COURT
Philip E. Griffith, Jr., 54, of Gansevoort, pleaded July 10 to felony DWI in Wilton. Sentencing scheduled Sept. 10.
Arthur A. Gannon, Corinth. On July 11, Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen announced the Appellate Division, Third Department, affirmed the conviction of Arthur A. Gannon regarding multiple sex crimes committed against two young girls in the town of Corinth. Gannon was convicted in Saratoga County Court by a jury following seven weeks of trial in 2016 for repeatedly abusing two young victims over a period of more than five years, Heggen said. He was sentenced to 25 years-to-life for each of five counts of predatory sexual assault felonies.
Albert B. Mercer, 63, of Saratoga Springs, was sentenced on July 8 to 20 years in jail following a jury verdict which found Mercer guilty of first-degree manslaughter and tampering with physical evidence – both felonies. According to the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office, Mercer was involved in an altercation with his wife’s cousin, who Mercer stabbed with a knife causing his death. The trial lasted 10 days and involved more than 25 witnesses and 200 items of evidence.
POLICE
Michael B. Tranka, 52, of Wilton, was charged July 8 with misdemeanor DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
Christopher Sprague, 39, of Ballston Spa, was charged July 8 with misdemeanor petit larceny in Saratoga Springs.
Andrew Gardner, 41, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 9 with criminal tampering and resisting arrest – both misdemeanors.
Kathryn Fasano, 45, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 9 with third degree assault, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing, acting in a manner causing injury to a child, and aggravated criminal contempt – a felony in connection with violating an order of protection.
Olivia Ciliento, 21, of Mechanicville, was charged July 10 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, and multiple vehicle related violations.
Rebecca Kane, 52, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 11 with criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.
Matthew Carle, 35, of Ramona, California, was charged July 12 with criminal possession of a controlled substance, in Saratoga Springs.
Augustus Balsamo, 35, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 12 with criminal trespass in the third-degree, a misdemeanor.
The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and the Saratoga Springs Police Department conducted a joint operation targeting the suspected possession and sales of illicit drugs in the Saratoga Springs area on July 2-3. In total, 14 drug related arrests were made including a fugitive from justice out of the state of Virginia. Over the course of the two-day operation there were 146 traffic stops, 51 traffic tickets issued, 7 felony charges, 13 misdemeanor charges, 3 violation charges and 1 fugitive from justice charge. The people charged include:
Robert Schumann, 39, of Richmondville, V.A., charged with one count of Fugitive from Justice, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and False Personation.
Michael Epperson, 42, of Anderson, ID., charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.
Ross Locke, 35, of North Attleborough, MA, charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.
Aaron Bedard, 27, of North Attleborough, MA, charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree.
Kyle Sarzin, 30, of North Attleborough, MA, charged with one count of unlawful possession of marijuana.
Marshall Branch, 32, of Albany, charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.
Sean Halper, 30, of Oxford, MA, charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree and one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.
Jonathan Theriault, 33, of Worcester, MA, charged with one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance on the fifth degree.
