Schenectady teen denied bail on fourth charge of possessing stolen car since July

PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Cook

A city teen accused of possessing stolen cars on four separate occasions since July was ordered held without bail Wednesday morning.

Wayne M. Samuels, 16, of Regal Avenue, appeared in Schenectady County Court before Judge Karen Drago on an indictment related to an Aug. 1 stolen car case.

Samuels had been released in that case Sept. 13 on $5,000 bail and under the supervision of probation. But since that day, Samuels has been accused of possessing stolen vehicles twice, arrested Sept. 26 and Oct. 1, authorities said.

The original stolen car possession arrest was on July 24; Samuels soon pleaded guilty in that case to a misdemeanor, officials said.

Samuels appeared in court Wednesday on an arrest warrant related to his Aug. 1 case.

Drago reminded Samuels that he’d been admonished before his release that any new arrest could mean a return to jail. Drago also noted that she presumes Samuels’ innocence on the new charges.

Through his attorney Deborah Slack-Bean, Samuels denied the new charges.

The proceedings were called after the probation officer supervising Samuels wrote a letter to the court, alerting the judge to the new charges.

Drago ordered Samuels held without bail.

Samuels is currently on his fifth trip to the jail since July 24, according to jail records.

He was there from July 24 to July 29 on the initial case, then from Aug. 1 to Sept. 13 on the August one before making the $5,000 bail.

He returned 14 days later, on Sept. 27, staying through Sept. 30 on accusations that on Watt Street he possessed an Acura reported stolen from Niskayuna, records show.

Released on that charge when the witnesses couldn’t be brought in for the hearing or grand jury action, Samuels was arrested again Oct. 1, accused of possessing a stolen Odyssey at Nott Street and East Alley, according to papers.

Samuels then made bond and was released Oct. 3. He was arrested on the warrant Monday and has been in jail since. The warrant was issued Oct. 6.

Prosecutor William Sanderson noted Wednesday that each case has its own complications. In such cases, prosecutors must show the suspect knows the car is stolen.

The cases are expected to be prosecuted by the office’s auto theft prosecutor, Mike DeMatteo.