Skip to main content

Man caught on Thruway with stolen, loaded handgun sent to prison

By Howard B. Owens

A former resident of Puerto Rico, Kentucky, and Indiana, with a pending serious felony charge in Indiana, who was just passing through Genesee County when he was caught with a stolen, loaded handgun, got little sympathy from Judge Charles Zambito yesterday.

The attorney for Alberto Santos, Michael Locicero, suggested his client might be a good candidate for a probationary sentence, but Zambito was skeptical that Santos would fulfill the terms of such an agreement.

He noted that on every one of the prior criminal cases for Santos in Kentucky and Indiana, a warrant had to be issued for Santos at some point when he failed to turn up in court at appointed times.

Santos pled guilty May 7 to charges of attempted criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, and criminal possession of stolen property, 4th, and yesterday Zambito sent Santos to state prison for two years followed by three years probation.

A trooper arrested Santos after stopping him Feb. 4 for speeding on the I-90. He found a Sig Sauer Model SP2022 in the vehicle.

"I don't believe you didn't know the gun was stolen," Zambito said. "The fact you were driving 91 miles per hour with a loaded handgun on the Thruway says something about your character and your danger to the community."

Authentically Local