Governor Cuomo announced that he has directed the Department of Financial Services to launch an investigation into pension advances, which are financial products that allow companies to harvest a retiree's pension payments in exchange for a lump-sum payment that amounts to just pennies on the dollar. At the Governor's direction, subpoenas were sent to ten companies engaging in pension advances. In a pension advance scheme, a retiree signs away a portion of their regular weekly or monthly pension payment to a company in exchange for an upfront, lump-sum payment. The effective annual interest rates for these pension advances can sometimes exceed 100%, eating away a substantial portion of the value of a retiree's pension. Additionally, in a particularly troubling development, the companies offering these products appear to be targeting the pensions of our nation's military veterans. Anyone who suspects that they have been the victim of a pension advance scheme is urged to contact the DFS Consumer Help Line at 1-800-342-3736 for assistance.
Firefighters battled a house fire early Monday morning on the Stoddard Road in the Town of Denmark. The Lewis County Fire Coordinator's Office reports that dispatchers received a call at around 1:49 a.m. of a fire at the Shawn O'Donnell residence. Copenhagen Firemen responded along with mutual aid from West Carthage, Castorland, & Champion. Fire Chief on Scene Ed Wood reports that the fire began as a chimney fire & spread quickly into the structure due to the high winds. Heavy interior structural damage was reported to the house while the contents were listed as a total loss. There was no insurance. No injuries were reported.
The New York State Police in Remsen and the State Police BCI are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at 11:20 a.m. yesterday morning at the Rite Aid Pharmacy on State Route 12 in Barneveld. Troopers report that a white male subject entered the store with what appeared to be a handgun concealed within a bag and demanded money from the cashier. The subject is described as a white male, thin build, approximately 150 lbs. and six feet tall. He was last seen wearing a dark blue or black zip-up style hoodie, dark blue jeans, and was wearing a blue colored bandana with a white checkered pattern. The subject was last seen fleeing on foot from the store in a Southerly direction. The State Police are requesting anyone who was in the area of Rite Aid at that time that may have witnessed this incident or that has any information concerning the possible identity of this individual to contact the BCI in Marcy at 736-8802. Rite Aid has offered a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of this suspect.
A 38 year old Port Leyden man was sent to jail stemming from an incident earlier this month at a Boonville-area car wash. Boonville Police report that Michael Gaither was charged with grand larceny 4th degree after he allegedly removed a trailer from the Pristine Car Wash on May 6th without the owner's permission. He was arraigned in Town of Steuben Court & was remanded to the Oneida County Jail on $3,000 bail or $5,000 bond.
An Old Forge man is facing felony charges of criminal possession of a forged instrument 2nd degree and offering a false instrument for filing 1st degree. State Police BCI out of Marcy report that 53 year old David Roberts, who is a New York State Corrections Officer, is alleged to have submitted to the personnel office, two Family Medical Leave Act forms which contained a forged doctor's signature. He was arraigned in the Town of Marcy Court and was released on his own recognizance.
A 40 year old Port Leyden man is facing marijuana charges. Lewis County Sheriff's Deputies report that Timothy Daniels was charged with growing cannabis without a license under the Public Health Law as well as criminal possession of marijuana 4th degree. The charges stem from information received concerning 32 freshly planted marijuana plants on Daniels property in the Town of Watson. He was issued appearance tickets returnable to Town of Watson Court at a later date.
