All charges but strangulation bound to court
All charges against a Little Genesee, N.Y., man except for strangulation were bound to McKean County Court at a preliminary hearing Monday before District Judge William Todd.
Skyler J. Hess, 18, will continue to face two counts of simple assault, second-degree misdemeanors; and two counts each of harassment and disorderly conduct, summary charges. Felony strangulation charges were dismissed.
According to the criminal complaint, Lewis Run-based state police were called to an assault at 11:34 p.m. Feb. 21 at a residence in Ceres Township. Hess was involved in a physical altercation with two females at the residence, the complaint stated.
Hess is free on $30,000 unsecured bail.
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Smethport woman waives hearing
on insurance fraud charges
A Smethport woman accused of insurance fraud waived a preliminary hearing Monday before District Judge William Todd.
Kaylee E. Welch, 22, is charged with insurance fraud and criminal attempt-theft by deception, third-degree felonies.
According to the criminal complaint, on March 2, 2020, Welch obtained an insurance policy through Progressive Insurance Co. Then, on March 6, 2020, she filed a first notice of loss claim, stating that on March 5 she struck a deer and a tree with her 2013 Ford Escape sport utility vehicle. Damage to the SUV was estimated to be $7,961.35.
An investigator located video footage showing the SUV had front-end damage on Feb. 29-March 1, 2020 — prior to her obtaining the insurance policy, court records indicated.
Welch is free on $10,000 unsecured bail.
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Bradford
woman facing drug charges
A Bradford woman was arraigned Friday night before District Judge Dominic Cercone on allegations that she was found possessing controlled substances and paraphernalia while she was out on parole for a manslaughter case.
Amber M. McKinney, 39, of 26 Oxford St., upper apartment, is charged with possessing an instrument of crime, a first-degree misdemeanor; two counts of possession of a controlled substance and 19 counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanors.
The criminal complaint states that at 7:51 a.m. Friday, Bradford City police were called to check on the welfare of a woman — McKinney — who was slumped over in the driver’s seat of her car. The car door was open, and it was 8 degrees outside.
The caller had advised McKean County 911 that McKinney was up all night arguing with her boyfriend and was acting strangely before she got in the car, the complaint indicated. She left the door to her residence open.
An officer went to talk to McKinney, who apologized for sleeping. The officer reported that she had signs of impairment, including bloodshot, watery eyes, and she was lethargic and slurring her words, according to court records.
McKinney allegedly tried to obscure the contents of her purse while she was trying to find her identification to show the officer; however, the officer spotted a syringe sticking out of her front pants pocket.
The officer was advised that McKinney was on parole supervision for manslaughter charges related to a delivery of a controlled substance that caused a man’s death, the complaint stated.
McKinney was sentenced Feb. 15, 2018, to 2 ½ to five years in state prison for sharing fentanyl patches in 2016 with a man who died of an overdose as a result.
In addition to the syringe, police found some pills in her pocket, the complaint indicated. Police were granted search warrants for McKinney’s car and residence.
Items seized from her home included a rubber hose with residue, three container with marijuana or marijuana residue, a syringe with residue, a white box containing four bags with white residue, a silver spoon that tested positive for methamphetamine, two glass pipes, a pink bong and three containers in the refrigerator containing what appeared to be urine to be used for random drug screenings, court records stated.
In the car, law enforcement officials seized items including a glass pipe, a mirror with white residue, several Gabapentin pills, ibuprofen, a duloxetine hydrochloride capsule, bottle containing buprenorphine, a cellophane bag containing a rock-like substance, according to the criminal complaint.
McKinney is in McKean County Jail in lieu of $40,000 bail.
