Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter
– January 24th
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Watervliet and Troy men arrested after paying $71,000 with counterfeit check to out-of-state man

GLENMONT – Two individuals from Connecticut found themselves in trouble when they attempted to purchase a high-end sports car using a fake check. Xavier Murray, a resident of Watervliet, and his co-defendant Jashene Austin from Troy, ended up losing both the car and the $71,000 they used to make the fraudulent payment. The incident took place on Glenmont Road and involved a transaction through the popular online marketplace, Facebook Marketplace.

According to reports, on June 18, at approximately 3 p.m., Murray and Austin met with the sellers to finalize the purchase of a 2021 BMW M4 Competition. The agreed-upon price was exchanged, and the sellers accompanied Murray to the Starbucks located within the Walmart premises to complete the transaction and transfer the title.

It was during this moment that Murray handed over a counterfeit check for the amount of $71,000. The sellers, unaware of the fraudulent nature of the check, deposited it at the Bank of America branch situated within Walmart.

However, the following day, the sellers discovered discrepancies in the check receipt. The bank address on the check, which initially appeared to be legitimate, turned out to be an apartment building, and the routing number belonged to a different bank. Consequently, Bank of America placed a hold on the deposit in the sellers’ account.

Realizing they had fallen victim to fraud, the sellers promptly reported the incident to the Bethlehem police. Detectives collaborated with BMW to track the GPS signal of the vehicle, which revealed that it was located in Troy. Despite the initial search by the Troy police proving unsuccessful, the car was eventually found the following day and towed to Bethlehem.

Following an investigation, Xavier Murray was identified as the primary suspect in the case and was subsequently arrested on July 10. He was released on an appearance ticket with a scheduled court date for August. However, the case remained open until the arrest of Jashene Austin, the co-defendant.

On January 10, Murray and Austin journeyed to Bethlehem to retrieve a vehicle that had been towed by the department. During this visit, Austin was identified as the co-defendant in the fraudulent check case. As a result, he was taken into custody on Wednesday, January 17, on a Bethlehem warrant.

Austin now faces charges of possession of a forged instrument in the first and second degrees, as well as grand larceny involving property valued at over $50,000. He appeared before Bethlehem Town Judge Ryan Donovan and, due to the seriousness of the charges, was sent to the Albany County jail. In order to secure his release, Austin is required to pay $100 in cash bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for February 20.

Burglar receives a seven-year sentence

ALBANY– Richard Agley, a 54-year-old individual, has been handed a determinate prison term of seven years, followed by five years of post-release supervision. Albany County Judge Andra Ackerman delivered this sentence in Albany County Court on January 18. The sentencing comes subsequent to Agley’s guilty plea on November 21 to one count of Burglary in the Second Degree.

The indictment against Agley alleged that on or about June 17, 2020, he burglarized a residence on Euclid Street in the Town of Bethlehem. During the burglary, he stole various items, including shoes and a credit card, which he later utilized. Additionally, Agley attempted to burglarize both a second home and a vehicle in the area on the same day.

While the charges relate to an incident from 2020, the defendant failed to appear in court for over two years before reaching a resolution. Initially, Burglary in the Second Degree was not considered an offense eligible for bail.

In addition to the prison sentence, four no-contact orders of protection were issued on behalf of the victims.

Larceny incident leads to arrest for outstanding warrant

GLENMONT – On Thursday, January 11, Bethlehem police responded to a reported larceny at Walmart. The suspect involved in the case, 29-year-old Denzel Christian, who is homeless, was apprehended. However, further investigation revealed that Christian had an outstanding warrant.

According to reports, Christian allegedly took clothing items from the store and fled the scene before being located shortly after on Magee Drive. Subsequently, he was taken into custody.

During the identification check, it was discovered that Christian had an outstanding warrant from Glenville. Although the authorities in Glenville requested that Christian be informed to turn himself in, he also had another warrant from the Union County Sheriff’s Office in New Jersey. The New Jersey authorities expressed their intention to retrieve Christian.

Christian was arrested for petit larceny, a misdemeanor, and processed for the warrant. He appeared before Bethlehem Judge Ryan Donovan, who ordered his transfer to the Albany County jail without bail due to the jurisdiction of the warrant. A return date of February 4 has been set if necessary.

Driving under the influence arrest on New Scotland Road

SLINGERLANDS – At approximately 6:45 p.m. on Friday, January 12, Bethlehem police conducted a traffic stop on a gray Toyota Camry near the intersection of New Scotland Road and Thackery Drive. The reason for the stop was the driver’s failure to use a signal.

Upon interviewing the driver, a 65-year-old woman from Troy, the officers detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage on her breath. They also noticed her bloodshot and watery eyes. When questioned, the driver admitted to consuming one beer.

Field sobriety tests were administered, which the woman failed. Additionally, a pre-screening device confirmed the presence of alcohol in her breath. Consequently, she was taken into custody.

An inventory search of the vehicle revealed a half-empty vodka drink and an unopened beer.

Upon arrival at the police station, the woman provided a breath sample, resulting in a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reading of .14 percent. She was subsequently charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) and received a citation for failing to use a signal and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle on a highway.

The woman was issued a bill of particulars and an appearance ticket for Bethlehem Town Court, scheduled for February 6. Following the processing, she was released.

This story was featured on page 16 of the January 24th, 2024 print edition of the Spotlight

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1. “Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter January 24th”
2. “Spotlight News Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter”.