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Crime

Authorities: cigarette smuggling ring linked to Capital Region

ALBANY - Authorities have linked a cigarette smuggling ring with ties to stores in Albany and Schenectady counties to known terrorists.

The state Attorney General's Office has charged 16 people in the case. They're accused of selling untaxed cigarettes up and down the east coast.

One of the stores includes the House of Juan in Westgate Plaza in Albany. The state Tax and Finance Department raided the store back in April. One employee was arrested.

Sub store owner: crook made sandwich before stealing cash

COHOES - The subs are so good at Subs-ta-Toot that people break down doors to get them.

According to owner Lisa Pucci, at around 5 a.m. on Thursday a neighbor saw someone inside the closed store on Ontario Street.  The neighbor called police who, Pucci claims, tracked down the man Pucci believes robbed her store.

After inspecting the store, Pucci's husband realized the crook took $75, a bag of chips, a soda, some candy bars and made himself a sandwich before exiting, closing the door behind him and walking out.

The money was returned to the shop owners.  And the glass door, which the robber broke in with a cinder block, was repaired by late afternoon.

NewsChannel 13 made several phone calls to the Cohoes Police Department to find out the name of the man who was arrested and the charges.  None of them were returned.

Police: Drinking and driving suspect punches cop

WATERFORD - A Waterford woman is accused of punching a police officer in the face and chest several times while being arrested for drinking and driving.

Police responded to an accident in Waterford early Sunday. They found 37-year-old Dorene Goman in her car. She was taken into custody after police say she failed several field sobriety tests.

At the police station, police say she became upset with an officer and punched him several times.

Police say she also slipped out of the handcuffs and tried to escape.

When Goman was caught, police say she punched the same officer in the face and arms.

She's in Saratoga County Jail.

Gov. Cuomo requires sex-offenders to re-take pictures

Law enforcement will soon have new tools to keep an eye on sex offenders: pictures.

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill that requires all level three sex offenders to re-take their picture every three months, or if there's a significant change in their appearance.

Also, the commissioner of the department of corrections is requiring all level one, two, and three offenders under parole have their picture re-taken every 90 days, or again, if there's a big change in their appearance.

The new law takes effect in 30 days.

Man charged in death of cat

ALBANY - On Wednesday afternoon, officers were flagged down in the area of the Times Union Center and informed that a man had just killed a cat on the corner of State and Pearl Streets.

According to police James Backus, 44, of Cohoes, grabbed a cat by the tail and swung it into the ground four or five times before placing it in a garbage can.

According to witnesses, the cat had apparently been hit by a car and was suffering in the middle of the road with injuries sustained in that incident.

Backus was arrested and charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty, he was arraigned and released on his own recognizance

Jury to begin deliberating in Salce stabbing case

A Saratoga County jury will soon begin deliberating the case against Lydia Salce.

She is accused of stabbing her husband, Michael McKee.

It happened in their home on Route 9 in Halfmoon back in August of last year.

Police say Salce was angry that her husband joined a biker gang and was spending time drinking with his friends.

But the defense argues the attack was in self defense.

Former officer sentenced to 6 years for molesting boy

TROY - Paul Pierce will spend the next six years behind bars after being sentenced Friday morning in Rensselaer County Court.

He was convicted of sexually molesting a 16-year-old boy in 2009 and 2010.

Pierce is a former Albany police detective and DARE officer.

Pierce also faces charges in Albany and Warren counties, where he's accused of molesting the same boy.