City of Poughkeepsie Police are investigating a rash of snow-blower thefts that have been reported between Jan. 27 and Feb. 5 in the areas of Balding Avenue, Washington Street, Taylor Avenue, Orchard Place, Harrison Street and Lilling Road. Most of the snow-blowers were stolen overnight from backyards and sheds.

City police are advising residents to secure their snow-blowers and record the serial numbers. Report any suspicious activity or persons in your neighborhood by calling (845) 451-4000.

One snow blower was recovered on Balding Avenue and has yet to be claimed. If you have had a snow-blower stolen but have not reported it to police, please do so.

On Tuesday, Feb. 8, at approximately 10:27 p.m., City of Poughkeepsie Police officers were dispatched to an apartment on Cannon Street for a report of shots fire. A subsequent investigation led to the recovery of a semi-automatic handgun and the arrest of Jalil Smith, 22, of Poughkeepsie, on a felony charge of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. No one was injured in the incident.

The City of Poughkeepsie Police Department Neighborhood Recovery Unit and Emergency Service Unit executed a narcotics search warrant at 56 Carroll Street following a multi-month investigation into narcotic sales.  NRU members arrested one subject during the search warrant.

Recovered during the investigation was a quantity of cocaine, drug paraphernalia and US currency.

Arrested were as follows:

Mario M. Williams, 56 Carroll St., Poughkeepsie, NY DOB 11-09-1958

Charged with Penal Law 220.16 sub 1 (1 count)

Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3^rd a Class B- Felony

The defendant was arraigned by City of Poughkeepsie Court Judge Frank Mora and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail without bail.

Community members with information regarding drug dealing or suspicious activity in their neighborhood are encouraged to contact the City of Poughkeepsie Neighborhood Recovery Unit at 451-4060.

On February 10, 2011, at approximately 9:37 p.m., City of Poughkeepsie Police arrested Frederick S. Smith, a 19-year-old City of Poughkeepsie resident, on numerous charges.  Smith was arrested in the area of Winnikee Avenue and Lent Street after he attempted to flee on foot and led officers on a brief foot pursuit.  Smith was wanted on a Dutchess County Court Bench Warrant issued by Hon. Stephen L. Greller stemming from a pending case in Dutchess County Court.  During the arrest, a police officer suffered a broken finger and was treated and released at Saint Francis Hospital.  Police also charged Smith with Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D Felony, stemming from an incident which occurred on February 3, 2011 at approximately 9:00 p.m., where he allegedly assaulted a City of Poughkeepsie resident in the area of 595 Main St. As a result of the arrest, detectives charged Smith with two new additional charges of Resisting Arrest and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree for possessing brass knuckles, both Class A Misdemeanors.  He was arraigned in City of Poughkeepsie Court and remanded to Dutchess County Jail.  Bail was set at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond.

Due to the investigation of an active crime scene on lower Main Street, City of Poughkeepsie Police have closed Main Street from Route 44/55 to the Hudson River. A press release with more information will be issued later in the day.

On March 1, 2011, members of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department Patrol Division investigated the burglary of an un-occupied residence at 343 Church St.  The residents reported to the police numerous items of stolen property, including clothing articles.  On March 3, 2011, one of the victims of the burglary, a student at Poughkeepsie High School, noticed a fellow student wearing an item of clothing which was allegedly stolen during the burglary.  City of Poughkeepsie Police Detectives Robert Perrotta and Lawrence Bartolotti interviewed this student, who confessed to the burglary and implicated at least two other individuals in the crime.  As a result of this interview and further interviews conducted by Perrotta, Bartolotti and Detective Jeffrey Wright, two (2) City of Poughkeepsie residents, one sixteen (16) years of age and the other seventeen (17) years of age, were arrested and charged with Burglary in the Second Degree, a class C Felony, and were held in the city lockup awaiting arraignment. 

Also on March 3, 3011, a third individual being sought in connection with the burglary, a fifteen (15) year old City of Poughkeepsie resident, was arrested by City of Poughkeepsie Police Department Neighborhood Recovery Unit (NRU) members Officer Christopher Libolt and Officer Bradley Sukeena, who were assisted by Officer Robert Haberski of the Patrol Division.  This fifteen (15) year old was discovered in possession of a handgun and a quantity of heroin after an investigation unrelated to the burglary.  City Police charged the fifteen (15) year old with Burglary in the Second Degree in connection with the burglary at 343 Church St., and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C Felony, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B Felony.  He was transported to a secure juvenile detention facility in Albany, NY, and is due back in Dutchess County Family Court on Friday, March 4, 2011.

The City of Poughkeepsie Police Department is investigating a report of a suspicious male in the area of 92 Pershing Ave.

On March 8 at approximately 4:30 p.m. a black male was observed standing in the bushes across from 91 Pershing Ave. The male appeared to be masturbating as a 13-year-old female was walking by. The suspect ran towards Main Street when he realized he had been seen. This incident was not immediately reported to police.

At approximately 7 p.m. the same male reportedly grabbed a 9-year-old girl by her waist in the same area. The girl was able to break away and run home. The suspect reportedly left the area in a green van.

The suspicious male is described as being 5'6" with a medium brown complexion, possibly in his 20s, mustache, black eyes glasses. The van is described as being green with square windows with white trim and white trim on both bumpers.

Anyone with information is asked to call City Police at (845) 451-4000. Please refer to Case #11-5327.

On March 18, 2011, at approximately 2:15 p.m., the City of Poughkeepsie 911 Center received an anonymous call which advised police that there was going to be a shooting in the area of May St. and Fox Terrace.  The caller gave a description of a vehicle that allegedly contained a handgun.  Responding Officers Janay Gasparini and John Raffaelle located a vehicle parked on May Street matching the description given by the caller.  As the officers approached the vehicle, two of the occupants fled on foot.  After foot pursuits, both subjects were taken into custody with the assistance of other responding officers.  Officers located a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun in the vehicle as the caller had indicated.  James C. Smith, 32 years of age, and Jamal Foote, 23 years of age, both of the City of Poughkeepsie, were charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C Felony.  Both were arraigned and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail with no bail.  Anyone with additional information regarding the incident is asked to call the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department confidential tip line at (845) 451-7577.

On Sunday, March 20, 2011, at approximately 9:06 p.m., the City of Poughkeepsie 911 Center received a call from a female who told police that two individuals attempted to rob her at the intersection of May St. and Fox Terrace.  The caller told police she went to the intersection to purchase a vehicle which she had arranged to test drive and then buy.  After a brief conversation, one of the suspects displayed a handgun and demanded the cash she had brought to purchase the vehicle.  The victim refused to give the suspects the money, and was struck in the head with the gun but was not injured.  The suspects then fled in a vehicle, and the victim pursued the vehicle and contacted the police, giving them her location as she continued to follow the suspects’ vehicle.  The victim followed the suspects to the area of 57 Catherine St., where both suspects got out of the vehicle and fled on foot.  One suspect was arrested at Mansion St. and North Hamilton St., but the second suspect was not apprehended and fled the scene.  The second suspect was described as a light-skinned black male, about 5’1” tall, wearing gold rimmed glasses.  Police charged Cory Reed, 17 years of age, of the City of Poughkeepsie, with Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, a class C felony, and Resisting Arrest, a class A misdemeanor.  Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department confidential tip line at (845) 451-7577.

On Wednesday, March 24, 2011 at 9:20 p.m. the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department received a call of a fight in the area of Cannon and Academy streets. Responding Officers eventually located two subjects who had been attacked by four black males. The victims stated that  when they exited a store at Cannon and Academy streets one of them was holding a cigarette, the four black males approached them and one stated “that cigarette looks good; give it to me” when the victim refused both victims were attacked by the four black males who punched and kicked them to the ground. During the attack one of the black males took the cigarette from the victim. The four black males were found on Main Street and after a brief foot pursuit two out of the four were apprehended. The two are both 17 years of age and were charged with Robbery in the second degree. The other two suspects are described as being black males 17-22 years of age wearing dark clothing and white baseball caps. Anyone with information on this robbery or any other robbery should call the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department Tip Line at 451-7577.

On Wednesday, April 27, at approximately 1:08 a.m., City of Poughkeepsie Police received a report of a man with a gun walking on Manion Street. A short time later, officers observed a man on Mansion Street who fit the description of the man with a gun. The subject was stopped by officers and searched and was found to be in possession of a loaded .38 caliber pistol as well as some pills.

Christopher Watson, 21, of Poughkeepsie, was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. He was held pending arraignment.

On Wednesday, April 27, at approximately 3:20 p.m., a man grabbed a five-year-old boy by the arm and attempted to pull him away from his older sister who was walking home from school with him on Smith Street.

The children were just about to cross Thompson Street when this incident occurred. The suspect is described as a black male with a medium complexion and no upper front teeth. He was clean shaven, possibly in his mid-thirties, with a medium build. He was wearing a blue wind breaker type of jacket and a blue and orange baseball cap.

The public is urged to call the police immediately in situations such as the incident above.

Anyone observing a subject matching the above description is asked to call City of Poughkeepsie Police at (845) 451-4000. Please refer to Case # 11-9883.

On Thursday, April 28, at approximately 4:45 to 5:00 p.m., a 10-year-old girl was walking in the area of 80 Academy Street when a white car pulled up alongside her and the driver told her to get in the vehicle. The girl fled and was unharmed.

The vehicle is described as a mid-sized white car with a gray interior. The suspect is described as a white male, in his 20s or 30s, average build, with brown or black spiked hair. He had a brown birthmark on his right cheek and was wearing a white shirt with a design on the front.

Anyone with information about this incident or this suspect is asked to call City of Poughkeepsie Police at (845) 451-4000.

Case #: 11-050

Suspect 1: Earl S. Lemmon- dob, 06/20/76

Crime: Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3^rd, Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2^nd, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4^th.

Location: 150 Winnikee Ave , apt. #1 City of Poughkeepsie

Details: The Dutchess County Drug Task Force arrested the above suspect after a two month investigation into drug sales from a first floor apt at 150 Winnikee Ave. The City of Poughkeepsie Emergency Services Unit executed a no knock search warrant at about 9:00am on 5/5/11 and located Lemmon in the first floor apartment. Once inside, members of the Task Force recovered a loaded High Point .380 cal semi auto handgun which was stolen from Charleston, South Carolina. Additionally, an amount of heroin, drug packaging and scales, along with approximately $7000 in cash was seized. Lemmon was transported to City lockup and is awaiting arraignment.

Sgt. Brett Orlich

Coordinator, Drug Task Force

On May 30, 2011, at approximately 7:52 p.m., the City of Poughkeepsie 911 Center received multiple calls of shots being fired in the area of Mansion St. and Winnikee Avenue, and a possible man down.  Responding officers stopped a vehicle that was leaving the scene and arrested the operator, a thirty-three year old City of Poughkeepsie resident, with a loaded handgun.  He was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D Felony.  Officers checked the area but could not locate a victim.  A short time later the victim of the shooting, a twenty-three year old City of Poughkeepsie resident, arrived at Saint Francis Hospital Emergency room, transported there by private vehicle.  The victim, who was shot in the left upper thigh, was not cooperative with police and refused any police assistance.  As a result of this investigation, police seized a quantity of heroin and crack-cocaine.  The investigation is continuing.  Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department confidential tip line at 845-451-7577.

Through the use of grant funding received by New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services, from June 13 through June 16, officers from the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department along with officers from the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, U.S. Marshals and Probation participated in a warrant sweep. Officers were broken up into six warrant teams and one processing / booking team. Locations in and out of the City of Poughkeepsie were checked.

By the conclusion of the detail, 72 warrants were cleared with 67 people arrested. Charges ranged from Family Court orders to felonies.  We would like to extend our thanks to New York State and DCJS for the continued funding which is essential to keeping our community safe.

On June 23, 2011, at approximately 10:20 p.m., officers responded to 76 Academy St. for a reported robbery of a delivery person.  The victim stated that he arrived at 76 Academy St. and called the cell phone given by the customer.  The victim was told to come to the rear of the residence where he was physically assaulted by two male subjects who also stole the food items being delivered.  The victim was not injured.  After a short investigation, investigators located one of the two suspects at a residence on Montgomery Street.  Police arrested Melwin Hernandez, 20, of the City of Poughkeepsie and charged him with Robbery in the Second Degree, a C Felony. 

The Waterfront Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for this evening has been cancelled. For further information, call the Planning Department at (845) 451-4046.

Suspect 1: Devarl M. Dudley, 42 yoa

Suspect 2: Jade Lee, 20 yoa

Location: 76 Carroll St. City of Poughkeepsie.

Details: The Dutchess County Drug Task Force, assisted by the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, arrested the above suspects after a three month investigation into drug sales from Apt #3, 76 Carroll St., City of Poughkeepsie. Devarl Dudley, AKA POLO, was arrested on the street in front of his apartment on Carroll Street at about 8:00pm on June 28. Following his arrest, agents from the Task Force executed a no knock search warrant of his residence. Dudley was in possession of 13bags of heroin on his person and subsequently another 234 bags of heroin was seized from his apartment. Additionally, over $2000 in cash was seized from his apartment as well as drug packaging material.

Dudley was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3^rd degree, a Class B Felony. At about 9:30pm, Jade Lee arrived at 76 Carroll St. and was arrested by Task Force Agents and charged with one count of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, a Class B Felony. Dudley was arraigned in the City of Poughkeepsie and remanded to Dutchess County Jail with no bail. Lee was also remanded to Dutchess County Jail with $1000 cash bail. 

Two men were arrested for burglary this morning after an investigation revealed that they had smashed a window on the vacant YMCA property at 35 Montgomery St. and stole a number of barbell weights. Charged with burglary in the third degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree were Bryan S. Newmaster, 18, and Rafael E. Sosa, 19. Both men are city residents.

City of Poughkeepsie Police are also investigating the theft of copper piping from a multi-family residence on Hooker Avenue that occurred during the morning of July 4.

Residents are reminded that vacant buildings are often the target of copper thefts. Anyone observing suspicious activity in or around vacant buildings are urged to call city police at (845) 451-4000.