Deputies charge 13 teens in crime spree

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jessica Harding

Montgomery County sheriff’s deputies charged 13 teenagers with committing a string of recent crimes including burglaries, car larcenies, criminal mischief and the use of stolen credit cards.

According to James Hoffman, superintendent of the Fonda-Fultonville Central School District, those arrested were all students at the Fonda-Fultonville High School.

Deputies said the 13 were charged after a monthlong investigation by sheriff’s investigators, Amsterdam and Johnstown police and state troopers into numerous reports of larceny and vandalism throughout the county including in the city of Amsterdam, the villages of Fort Johnson, Fort Hunter, Fonda and Fultonville and the towns of Amsterdam, Florida and Glen and the hamlet of Tribes Hill.

Among the incidents were break-ins at Karen’s Produce and the Auriesville Shrine in Glen, deputies said.

Amsterdam Detective Lt. Thomas DiMezza said city police were able to link multiple car larcenies on the city’s South Side to the 13 teens.

Undersheriff Jeffrey Smith said the incidents happened throughout the month of August and involved thousands of dollars in stolen goods and damages. He said some of the stolen items were destroyed, thrown in the river or dumped in the woods.

Smith characterized the 13 teens as “acquaintances,” who all knew about each incident, but didn’t take part in each one.

Hoffman said about 11 of the teens were athletes, who participated in one of the district’s fall sports — either football, soccer or cross country.

Hoffman said the sheriff’s department contacted the school district before the arrests were made. Hoffman said he and the district’s athletic director met with the student athletes Monday. Hoffman said since the arrests didn’t occur on school grounds and occurred prior to the start of the school year, the only involvement the district has involves athletic consequences.

The district typically benches athletes who violate the district’s athletic code during an athletic season. However, if the suspected athlete admits to his or her role in an incident, the consequences are cut in half.

Hoffman said each affected athlete is serving half of a typical punishment.

“As far as the district is concerned this is all over,” Hoffman said.

Arrested were:

u Joseph A. Chase, 16, of 12 E. Main St., Fonda, charged with two felony counts of third-degree burglary, three felony counts of third-degree criminal mischief and a misdemeanor count of petty larceny.

u Patrick R. Sperow, 17, of 118 Davies Road, Fonda, charged with misdemeanor fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property

u Seth B. Hidde, 17, of 108 Quackenbush St., Fort Hunter, charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

u Michael A. Kaczor, 18, of 28 Colby Ave., Fonda, charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

u Harley J. Fountain, 17, of 14 Main St., Fultonville, charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

u Sean D. Sobkowich, 16, of 355 Getman Road, Fonda, charged with two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

u Matthew T. Sheehan, 16, of 108 Haslett Lane, Tribes Hill, charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

u James P. Sheehan, 16, of 108 Haslett Lane, charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

u A 15-year-old Fonda juvenile who was charged with felony second-degree burglary.

u A 15-year-old Johnstown juvenile who was charged with felony third- and fourth-degree burglary, misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal mischief and misdemeanor petty larceny.

u A 15-year-old Fultonville juvenile who was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

u A 15-year-old Fultonville juvenile was charged with second- and third-degree burglary, felony fourth-degree grand larceny, misdemeanor petty larceny and two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief.

u A 15-year-old Fort Hunter juvenile who was charged with two counts of third-degree burglary, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, two felony counts of third-degree criminal mischief, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and petty larceny.

Chase was arraigned in Glen Town Court and was sent to the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond, while one of the juveniles appeared in Montgomery County Family Court and was sent to a juvenile detention facility. The other suspects were issued tickets to appear either in court or at the county Probation Department.

Deputies said the investigation is continuing and more charges and more arrests are pending. Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 853-5500.