Letitia James

The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo and New York Attorney General Letitia James have agreed to settle the lawsuit brought against the Diocese in November 2020 related to the past handling of clergy sexual abuse allegations.

According to a release by James’ office, the settlement ensures that the Buffalo Diocese will address complaints of clergy sexual abuse appropriately through a comprehensive court-ordered compliance program that is mandated for five years.

The settlement also establishes mechanisms to protect the public by requiring the Buffalo Diocese to have a formal program to individually monitor credibly accused priests and submit to an independent annual audit of its compliance.

The audits will be conducted by a former senior agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with expertise in matters of clergy sexual abuse, who has been vetted and approved by the Office of the Attorney General. The auditor will issue annual reports, which will be published on the Buffalo Diocese’s website.

Additionally, Bishop Emeritus Richard Malone and former Auxiliary Bishop Edward Grosz, in their individual capacities, will be banned for life from holding any secular fiduciary role with a charity registered in New York.

That’s according to the Jamestown Office of Public Safety’s 2018 Annual Report, now available at the city website. The report contains data from both the Jamestown Police Department and Jamestown Fire Department.

In the opening message, Public Safety Director/Police Chief Harry Snellings said that the Part I Index Total Crime Rate was down 3.96% compared to 2017, and Property crimes were down 7.9% compared to 2017. However, violent crime incidents rose by 15.46%.

The crime index, developed by the FBI, is composed of selected offenses used to gauge fluctuations in the overall volume and rate of crime reported to police. The offenses included are the violent crimes of murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, in addition to the property crimes of burglary, larceny, and auto theft.

In the violent crime category for Jamestown, both Rape and Aggravated Assault saw significant increase. The rape incidents went up from 10 in 2017 to 30 (200%) in 2018 and the aggravated assaults up from 138 in 2017 to 150 in 2018 (8.7%).

Among the other key findings in the report, the Jamestown Police Department responded to 36,430 calls for service last year. This was an increase of about 400 from the previous year.

The report also stated that property crimes in 2017 and 2018 were down nearly 25% compared to the previous five years, calling it a significant change in the number of property crimes, not likely to be the result of chance fluctuations in criminal activity.

As for drug offenses, those arrests are tracked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, so the specific number of cases the city police were involved in for last year was not provided. However, the report did indicate the amount of drugs confiscated last year, with all major categories – including heroin and methamphetamine – seeing a decline from the previous year.

“A large-scale drug conspiracy that brought methamphetamine originating from Mexico into Jamestown for distribution over the last several years ended in August,” Snellings noted in the report. “‘Operation Meltdown’ resulted in the indictments and arrest of eight individuals and the seizure of more than seven pounds of methamphetamine. The Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force also seized a record number of illegal firearms throughout the year.”

A link to the full 2018 Annual Police Report can be found online at the city website.

The Jamestown Post-Journal says the Jamestown School Board agreed to pay teacher Scott Lumia the equivalent of two month’s pay – totaling $15,160.46 – under the provisions of his separation agreement with the district.

The school board accepted Lumia’s resignation during a special meeting on Nov. 30.

Details of why Lumia resigned have not been released by the district, but WRFA has learned that he allegedly was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a student. The FBI is reportedly investigating a possible case, though officials with the agency could not confirm or deny an investigation when asked by the Post-Journal.

The severance pay was not made public by the school board and was only revealed to the public after the Post-Journal submitted a Freedom of Information request to the district.

Lumia was placed on administrative paid leave on Nov. 21, prior to his resignation.

On Friday afternoon the Jamestown School board held an emergency meeting to approve the resignation and separation agreement with high school teacher Scott Lumia.

According to the Post-Journal, Jamestown Superintendent Bret Apthorpe provided a brief statement following the board action, confirming the resignation, but also said that as with any district personnel matter, school officials cannot comment on specifics.

Apthorpe said the board and his office can only confirm the district investigates any concerning report and works with state and federal law enforcement authorities if necessary, and as appropriate, with the best interests of our students at the forefront.

The Post-Journal has reported that its sources claim the Federal Bureau of Investigations is investigating a case, but officials from the FBI will neither confirm nor deny involvement.

WRFA has learned from sources that Lumia is accused of allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a Jamestown student.

Lumia has been teaching at the district since 1999. Prior to his resignation, the district placed Lumia on paid administrative leave on Nov. 21.

In his statement on Friday, Apthorpe also said that the Jamestown School Board holds the highest expectations concerning student well-being and safety and will always take swift action when appropriate.

Residents stand at the corner of Main and Second Streets in downtown Jamestown, next to the building that houses Congressman Tom Reed’s office, to voice their concerns with recent news coming out of Washington involving President Trump.

JAMESTOWN – About 30 people showed up for a flash rally in front of Congressman Tom Reed’s (R-Corning, NY 23) office Thursday in to voice their concerns regarding recent news coming out of Washington.

Organizers say they wanted to voice their disapproval with President Donald Trump and his firing of FBI director James Comey – who at the time of his termination was investigating alleged ties between members of the Trump Campaign and Russia. They said they want to see Congressman Reed support congressional efforts to stop the administration’s alleged obstruction of justice, hire a special prosecutor to investigate the alleged ties, and impeach the president if necessary.

Kristina Benson of Bemus Point was one of those one hand and told WRFA that Congressman Reed needs to put the country before his party.

A group of local residents stand near the office of Congressman Tom Reed to voice their concerns over recent events and news coming from Washington.

“I think it’s become clear over the past several weeks that the investigations into potential criminal activity and potential collusion with hostile foreign powers is something that goes far beyond being a Democrat or a Republican,” Benson said. “My sign here says, ‘Country Before Party.’ I’m deeply concerned about our Democratic institutions and I think that Tom Reed needs to represent as as an American Patriot.”

Another resident, Jeannie Danna of Gerry, shared similar concerns.

“The ones that are in power, the GOP, are just following lock-stop. So it’s time for the people to stand up here, all of the people – whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, an independent, I don’t care what you are – you need to stand up because this is the United States of America,” Danna said. “My main concern with Congressman Reed is that he is not standing up to President Trump, as much as he is marching along, in lock-step.”

In response to Thursday’s rally, Congressman Reed’s Office released a statement that said:

“We respect the first amendment rights of those who chose to protest and our office will always listen to their concerns. I care about listening to my neighbors, even if we have different points of view on the issues we face.”

Congressman Reed has been a supporter of President Trump since early last summer, when then-presidential candidate Jeb Bush announced he was no longer running for president. Since then, Reed has served as the co-chair of Trump’s New York State Election Campaign and has also gone on record as supporting the president’s decision to fire Comey, saying it was well within the purview of the Commander-in-Chief.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael DiGiacomo and Brian J. Counihan, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated between January 2008 and December 2010, the defendant, a practicing attorney at the time, devised a scheme to defraud investors out of approximately $3,400,000.

As part of the scheme, MacCallum encouraged some victims to liquidate other investments in order to benefit from his false and fraudulent higher rates of return. The defendant claimed that his investments were secured by real estate and life insurance policies. However, the Government’s evidence demonstrated that the defendant was using victim investments to pay back earlier investors and to pay personal and other expenses such as personal travel and office expenses. MacCallum received $3,423,737.00 from victim investors.

The verdict is the result of investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen.

Following today’s verdict, Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford, who presided over the trial, order the defendant detained pending sentencing on July 11, 2017.

WASHINGTON – Republicans in Washington aren’t letting up on their criticism of Hillary Clinton following the FBI’s recommendation that she shouldn’t face criminal charges over her handling of classified emails. Instead, they’re expanding their criticism to include the FBI itself.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

On Tuesday FBI Director James Comey announced that “no charges are appropriate” against the presumed Democratic Party presidential nominee, drawing a deluge of GOP criticism. While Comey said that charges would be filed, he also called Clinton “extremely careless” in her handling of highly sensitive information, and suggested she sent emails with information that was classified at the time, contrary to her previous claims.

The FBI is supposed to be insulated from partisanship, with directors appointed to serve 10-year terms under legislation passed in 1976. Comey is a Republican first nominated to a senior Justice Department post by George W. Bush, and tapped to lead the FBI in 2013 by President Obama.

In response to the announcement, GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump complained that the system is “rigged,” and that “it was no accident that charges were not recommended against Hillary the exact same day as President Obama campaigns with her for the first time.”

Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin said Comey’s recommendation to the Justice Department that Clinton should not face prosecution “defies explanation” and promised House hearings on the FBI investigation.

Chautauqua County’s representative in Washington, Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) – was also critical of the FBI decision not to file charges. In a conference call with local media on Tuesday afternoon, Reed says that he has grave concerns about the recommendations not to press charges, saying it’s an indication that the Washington DC establishment continues to receive preferential treatment.

“The message is clear. Hillary Clinton is part of the Washington, DC political establishment, an elite protected class that is above the law,” Reed said. “This double standard is unacceptable and unfair to the American people. We care about the American people, which is why we will continue to fight for changes within Washington, DC and are calling on the Department of Justice to bring charges against Hillary Clinton to ensure consequences for her dangerous behavior.”

A media release sent out Wednesday from the office of U.S. Attorney William Hochul, Jr. says that 35 year-old Michael Bush was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transmitting communication containing a threat to injure the person of another. The charge carries a maximum of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.

According to the complaint, Bush is accused of posting a threat against two individuals in the Jamestown Police Department on the Jamestown, New York Topix forum website. The post was allegedly made on February 26, 2016.

The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department and the FBI.

In 2013, Bush was placed on Administrative leave from the JPD after being arrested following an off-duty incident at his Town of Ellicott home. During that incident he was charged with obstructing governmental administration after officers were called to his home and found Bush in the home armed with a weapon, threatening harm to himself. After three he finally allowed police to get him medical attention.

Bush appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder on Wednesday. A detention hearing is scheduled for April 7, 2016.

According to the 2015 Unified Crime Report (UCR) recently filed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the total number of crimes investigated by the JPD within the city of Jamestown in 2015 was 1,235. That’s 17 percent lower than the total for 2014, when the total number of crimes reported was 1489.

• VIEW UCR DATA FOR 2015 AND 2014
• NY FIREARM CRIME AND RELATED ACTIVITY FOR 2015
• 2015 JPD CALL FOR SERVICE REPORT

The statistics take into account the two categories of crime, which are those deemed “violent” (such as homicide, sexual assault, robbery, and assault) and those considered “property crime” (such as burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft). Other illegal activity that affects quality of life, such as drug-related crimes and vandalism, doesn’t get included in the report.

Much of the decrease in crime listed in the UCR summary comes by way of Property Crime, where 1,010 incidents were reported in 2015, down 21.5 percent from the previous year (1287). The most common property crime incidents for 2015 were larceny (662) followed by burglary (297), and motor vehicle theft (51).

One other type of property crime is arson, which was not included in the UCR summary. According to police chief Harry Snellings, there were 31 arsons committed in the city in 2015, up more than 50 percent from the 20 that took place in 2014.

The busiest time of the year for crime was in August with 141 reported crimes taking place in the city, followed by July and November, which each saw 119 crimes. June comes next with 116 crimes, followed by December with 113 crimes.

VIOLENT CRIME ON THE RISE

While property crime saw a decrease in 2015, the same can’t be said for violent crimes. According to the report, there were 225 violent crimes investigated during 2015, which is an 11 percent increase over the previous year (202). The number was also significantly higher than the five-year average of 187, which covers the time period between 2010 and 2014.

The most common violent crime reported by police in 2015 was aggravated assault (139), followed by robbery (55), then sexual assault (29) and homicide (2).

The report states that 10.7 percent of all violent crimes reported in the city were fire-arm related, which was actually slightly lower than the rate for 2014 when it was 12.6 percent. The decrease follows the state-wide trend, with firearm-related violent crimes down 6 percent in 2015.

And of the 225 violent crimes reported, only three were shooting incidents involving injury, with none of the victims dying as a result.

During 2015, Jamestown police also recovered 31 guns involved with crime. That’s a sharp increase from 2014, when just 14 guns were recovered.

HERON, METH ACTIVITY CLIMBS IN JAMESTOWN

As noted earlier, drug-related crimes are not tracked by the UCR report. But city police do keep track of drug activity in Jamestown, primarily through tracking the number of drug-related search warrants executed, along with the amount of illegal drugs confiscated through the search warrant process.

In 2015 there were 86 search warrants issued in connection to drug investigations in Jamestown. That’s 13 percent more than what was issued in 2014 (76) and 86 percent more than what was issued in 2012 (47).

In 2015, police confiscated 883.5 grams of heroin, which is 72 percent higher than the 511 grams collected in 2014. To get an idea of how significant of an increase there’s been in heroin trafficking in the city during the past couple of years, only 82.6 grams was confiscated by law enforcement in 2013, and just 11.9 grams was confiscated in 2012.

A similar increase was seen in methamphetamine confiscations. In 2015, police confiscated 32.66 oz of meth. That’s nearly four times as much as the 8 oz confiscated in 2014. In 2013, 4 oz was collected and in 2012, only half an ounce of the drug was collected by police.

Other illegal drugs seized by police in 2015 included:

• 32.8 oz of cocaine/crack cocaine (15.63 oz in 2014, 13.76 oz in 2013, 19.5 oz in 2012);
• 18 lbs of marijuana (7.5 lbs in 2014, 1.2 lbs in 2013, 31 lbs in 2012).

The amount of asset forfeiture, or cash, collected during the drug raids was $61,143 in 2015. It was $86,396 in 2014.

On Monday, a federal search warrant was executed on property off of Jones Hill Rd. in Sugar Grove. The search involves a follow up on a lead regarding a missing person complaint.

Specific details, including the identity of the missing person, are not being released by authorities. However, local news outlet ChauCat is reporting the case involves Joseph D. Anthony of Jamestown, who was last seen the night of May 27, 2014 in an area of E. Second St.

As reported on Wednesday, the Jamestown Police Department and the FBI are heading up the investigation. The FBI is involved because the investigation reportedly crossed over the state line, making it federal case. The two are also working with the Pennsylvania and New York State Police, and Chautauqua County Forensic Team, along with other local law enforcement.

As of Wednesday night, the investigation had wrapped up at the Sugar Grove location. It’s not known if police will be releasing any details into the investigation in the near future.

Meanwhile, anyone with any information into the missing person case of Joseph Anthony is asked to call the Jamestown Police Department at 483-7537.