Colonie Area Weekly Police Report June 5: Domestic incident reveals possession of ghost gun

Three people charged in two local hotels

COLONY – Colonie Police responded to a report of a person with a gun at the Econo Lodge Inn and Suites at 1630 Central Avenue on Sunday, May 26, at approximately 5:11 a.m.

According to reports, a victim stated she was attacked and that Marcus Cardona, 41, of the Bronx, displayed a handgun during the domestic incident. At the time, Cardona was last seen with the handgun in a black fanny pack as he walked toward the Motel 6 at 1600 Central Avenue, where he had several rooms registered in his name.

Police reviewed video surveillance at the Motel 6, which showed that prior to her arrest, Cardona passed what appeared to be a black fanny pack to Destiny Ruiz, 22, of Schenectady. Ruiz was occupying one of the rooms registered to Cardona. Officers made contact with Ruiz and ordered her and a male roommate, Dennis Carter, 42, of Schenectady, to leave the room.

“Before Ruiz and Carter left the room, an officer on scene noticed a black fanny pack thrown out the back window of the room. This was captured by the officer’s body-worn camera,” Lt. Anthony Sidoti said in a statement. “A search of the recovered fanny pack revealed that it contained a ‘ghost gun,’ an illegal, unregistered and untraceable firearm. Cardona, Ruiz and Carter were all arrested without incident.”

Cardona, Ruiz and Carter were charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with evidence – all felonies.

Cardona was also charged with second-degree menacing (a misdemeanor) and harassment (a code violation related to the domestic incident at the Econo Lodge).

The defendants were arraigned in Colonie Municipal Court and remanded to the Albany County Jail pending a preliminary hearing.

As of Friday, May 31, Cardona remains in the Albany County Correctional Facility, while Ruiz is under probation supervision and Carter is released on his own bond.

The investigation is ongoing. Police ask that if you know anything that may be relevant to this investigation, please contact the Colonie Police Investigations Division at 518-783-2754.

Three arrest warrants

COLONY – Colonie police went to the Schenectady County Jail on Wednesday, May 15, to arrest a homeless man on three outstanding warrants in the city.

Robert Moncur, 44, failed to appear in court in January and February. Moncur was arrested in December on a theft charge on Central Avenue and had warrants outstanding in Colonie and Guilderland at the time.

He was tried by Municipal Judge Andrew Sommers.

Warranty

COLONY – Albany County Jail officers transported Jamie Harter, 36, to Colonie Municipal Court on Wednesday, May 15, on a warrant for her arrest.

The arrest warrant was issued for failure to appear in court in January. She was charged.

Criminal mischief

COLONY – A 41-year-old Albany woman was taken into custody by Colonie police at her residence on Wednesday, May 15, for a domestic incident that occurred earlier in the day.

Mikela Moran reportedly scratched the side of a car, causing multiple scratches. She was charged with third-degree criminal damage, a felony. Moran was issued a summons to appear in Colonie Municipal Court on May 29.

Warranty

COLONY – Colonie police arrested an Albany man on an outstanding warrant on Thursday, May 16.

Raymond Rafalik, 19, failed to appear in court in February 2023. He received a summons for May 20 in Colonie Municipal Court.

Outside the arrest warrant

LATHAM – Colonie police responded to a call at the Colonie Inn and Suites on Loudon Road on Thursday, May 16, and found a suspect wanted by state police.

Homeless Amanda Hill, 39, was reportedly taken to meet police officers.

Loaded firearm

COLONY – On Friday, May 17, at 2:19 a.m., Colonie Police responded to a call to the Seven-Eleven store on Exchange Street to check on a subject.

The suspect in this case, 46-year-old Antoine Clegg of Colonie, was reportedly found with a loaded .38 caliber revolver in his Acura.

He was charged with illegal possession of a loaded firearm, a felony. Clegg was taken to the Albany County Jail after being arraigned later that morning by Colonie Town Judge Andrew Sommers.

Warranty

COLONY – Niskayuna Police brought Jenna Houghtailing, 38, of Schenectady, to the Colonie Police Department at 12:35 a.m. on Friday, May 18, on a warrant for her arrest.

She failed to appear in court in April. She was remanded to the Albany County Jail and arraigned the next morning before Colonie Judge David Green.

Accident under the influence of alcohol on the Northway ramp

LATHAM – Colonie Police responded to a car crash at 5:54 a.m. Friday, May 18, and found the driver to be intoxicated.

According to reports, when a 19-year-old woman from Schenectady was questioned at the scene of the accident on the Northway ramp off Route 9, it was discovered that the woman was intoxicated.

She was charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, and was ticketed for not driving on the right side of the road. The woman was released on May 20 with a summons to appear in Colonie Municipal Court.

aggravated theft in 2020

COLONY – A Rochester man turned himself in to Colonie police at 11:37 p.m. on Friday, May 18, on a warrant for his arrest.

Darnell Hill, 37, was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny for an incident in 2020. He was given a summons for June 5 and released.

Grand theft

COLONY – Schenectady County Jail officers transported a homeless man to Colonie on Monday, May 20, on an outstanding warrant.

Devon Clifford Lee, 35, was reportedly charged with grand larceny for a January 10 incident at Lowes on Central Avenue.

He was tried by Colonial Judge Norman Massry.

Warranty

COLONY – Stacy Mendoza, 47, of Albany, was taken from the Albany County Jail on Monday, May 20, and arraigned on charges of failure to appear for a court date earlier this month.

She was tried by Municipal Judge Norman Massry.

Strangulation and arrest warrant

COLONY – A Troy man was held in the Rensselaer County Jail and was brought before Colonie Municipal Court on Monday, May 20, on an outstanding warrant and other charges.

Kyle Mott, 29, had an arrest warrant out for an incident at the Sycamore Hotel in Latham on February 26, 2022. He was charged with strangulation – obstruction of breathing, a felony, and false imprisonment, a misdemeanor. He also failed to appear in court in March 2022. He was arraigned by Judge Norman Massry and remanded to jail.

Grand theft

COLONY – Jessica Burgess, 40, of Albany, was booked from the Albany County Jail on Monday, May 20, on multiple warrants for her arrest.

She reportedly stole items from the Dicks at Latham Farms on September 19 and October 10, 2022. Burgess was charged with two counts of grand larceny, both felonies, and arraigned by Colonie Judge Norman Massry.

Break-in at Target

COLONY – Colonie Police responded to the Target on Central Avenue on Monday, May 20, and arrested a 55-year-old homeless man for theft.

Herbert Jamison was reportedly charged with burglary (a felony) and petty theft (a misdemeanor) and arraigned by Judge Norman Massry.

Drugs with intent to sell and theft

COLONY – A Delmar man was taken into custody in Colonie Village on Tuesday, May 21, where a quantity of drugs and an outstanding arrest warrant were found.

According to reports, 33-year-old Sean Stanley was under the influence of drugs near the intersection of Locust Park and Stirrup Drive at 2:34 p.m. A check of his records revealed that he also had an outstanding warrant from the City of Colonie for an incident in September at the Northway Mall. He was charged with petty theft for that incident.

Stanley was also charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell (a felony) and two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (both misdemeanors).

He was summoned to appear in court in Colonie Town on June 5.

Serious crime: drunk driving and theft

LATHAM – Colonie Police observed a gray Mazda driving erratically near Loudon Road around 11:14 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21

Officers reportedly found Kyle Flannery, 28, of Troy, in his vehicle in the Walmart parking lot. He was intoxicated but refused to take a breathalyzer test.

A background check on Flannery revealed that he had a previous conviction for an alcohol-related offense within the past 10 years and he was taken into custody.

He was charged with driving under the influence, petit larceny and reckless endangerment – both misdemeanors – and received a ticket for failing to take a breathalyzer test.

Flannery was taken to the Albany County Jail as a pretrial inmate.

Unlawful surveillance at Macy’s

COLONY – Colonie Police responded to Macy’s in Colonie Center on Tuesday, May 21, on a report of a person filming victims in a store dressing room.

Police found the suspect, Cody McCumber, 25, in the parking lot of the Staybridge Suites hotel at 5:32 p.m. and arrested him.

At the police station, he was charged with second-degree unlawful surveillance, a felony, and ordered by police to notify his attorney. McCumber was taken to Albany Memorial Hospital after complaining of chest pains.

After being released from there, he was taken to the Albany County Jail as a pretrial inmate.