P.M. NEWS MONDAY 8-28-23

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office announced that 2 people survived a plane crash in Delaware County Saturday Night in the town of Franklin. The pilot was 72 year old Ron Galuppo of Texas, the passenger was his son, 22 year old Nathan Galuppo, of Texas. Delaware County 911 was alerted by Air Traffic Control in Boston Massachusetts about a mayday transmission from a plane experiencing engine failure, they also received a call about a small plane crashing near a residence in Franklin. Both men crashed while attempting to fly home to Texas from Maine, they were taken to Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton after they were able to escape the wreckage of their plane, they suffered only minor injuries, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Federal Aviation Administration with the investigation.

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State Police and Ithaca Police held a press conference today regarding the disappearance of 33 year old Thomas Rath of Ithaca on May 20. The investigation eventually evolved into kidnapping and murder, with the investigation covering 2 area counties & the State of Maine. State Police Troop C Captain Lucas Anthony of the BCI unit explains:

(Captain Lucas Anthony 8-28-23)

Captain Anthony said that Rath lived in a homeless camp known as the “Jungle” at the time of his disappearance, Rath was familiar with some of the kidnappers. The names of the 10 charged were not released, they were all from the Ithaca area, more arrests are expected & the investigation is ongoing.

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State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office & The Oneonta Police Department announced the arrests of 3 people of Phinaliz Communications LLC, who are accused of operating a long-running scheme to steal over $1 million from the Medicaid program. The 3 defendants were identified as 46 year old Philip Mtui of Mechanicsville, who owns the company, operations manager Mbaga Kaiza, and Dispatcher & Driver Tony Taylor, who were arrested last Thursday. Over a 4-year period, Mtui and Kaiza defrauded the Medicaid program by claiming payment for rides that never occurred, and double, triple, or quadruple billing for rides that did occur. Mtui and Kaiza were arraigned in Oneonta City Court for 1st degree Grand Larceny, both were held on $250,000 bail. Taylor was arrested on 1 count of conspiracy, he will be arraigned on September 19th, more arrests are expected.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Office announced that an Arrest Warrant issued by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the arrest of a Sidney man. Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a check the welfare on Interstate 88 in the Town of Sidney, for a man climbing on the bridge. Deputies subsequently located 43 year old Arthur Cotton of Sidney, who was wanted on an active arrest warrant out of Chenango County, for Sexual Misconduct. Cotton was arrested and turned over to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office.

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The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce announced a job fair will be held at the Southside Mall in Oneonta on Tuesday. The Job Fair will run from 2:00 to 4:00 PM & will feature numerous employees from throughout the region with job openings currently available.

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Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested 42 year old Leslie McClenon of Walton for DWI, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle & several other Traffic charges. On August 13th Deputies observed a car entering an intersection was nearly struck by another vehicle running a red light. Deputies conducted a traffic stop, McClenon had her driving privileges suspended and was operating the vehicle while intoxicated, she was released on appearance tickets and directed to appear at the Town of Walton court at a later date to answer for the charges.

Binghamton Police arrested Ismael Sanchez of Rockingham, North Carolina, who was wanted by Police in Richmond County, on an arrest warrant for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, robbery with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Sanchez was arrested after a search warrant was executed at a Wilson Street apartment by the Binghamton Metro SWAT team. He was taken to Binghamton Police Department where he was arraigned as a fugitive from justice and remanded to Broome County Jail pending extradition back to North Carolina.

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