia Village Court, in Cayuga County.
• Michael P. Miller was indicted for two counts of second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a D class felony. Allegedly he had a forged Chase Traveler’s check and defrauded NBT for $500 on March 6, in the Town of Norwich.
• John M. Hunt was indicted for fourth degree criminal possession of stolen property, an E class felony for allegedly having a stolen ATM/Debit card on his person May 15, 2007, in The Town of Norwich.
He was also indicted for fifth degree criminal possession of stolen property, a misdemeanor, over the incident
• Salvatore V. Buffa was indicted for six counts of second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a D class felony. Allegedly between April 19 and 23, in the Town of Norwich Buffa used six separately forged checks to buy $775 worth of items from Lowes.
• Stephanie L. Cutting was indicted for second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a D class felony. Allegedly on April 15, in the Village of Bainbridge Cutting cashed a forged checked at Sydney Federal Credit Union for $215.
She was also indicted for third degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a misdemeanor, in relation to the incident.
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