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Former GC Jail correctional officer accused of stealing inmate's meds

By Billie Owens

From the Genesee County Sheriff's Office:

On April 15, former Genesee County Correctional Officer Justin M. Gugel was arrested on two charges: petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree. Both are Class A misdemeanors.

It is alleged that on Jan. 19 while employed at the GC Jail, Gugel stole a controlled substance from medication which had been prescribed and alloted for an inmate.

An investigation was opened after pills were reported missing following a routine medication count in the jail.

Gugel was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court at 1 p.m. on May 7. The case was investigated by GC Sheriff's Investigator Joseph Loftus.

Howard B. Owens

We can't publish what doesn't exist.

BTW: Nobody "deserves" anything when accused of a crime. Our evaluation on what to publish is based solely on our news judgment. We don't publish arrest reports, with or without mug shots, to punish anybody.

Innocent until proven guilty.

Apr 16, 2019, 6:24pm Permalink
david spaulding

Howard, I did Not say anything about guilt, did Not say anything about punish, You did. The Batavian usually puts up a mug shot with an arrest report. I've seen it happen time and time again. Sometimes there are 4, 5, 6 photos to go when the big drug busts happen in Batavia.
So yes I felt Mr. Gugel deserved his photo in the paper. I am so sorry if I happened to offend you or any readers of this fine publication or if they were misinformed by my post. good day to you.

Apr 16, 2019, 8:00pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

David, "deserved" implies that he did something wrong and should therefore be punished by having his mug published. The only thing any defendant deserves is to be treated in an equitable manner as every other defendant.

While these crimes are misdemeanors (we don't typically use mugshots for misdemeanors even when provided by law enforcement) given the nature of the position held -- in our news judgment -- use of a mugshot would be warranted; however, since the defendant received an appearance ticket and therefore was not booked there is no mugshot available. It has nothing to do with "deserved."

Apr 16, 2019, 10:51pm Permalink

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