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Pavilion

Two-car rollover accident reported near Pavilion Center

By Howard B. Owens

Emergency crews are responding to a possible serious-injury accident at Route 20 and Perry Road east of Pavilion Center.

Two cars are reportedly on their roofs and "multiple injuries" are reported.  Mercy Flight is being dispatched.

UPDATE 5:00 p.m.: On scene. One Mercy Flight helicopter has left and at least one more, possibly two, on their way. A maroon minivan is on its side while a black compact car is now upright. Emergency crews are treating patients. There may be as many as five patients involved.

UPDATE 6:42 p.m.: There were six victims, all adults. Two in a sedan, and four in a minivan. Two were taken by Mercy Flight to area hospitals -- at least one to Strong, so the other probably to ECMC. Four other victims were taken by ground ambulance to Strong (possibily).  Investigators on scene as of an hour ago had no idea how the accident occurred. They were just getting started with examining the scene. I'll post a couple of pictures after I get to tonight's City Council meeting.  As for video, my camera is busted.  It probably recorded fine, but now playback isn't working.  Somebody is bringing me another camera tonight, but I probably won't be able to get any video up from the scene before the morning.


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Police Beat: Batavia man faces three charges of harassment for allegedly fighting

By Howard B. Owens

Eric C. Smith, 21, of 15 Edwards St., Batavia, is charged with three counts of harassment and one count of disorderly conduct. Smith was allegedly involved in a fight in which he allegedly pushed and punched three individuals. Further, Smith is accused of urinating on the floor and walls at police headquarters while being processed. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Kevin Q. Thomas, Jr., 20, of 193 S. Main St., Batavia, is charged with harassment. Thomas was allegedly involved in the same fight as Smith, above, and allegedly pushed another person. He was jailed on $500 bail.

Thomas K. Lee, 14 Highland Park, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Lee allegedly stole items from the Kwik-Fill store in Batavia. He was jailed on $250 bail.

James S. Gibbs, 33, of 34 Vernon Ave., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Gibbs allegedly sent numerous text messages to a woman he was barred from contacting. He was jailed on $5,000 bail.

David J. Alvarado, 27, of 2103 S. 9th St., Lafayette, Ind., is charged with DWI. Officer Dan Coffey suspected Alvarado of driving drunk after a traffic stop for allegedly driving without headlights. He is also accused of having a BAC of .08 or greater.

Robert Michael Browne, 48, of 282 Route 20 Road, Room #3, Darien, is charged with two counts of criminal contempt. Browne allegedly violated a court order by going to a residence in the Town of Darien which he had been ordered to avoid.

Charles J. Fetterman, 37, of Lockport, is charged with DWI. Fetterman was stopped by a state trooper after allegedly failing to keep right on Route 20 in Darien. He is accused of driving with a BAC of .10 percent.

Bryan P. Falictico, 20, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Falictico allegedly failed to keep right on Route 5 in Batavia, which led to a traffic stop by a state trooper. Falictico allegedly registered a BAC of .16 pecent.

William V. Mattucci, 53, of 414 Schenk St., North Tonawanda, is charged with DWI, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and driving left of pavement markings. Mattucci was arrested in Corfu by village police.

Cynthia L. Carlo, 44, of 10 Gaslite Lane, Batavia, is charged with DWI, with a BAC of .08 or greater and moving from a lane unsafely. Carlo was stopped on Route 98 by Deputy H.J. Carlson early Sunday morning.

Jeffrey J. Klar, 29, 7178 Lovers Lane Road, Cattaraugus, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI with a BAC of .18 or greater, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Klar allegedly drove his car off a grass parking area on Sumner Road in Darien when he reportedly hit another car. He was stopped by a Sheriff's deputy on Sumner Road after allegedly trying to leave the scene.

Victor Trejo, 21, of 4238 West Ave., Elba, is charged with DWI and unlawful possession of marijuana. Trejo was stopped for allegedly speeding on Bank Street Road in Elba.

Luke W. Ritzenthaler, 26, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Ritzenthaler was allegedly found in possession of a pipe containing marijuana residue. He is also charged with operation a motor vehicle on a revoked license.

Patrick J. Lamendola, 48, of Rochester is charged with DWI. Lamendola was stopped by a state trooper for allegedly driving down the shoulder of Route 19 in Pavilion. Lamendola's BAC was reportedly .09 percent.

Noblehurst Farms in Pavilion turning methane into energy

By Howard B. Owens

Nobelhurst Farms in Pavilion runs enough cows to produce 5,000 gallons of milk a day. That many cows also produce a heck of a lot of manure.

Manure means methane and methane can be a pollutant, or it can be a source of power generation.

At Noblehurst, reports the D&C, the manure is being fed into a contraption that turns the methane into electricity.

Over the years, Noblehurst has had to work out some bugs with its digester, but now it is running smoothly and pumping out about 788,400 kilowatt-hours of power a year. On a typical day, manure is moved from 1,700 dairy cows toward the center of the main barn, where it is pushed into underground tubes that feed into a 28,000-gallon pit. The manure is mixed with effluent and pumped into a large digester tank. At the top of the tank, gas accumulates and powers a generator that produces electricity and gives off water and carbon dioxide. Every half hour or so, new manure feeds bacteria that produce the gas. A spout releases gas if too much pressure accumulates.

"That way we don't have a mess," said farm president John Noble.

Nationaly, about 100 suggest manure-to-electricity machines are in use, and 17 or so in New York. Noblehurst received a $250,000 state grant to help pay for the $1 million machine.

Police Beat: Store video tapes Pavilion man allegedly stealing beer

By Howard B. Owens

Bryan McWain Hargrave, 22, of 10692 Pavilion Center Road, Pavilion, is charged with petty larceny. Hargrave allegedly stole two 18-packs of beer and a bottle of water from the Wilson's Farms Store in Pavilion on July 12, at 5:17 p.m.  The alleged left was taped on the store's security cameras. On July 31, Hargrave was located and reportedly admitted to the theft.

Aaron F. Branton, 33, of 4022 Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI. Officer Dan Coffey reportedly observed Branton drive his vehicle over the center line on Main Street Saturday at 2:12 a.m. Upon investigation, Coffey concluded Branton was driving while intoxicated.

Andrew J. Rock, 23, of 144 State St., Apt. #3, Batavia, is charged with harassment. Rock allegedly made threatening phone calls to a woman acquaintance. He was placed in jail on $1,000 bail.

Douglas G. Goodwin, Jr., 18, of 130 Bank St., Batavia, is charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs and unlawful possession of marijuana. He was arrested Thursday at 1:54 p.m..

Eric C. Smith, 21, of 27 Dellinger Ave., Batavia, is charged with menacing and disorderly conduct. Smith is accused of making threats and acting in a threatening manner while at the M&T Express convenience store at 100 W. Main Road, Batavia, Sunday at 3:30 a.m.. Officer Bolles arrested Smith and took him back to police headquarters where he allegedly urinated on the floor, leading to the disorderly conduct charge. Further charges are pending regarding alleged property damage at the M&T Express.

Brad C. Doward, 19, of 16 Harvester Ave., Batavia, is charged with DWI and DWI with a BAC of .08 or greater. Doward was reportedly stopped on Oak Street by officer Camp for allegedly running a red light while turning right. During the traffic stop, officer Camp concluded Doward was allegedly intoxicated.

Larry S. Yoho, 37, of 134 W. Main St, third floor, Batavia, is charged with assault. Yoho allegedly assaulted another person Friday at 1 a.m..

Steven E. Ball, 35, of 11 1/2 Meadowcrest Drive, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Ball allegedly violated an order of protection that barred him from contact with a female acquaintance.

Warren T. Cotton, 32, no permanent address, is charged with petty larceny. Cotton allegedly stole jewelry from Lambert's Jewelers, 375 W. Main St., Batavia, on July 21 at 3 p.m.. Det. Pat Corona investigated the case.

Rob Ronald Rindell, 39, of 8897 Lovers Lane Road, Corfu, is charged with harassment. Rindell allegedly grabbed and pushed another person during a domestic dispute Saturday at 6:45 p.m..

Teresa Marie Ganzhorn, 19, of 4346 Batavia-Elba Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Ganzhone was allegedly driving a car without the owner's consent.

Jered E. Menichol, 22, of 4560 Walden Ave., Lancaster, is charged with DWI. Deputy Frank G. Bordonaro allegedly came upon Menichol's vehicle parked on the highway, blocking Harlow Road in Darien. Upon further investigation, Bordonaro concluded Menichol had allegedly been driving drunk. He was also charged with driving an uninspected vehicle.

Brian Robert Mruczek, 29, of 9214 Dorman Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment. Mruczek allegedly grabbed and pulled his wife's hair during a domestic dispute. A stay-away order was issued.

UPDATE: We just received arrest reports from the State Police for the first time:

Chrystal S. McCook, 23, of Batavia, and Christine A. Forte, 31, of Le Roy, were charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Forte was stopped for allegedly speeding on Route 63 in Oakfield on Sunday. Forte was issued traffic tickets for several alleged infractions, according to State Police.

Michelle L. Boccaccio, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of prescription medication outside of its prescribed container. Boccaccio was allegedly found in possession of three Adderall pills without a prescription or a prescribed container after being stopped for alleged speeding on I-490.  Boccaccio was also allegedly driving on a suspended New York driver's license.

Jeremy H. Boyce, 26, of Lyndonville, is charged with DWI following a traffic stop for allegedly talking on his mobile phone while driving. Boyce is accused of having a BAC of .07 percent. Boyce was stopped at routes 5 and 77.

Police Beat: Pavilion man accused of jumping over fence, threatening neighbor

By Howard B. Owens

Gene Douglas Swede, 61, of 11295 Perry Road, Pavilion, is charged with harassment. Swede is accused of jumping a fence into a neighbor's yard, yelling and cussing at the neighbor and threatening to beat up the neighbor. An order of protection was issued for Swede protecting his neighbors.

Porscha Mohogani Woods, 26, of 305 Oak St., Syracuse is charged with disorderly conduct. Woods is accused of pushing Darien Lake security guards and using vulgar language while attempting to break free of the guards following an altercation at the park on July 4 at 8:11 p.m.

A 16-year-old from Rochester was issued a ticket by Sheriff's deputies in the Town of Batavia for unlawful possession of marijuana.  The youth was walking on a road in Batavia when he was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana.

Driver reportedly distracted while admiring another car, causing two-car accident

By Howard B. Owens

One person suffered minor injuries in a two-car accident on Route 19 at East Park Street in Pavilion on Saturday when the driver of one car reportedly failed to see another car and pulled out in front of it.

David J. Reschke, 18, of 9741 Transit Road, Stafford, was driving a 1999 Chevy sedan owned by Cynthia Reschke, when he reportedly stopped at a stop sign on westbound East Park Street, and then proceeded onto Route 19.

Reschke was reportedly distracted while admiring a passing Chrysler 300.

Three witnesses reported seeing him pull out in front of the on coming car.

The other car, a 2001 Ford sedan owned by Patricia Malone of Batavia, was driven by Tyler Kilgore, 19, of 9366 Sheppard Drive, Batavia. Kilgore reportedly suffered minor injuries and as transported to UMMC.

Following the accident investigation by Deputy Mazur, Reschke was charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21.

Police Beat: Two women charged with shouting obscenities in public

By Howard B. Owens

Jazzmyne M. Heard, 21, of 965 E. Glide St., Rochester, is charged with disorderly conduct. Heard allegedly shouted obscenities while on the sidewalk on South Main St. The alleged incident occurred Thursday at 11:45 a.m.

Megan J. Dowd, 26, of 16 Church St., Le Roy, was charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly shouting obscenities in a public place. The alleged incident occurred at 337 Bank St.

James S. Gibbs, 33, of 34 Vernon Ave., Batavia is charged with criminal contempt. Gibbs allegedly made contact with a person he was ordered not to contact.

Jay R. Cummings, 23, of 10565 Harper Road, Darien, is charged with felony DWI. Cummings was stopped on West Main Street by Batavia police following a report of a road rage incident in the Town of Batavia.  Officers Coffey and Klimjack report Cummings was allegedly intoxicated. He is also charged with felony unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Cummings reportedly has a prior felony DWI conviction. He is held on $5,000 bail.

Ryan P. Sutton, 19, of 8290 Lewiston Road, Batavia, is charged with making graffiti. Batavia Police Officer Matthew Baldwin reportedly observed Sutton carving something into plastic play equipment in Pringle Park with a folding knife on Thursday night.

Stephan A. Lewis II, 29, of 541 E. Main St., is charged with petty larceny. Lewis is accused of stealing beer from Wilson Farms, 506 E. Main St.

John J. Smalley, Sr., 46, of 32 S. Main St., Oakfield, is charged with harassment. Smalley is accused of making harassing phone calls to another person. He was arrested by Batavia police officers.

Timothy Ryan McJury, 22, of 334 W. Main St., #5, is charged with petty larceny. McJury is accused of shoplifting three DVDs and a video game from Target.

Travis W. Zeidler, 29, of 502-2969 Kingsway Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, is charged with DWI and DWI with a BAC of .18 or more. Zeidler was arrested following a Sheriff's Office investigation into a reported car accident inside the parking lot of Darian Lake Theme Park. Zeidler is held on $500 bail. The incident was investigated by Deputy Jason Saile.

David J. Reschke, 18, of 9741 Transit Road, Stafford, is charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21. Reschke was reportedly found to possess alcohol following a car accident at Route 19 and Cato Street in Pavilion on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Stephanie L. Hagen, 26, of 3259 Rose Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI. Hagen was reportedly stopped for an alleged traffic violation on Erie Road in Darien on Saturday morning about 1 a.m. She reportedly had a BAC of .08 or greater.

Ronald J. Tombari III, 21, of Pavilion, is charged with felony unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Tombari allegedly struck a parked car in Le Roy and then left the scene. Le Roy Patrolman Daryl Robb made the arrest.

Police Beat: Man picked up on petty larceny warrant in Pavilion

By Howard B. Owens

Harris Reed, 28, of 11121 W. Park Road, Pavilion, was arrested on a bench warrant for failure to appear on a petty larceny charge.  Reed was stopped on Route 63 north of Route 5 and arrested. He appeared in court, paid a $150 fine and was released.

Accident on Route 63 causes serious injury to driver of one vehicle

By Howard B. Owens

Genesee County units assisted in an emergency response to an accident yesterday in Wyomning County that led to one injured person being taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital.

The afternoon accident on Route 63 in the Town of Covington, according to a State Police, occurred when a car on Peoria Road pulled out on the highway in front of an oncoming car.

Eric Maggio, 49, of Leicester, driving a Pontiac Grand Am, reportedly pulled in front of a Oldsmobile Bravado driven by Esequiel H. Olan, 32, of Arkport.

Maggio was flown to Strong with head and chest injuries.

Maria Ortiz, 24, Arkport and Imelda Ruiz-Gomez, 27, also of Arkport were taken by ambulance to Dansville Hospital for chest pain. Olan and a young child in the Bravado were not injured.

Doris Bogner, 78, of Leicester, a passenger in the Grand Am, was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital by ambulance for chest pain.

Pavilion Fire and Ambulance and Leroy Ambulance assisted with the accident.

The investigation is ongoing and no tickets have been issued at this time.

Michigan story illustrates challenges of leadership in small school districts

By Howard B. Owens

The story of Geoffrey Balkam dying has nothing to do with Genesee County. Or maybe it has much to do with Genesee County.

Reading the story I thought about the little dust up we had earlier in the week about a Pavilion superintendent earning a rather sizable paycheck.  Residents from Pavilion defended the salary, saying Ed Orman has done a great job for many years.

The Climax-Scotts school district in Michigan is now wondering what it's going to do with out Balkam, who has led the school district through some tough times, including recent economic constraints.

The untimely death of Superintendent Geoffrey Balkam not only is a personal tragedy for Climax-Scotts Community Schools, but could hasten the demise of a small, rural district already struggling to survive.

"The fear is real. There's no denying it," said Climax-Scotts athletic director Kevin Langs, who delivered the eulogy at Balkam's memorial service Tuesday.

"I don't know what the future holds. I don't," Langs said. "I believe, and Geoff felt the same way, that there is a niche in today's world for small, rural public schools. But just because I believe that doesn't mean it will happen."

The story kind of illustrates the idea that the complexity of running a school district is not necessarily tied to the number of students in the district. Small, rural districts have their own unique challenges.

Pavilion super's 15 years of service contributed to earning power

By Howard B. Owens

WBTA has an update on Pavilion School Superintendent Ed Orman's $183,000 salary:

Orman's salary can be attributed to his longevity, 15 years on the job, and for many years he was both superintendent and business manager, said Pavilion School Board President Beck Lewis

Orman retires next month.

The new superintendent, Ken Ellison, will earn $125,000, which is comparable to administrators in other small districts.

Pavilion superintendent earning $183K

By Howard B. Owens

WBTA Reports: Pavilion Central School Superintendent Edward Orman earns $183,000 per year.

That makes him the 4th highest paid school administrator in WNY, even though Pavilion, with 900 students, is among the smallest districts in the region.

Vigil held Sunday in Pavilion for sisters killed in auto accident

By Howard B. Owens

Sarah and Gretchen Protulipac were popular with their classmates, who are shocked and saddened by their deaths Saturday in a two-car collision at Route 77 and Sumner Road, according to the Buffalo News.

Both girls were honor students and Pavilion Central School. About 100 students gathered there Sunday for a vigil, according to the News.

Sarah was a junior at Pavilion Central. Her sister was a sophomore. Both girls were well-liked honor students who were musically inclined, said Edward Orman, the school district’s superintendent. In fact, Sarah performed earlier this spring in Pavilion Central’s production of “Guys and Dolls.” She also took part in a talent show.

“She always tried to cheer people

up,” said Macy Penders, 16, who knew Sarah since second grade.

“She was a very sweet person,” said Brian Mogenhan, a senior at Pavilion Central who described Sarah as laid-back and compassionate.

Gretchen loved softball and volleyball, her friends recalled. But she wasn’t one of those overly competitive athletes.

The News reports that the girls were returning Saturday afternoon from Darien Lake, where they had gone to apply for summer jobs.

Pictures: Sarah, 17, top, and Gretchen, 16.

Teen-age sisters from Pavilion killed in afternoon accident in Darien

By Howard B. Owens

Two sisters, age 16 and 17, were killed instantly when their vehicle was broadsided by a pick-up truck hauling a car on a trailer at the intersection Sumner Road and Route 77 in Darien, the Sheriff's office reports.

Sarah M. Protulipac, the older sister, was driving a 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier west on Sumner when she reportedly failed to stop at the intersection.  Gretchen Ann Protulipac was a pasenger in the car.

The accident occurred at 12:35 p.m. Genesee County Coroner Jack Taylor pronounced the girls dead at the scene.

The truck was driven by Robert J. Pool III, 28, of Lockport. His passenger was Trina L. Vekich, 40, of Lockport. Neither Pool nor Vekich were injured.

Deputy Lonnie Nati, Sgt. James Meir, Investigator William Ferrando and Chief Deputy Gordon Dibble along with members fo the Crash Management Team investigated the accident.

Police Beat: Batavia woman accused of breaking another woman's nose

By Howard B. Owens

Tanya L. Captain, 21, of Batavia, is accused of repeatedly hitting another woman in the face and breaking her nose.  Captain reportedly showed up at the other woman's home Sunday afternoon around 3 p.m. and assaulted the other woman. Captain is charged with assault in the third degree, a misdemeanor. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Carla L. Southwell-Wood, 52, of Batavia, was charged Sunday night with DWI and endangering the welfare of a child. Southell-Wood was stopped by deputies on Rose Road after the Sheriff's office received a report that Southwell-Wood was allegedly driving while intoxicated in a white mini-van. After a traffic stop was initiated, deputies also report they found a child under 17 in the vehicle.

Three people were charged Thursday with under-age alcohol violations following an undercover operation involving Sheriff's Office personnel, with the assistance of Genesee Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse. Arrested were Andrew J. Cutcliffe, 20, Pavilion, charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21 with intent to consume; Carly H. Kelch, 23, of Linwood, charged with one count of sale of alcohol to a person under 21; and Timothy R. Andrews, 21, of Wyoming, charged with DWI, with a BAC of .08 or higher, failure to keep right and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Police Beat: Women allegedly enters home, then refuses to leave

By Howard B. Owens

Tracylee Cayea, 39, of Lakeville, reportedly entered the home of a person in Pavilion on Tuesday and then refused to leave after numerous requests that she depart.She is charged with criminal trespass in the second degree.

Michael P. Johnson, 23, of Batavia, reportedly failed to stop for a stop sign, which led to police pulling him over early this morning. On further investigate, officers concluded he may have been drinking, He is charged with DWI with a BAC of .08 or more.

Jovoun Webb, 23, of Brockport, was arrested early yesterday morning and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the second degree. Webb reportedly came to the attention of a Sheriff's deputy after allegedly failing to yield the right of way and unlawful tint on his windows. The deputy reports he smelled marijuana while talking with Webb. A search, the deputy reports, led to the discover of marijuana on Webb and in the center console of his vehicle. Webb allegedly has 8 suspensions on his license in four different states.

William A. Henderson, 34, of Rochester, was arrested for DWI yesterday in Corfu.  Henderson was identified after State Police received a tip from Wende Correctional Facility in Alden that an intoxicated individual had driven away from the facility.  A short time later, a state trooper spotted the suspected vehicle at Routes 33 and 77.  The trooper reported that Henderson failed several field sobriety tests. A small amount of marijuana was reportedly found in Henderson's vehicle. Henderson reportedly has two previous DWI convictions. Henderson was charged with DWI, operating a vehicle without a seat belt and possession of marijuana. He is being held on $10,000 bail.

Police Beat: Livingston County couple charged with stealing chain saws in Pavilion

By Howard B. Owens

A Conesus couple is charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree for allegedly stealing four chain saws from Morg's Sawz & Stoves in Pavilion. The crime allegedly took place March 26 in the afternoon. The suspects were picked up that day by the Livingston County Sheriff's Office. Arraigned yesterday in Pavilion Town Court were Michael G. Boggs, 31,and Jennifer R. Boggs, 26.  The couple remains incarcerated in Livingston County.

Kenneth Laird, 56, of Bethany, is accused of getting into a domestic dispute yesterday with a person he has been ordered not to contact. Laird reportedly threw rocks at this person's car as the person tried to leave the scene of the dispute. Laird is charged with criminal contempt in the 2nd degree and harassment in the second degree.

Accused cattle rustles couldn't evade long arm of the law after anonymous tip

By Howard B. Owens

Cattle rustlers like to go after calves, according to Sheriff's Department Investigator Timothy J. Weis.  Weis said the younger animals are easier to move -- they can fit in the back seat of a car -- and easier to sell because they don't often yet have any permanent identification.

"It's easy to cut a calve's identification from its ear," Weis said. "You can use scissors or metal snips. You then have a hole in the ear, but it's difficult to identify the cattle afterwards."

That ease of movement and lack of identification may have been what Charles M. Fuller, 20, of Gainsville, and William C. Raymond, 26, of Castile were counting on when they allegedly calf-napped three young Holsteins from Noblehurst Farms, York Road, Pavilion, on March 23.

What the alleged theives weren't counting on was an anonymous tip that led investigators to suspect Fuller and Raymond.

Without the tip, there may never have been an arrest in the case. Even though the Sheriff's Department notified the livestock auction houses in the region, the thieves were apparently able to successfully sell the calves at the Maplehurst Livestock Market in Hinsdale.

"They (Maplehurst) didn't catch it (that the calves were stolen) and they processed the sale as normal," Weis said.

Rather than try to recover the calves, which would involve tracking them through other possible sales channels and possibly as far as California, the owners of Noblehurst have elected to seek restitution from the defendants upon conviction, Weis said.

The owners are also concerned that "now that the calves have mixed with other cattle, they could bring back disease and infect their other cattle," Weis said.

Often times, Weis said, investigators need not rely on anonymous tips. Because auction houses are notified when calves are stolen, they might spot unusual activity and let law enforcement officials know.

"When they see some individual who doesn't seem to be a farmer (trying to sell cattle), that's a clue," Weis said.

Even so, Weis said that livestock auctions are hectic environments and not conducive to every seller getting close scrutiny.

"You would be surprised at how easy it is to go unnoticed," Weis said.

That's why the anonymous tip in this case may prove crucial in getting a conviction and lead to restitution for Noblehurst.

Mug shots above: Fuller upper left; Raymond, lower right.

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