ThisIsRochester.com: Crime

Police investigating death of woman on North Clinton Avenue

July 1, 2019 City police are investigating after a deceased female was found on North Clinton Avenue.

Investigators identified her as Arika Johnson, 28.

Police said the circumstances surrounding the death were not known, and members of the Major Crimes Unit are assisting with the investigation.

No suspects in custody after fatal shooting

June 30, 2019 -- A Rochester man shot and killed on Rochester's east side, has been identified as Alton Carelock, 31.

According to Rochester Police Department Chief La'Ron Singletary, police responded to a report of a shooting at Portland Avenue and Mohawk Street around 3 p.m. When officers arrived they found Carelock in the street.

Carelock was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he died from his injuries.

There are no suspects in custody.

First Street shooting victim identified

June 26, 2019 -- Police have identified the man shot to death on the city's Fifth Street as Zechariah Burnett, 35, of Rochester. Officers were called to 27 Fifth St. shortly after 9:30 a.m. and found Burnett outside the home.

Burnett died at Strong Memorial Hospital after he was shot at least once in the upper torso, said Rochester police investigator Jackie Shuman.

Officers continue to investigate the slaying, the 14th homicide in Rochester this year.

28-year sentence in Wayne County double homicide

June 26, 2019 -- Wayne County Judge Daniel Barrett said a double murder in Sodus last fall was the most senseless and tragic killing he's ever seen, prompting him to hand down a 28-year state prison sentence for Charlene Childers.

Childers, 26, tesitified last month that she sonspired with her husband, Timothy Dean, to kill her ex-boyfriend over custody of their two children. Barrett said he found her testimony to be cavalier and unemotional.

"It was like asking Timothy Dean to go out to dinner, and you knew he would say yes," Barrett said. "He was your puppet and you manipulated him, and he would have done whatever you said."

Dean, a former police chief from Sunray, Texas, was convicted last month of fatally shooting Joshua Niles, 28, and Amber Washburn, 24, on Oct. 22, 2018, in the driveway of the couple's home in Sodus. He was found guilty of the entire six-count felony indictment, including one count of first-degree murder.

Dean will be sentenced July 25. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Bron Bohlar, who also worked as a police officer in Texas, pleaded guilty in February to second-degree conspiracy and admitted that he rented the car that Dean drove between Texas and New York last fall. He was sentenced to one to three years in state prison.

Security guard cleared in fatal shooting

June 20, 2019 -- A grand jury has determined a security guard was justified when he fatally shot a man at Cedarwood Towers in Rochester in January.

The Monroe County District Attorney's Office said Bradley Thomas had been harassing individuals and threatened the guard.

The guard made several 911 calls, after which the District Attorney's Office said Thomas' activities escalated into physical altercations.

Indictment handed up in April homicide

June 17, 2019 -- A Greece man has been indicted by a grand jury on a second-degree murder charge stemming from an April homicide.

Ronald Pilgrim is accused of killing Cherylann Jackson, 23, in a North Clinton Avenue apartment. Police said Jackson was stabbed multiple times in the chest and back.

At his arraignment in April, Pilgrim turned to the victim's family and said "Wait, wait, I did it."

Plea deal in fatal auto mishap

June 19, 2019 -- The Hilton High graduate charged in the fatal Greece crash that killed her best friend has accepted a plea deal that will keep her out of jail.

Brianna Scarpulla pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and reckless driving in exchange for one year of probation. If she doesn't violate the terms of her probation, she will have the opportunity to withdraw the plea to criminal negligent homicide and be given youthful offender status, which would expunge her criminal record.

Prosecutors said they had been in contact with Smith's family throughout the process and took their wishes into consideration.

Scarpulla was driving in June 2018 when police say she lost control of the car, overcorrected, crossed the center line and crashed into another vehicle on Latta Road. Ontario County Assistant District Attorney Zachary Maurer said Scarpulla was going more than 70 mph while also trying to gain the attention of passengers in another car.

Fellow Hilton student Paige Smith was in the car and died at the scene. The woman in the other vehicle was injured but survived.

Arrest made in Hudson Avenue homicide

June 15, 2019 -- A city woman was arrested and charged with murder one day after a stabbing incident, the Rochester Police Department announced.

Sheena Perry-Harris, 34, of Rochester, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Christopher Grissom of Rochester. Grissom, 40, was found with stab wounds on Hudson Avenue just before 3 a.m. and pronounced dead at the scene.

Perry-Harris was arraigned and pleaded not guilty.

Three arrests in Maryland Street killing

June 14, 2019 -- Three Rochester men were arrested in connection with the killing of a man on Maryland Street. Members of the Rochester Police Department's SWAT Team, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team and the RPD Tactical Unit executed warrants which lead to the arrests of Khalil Webb, 24, Tommy Hall, 17, and Cortney Cooley-Francis, 18.

All three were charged with second-degree murder and entered not guilty pleas at their arraignment.

Rayquan Jones, 18, was shot and killed on May 5. Authorities had found Jones seated in a vehicle parked in a driveway, suffering from at least one gunshot wound to the head.

Authorities make 23 arrests in drug sweep

June 13, 2019 -- Twenty-three people in the Rochester region have been charged with drug-related felonies linked to distribution from a garage on Lyell Avenue, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced.

The suspects were hit with a total of 103 charges, mostly for the sale or possession of drugs as part of a network that distributed heroin, fentanyl and cocaine in and around Monroe County, the Attorney General's Office said.

The indictment unsealed in Monroe County Court said the 13-month investigation led to the recovery of more than 250 pre-packaged bags of heroin and fentanyl as well as other bags containing heroin and fentanyl, a kilogram of cocaine and three loaded firearms.

The multi-agency investigation was code-named "Operation Gray Roc" because several of the suspects allegedly sold a deadly gray-colored mixture of heroin, fentanyl and other controlled substances, commonly referred to as "Gray Death."

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	A summary of noteworthy crime news in Greater Rochester
	More from early 2019 Police investigating death of woman on North Clinton Avenue July 1, 2019 City police are investigating after a deceased female was found on North Clinton Avenue. Investigators identified her as Arika Johnson, 28. Police said the circumstances surrounding the death were not known, and members of the Major Crimes Unit are assisting with the investigation. No suspects in custody after fatal shooting June 30, 2019 -- A Rochester man shot and killed on Rochester's east side, has been identified as Alton Carelock, 31. According to Rochester Police Department Chief La'Ron Singletary, police responded to a report of a shooting at Portland Avenue and Mohawk Street around 3 p.m. When officers arrived they found Carelock in the street. Carelock was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he died from his injuries. There are no suspects in custody. First Street shooting victim identified June 26, 2019 -- Police have identified the man shot to death on the city's Fifth Street as Zechariah Burnett, 35, of Rochester. Officers were called to 27 Fifth St. shortly after 9:30 a.m. and found Burnett outside the home. Burnett died at Strong Memorial Hospital after he was shot at least once in the upper torso, said Rochester police investigator Jackie Shuman. Officers continue to investigate the slaying, the 14th homicide in Rochester this year. 28-year sentence in Wayne County double homicide June 26, 2019 -- Wayne County Judge Daniel Barrett said a double murder in Sodus last fall was the most senseless and tragic killing he's ever seen, prompting him to hand down a 28-year state prison sentence for Charlene Childers. Childers, 26, tesitified last month that she sonspired with her husband, Timothy Dean, to kill her ex-boyfriend over custody of their two children. Barrett said he found her testimony to be cavalier and unemotional. "It was like asking Timothy Dean to go out to dinner, and you knew he would say yes," Barrett said. "He was your puppet and you manipulated him, and he would have done whatever you said." Dean, a former police chief from Sunray, Texas, was convicted last month of fatally shooting Joshua Niles, 28, and Amber Washburn, 24, on Oct. 22, 2018, in the driveway of the couple's home in Sodus. He was found guilty of the entire six-count felony indictment, including one count of first-degree murder. Dean will be sentenced July 25. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Bron Bohlar, who also worked as a police officer in Texas, pleaded guilty in February to second-degree conspiracy and admitted that he rented the car that Dean drove between Texas and New York last fall. He was sentenced to one to three years in state prison. Security guard cleared in fatal shooting June 20, 2019 -- A grand jury has determined a security guard was justified when he fatally shot a man at Cedarwood Towers in Rochester in January. The Monroe County District Attorney's Office said Bradley Thomas had been harassing individuals and threatened the guard. The guard made several 911 calls, after which the District Attorney's Office said Thomas' activities escalated into physical altercations. Indictment handed up in April homicide June 17, 2019 -- A Greece man has been indicted by a grand jury on a second-degree murder charge stemming from an April homicide. Ronald Pilgrim is accused of killing Cherylann Jackson, 23, in a North Clinton Avenue apartment. Police said Jackson was stabbed multiple times in the chest and back. At his arraignment in April, Pilgrim turned to the victim's family and said "Wait, wait, I did it." Plea deal in fatal auto mishap June 19, 2019 -- The Hilton High graduate charged in the fatal Greece crash that killed her best friend has accepted a plea deal that will keep her out of jail. Brianna Scarpulla pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and reckless driving in exchange for one year of probation. If she doesn't violate the terms of her probation, she will have the opportunity to withdraw the plea to criminal negligent homicide and be given youthful offender status, which would expunge her criminal record. Prosecutors said they had been in contact with Smith's family throughout the process and took their wishes into consideration. Scarpulla was driving in June 2018 when police say she lost control of the car, overcorrected, crossed the center line and crashed into another vehicle on Latta Road. Ontario County Assistant District Attorney Zachary Maurer said Scarpulla was going more than 70 mph while also trying to gain the attention of passengers in another car. Fellow Hilton student Paige Smith was in the car and died at the scene. The woman in the other vehicle was injured but survived. Arrest made in Hudson Avenue homicide June 15, 2019 -- A city woman was arrested and charged with murder one day after a stabbing incident, the Rochester Police Department announced. Sheena Perry-Harris, 34, of Rochester, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Christopher Grissom of Rochester. Grissom, 40, was found with stab wounds on Hudson Avenue just before 3 a.m. and pronounced dead at the scene. Perry-Harris was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. Three arrests in Maryland Street killing June 14, 2019 -- Three Rochester men were arrested in connection with the killing of a man on Maryland Street. Members of the Rochester Police Department's SWAT Team, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team and the RPD Tactical Unit executed warrants which lead to the arrests of Khalil Webb, 24, Tommy Hall, 17, and Cortney Cooley-Francis, 18. All three were charged with second-degree murder and entered not guilty pleas at their arraignment. Rayquan Jones, 18, was shot and killed on May 5. Authorities had found Jones seated in a vehicle parked in a driveway, suffering from at least one gunshot wound to the head. Authorities make 23 arrests in drug sweep June 13, 2019 -- Twenty-three people in the Rochester region have been charged with drug-related felonies linked to distribution from a garage on Lyell Avenue, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced. The suspects were hit with a total of 103 charges, mostly for the sale or possession of drugs as part of a network that distributed heroin, fentanyl and cocaine in and around Monroe County, the Attorney General's Office said. The indictment unsealed in Monroe County Court said the 13-month investigation led to the recovery of more than 250 pre-packaged bags of heroin and fentanyl as well as other bags containing heroin and fentanyl, a kilogram of cocaine and three loaded firearms. The multi-agency investigation was code-named "Operation Gray Roc" because several of the suspects allegedly sold a deadly gray-colored mixture of heroin, fentanyl and other controlled substances, commonly referred to as "Gray Death." [ LOOK BACK AT OLDER STORIES ]