Community albumby Columbia Paper / October 20, 2022Related Posts
Former Coeymans cop indicted on falsifying records charges
By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
COEYMANS — A former Coeymans police officer has been indicted on felony charges alleging he falsified paperwork to a state agency with regard to field training for recruits in the Coeymans Police Department.
Kevin Schwebke, 38, of East Greenbush, now works as a detective in Menands and is not employed by the Coeymans Police Department at this time.
He pleaded not guilty in Albany County Supreme Court during a court appearance Monday to four counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing before acting Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough.
If convicted, Schwebke could face up to four years in prison.
Schwebke is accused of submitting falsified final evaluation reports for four Coeymans police trainees, two in August 2018 and two in January 2019, when he was a field training officer.
Under state law, all municipal police officers are required to complete a basic training course within one year of their hiring, including a minimum 700 hours of training.
Schwebke was required to physically observe recruits in person and document their progress daily. He is accused of submitting false paperwork to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services stating the recruits had completed their in-person training, when they had not been properly supervised, according to the indictment.
Some of the recruits had to repeat their field training, according to officials.
Town Supervisor George McHugh said the alleged incidents occurred under a previous administration and prior police department leadership.
“The current investigation into the Coeymans Police Department and criminal charges pending against some of its former officers predates the current chief of police and all of the members of the town board,” said McHugh, who took office in January 2020.
“We shall continue to cooperate fully with the Attorney General’s Office as we have the last two years,” McHugh added. “Our commitment to rebuild the Coeymans Police Department and to ensure professionalism and accountability of its officers remains one of this administration’s highest priorities.”
Schwebke was released on his own recognizance and was scheduled to reappear in court Dec. 16.
Police blotter
Editor’s note: A charge is not a conviction. All persons listed are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Charges can be amended or dismissed.
STATE POLICE
- Dylan Bartelin, 23, of Red Hook, was arrested April 13 at 3:12 a.m. in Catskill and charged with driving while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol content over 0.08%, both unclassified misdemeanors. Bartelin was issued an appearance ticket.
- Janya Frazier, 26, of Albany, was arrested April 13 at 2:50 p.m. in Coxsackie and charged with second-degree introducing contraband into a prison, a class A misdemeanor. Frazier was issued an appearance ticket.
- Kiasia Emonni Allen, 23, of Syracuse, was arrested April 13 at 7:45 p.m. in Coxsackie and charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class B felony; first-degree knowingly introducing dangerous contraband into a prison, a class D felony; and second-degree introducing contraband into a prison, a class A misdemeanor. Allen was released on her own recognizance.
- Adem Hodzic, 27, of Purling, was arrested April 14 at 1:57 a.m. in Catskill and charged with driving while intoxicated with a previous conviction and operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol content over 0.08%, both class E felonies. Hodzic was issued an appearance ticket.
- Tahrmee Andrea Bessey, 51, of Freehold, was arrested April 14 at 8:54 a.m. in Cairo and charged with operating a motor vehicle impaired by drugs, an unclassified misdemeanor. Bessey was released to a third party.
- Michele Cordero, 53, of West Coxsackie, was arrested April 11 at 7:15 p.m. in Ulster and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor. Cordero was issued an appearance ticket.
- Jason Long, 39, of West Coxsackie, was arrested April 15 at 7:08 p.m. in Ulster and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor. Long was issued an appearance ticket.
- Richard Quinion, 46, of Hudson, was arrested April 15 at 11:40 p.m. in Catskill and charged with operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol content over 0.08% and driving while intoxicated, both unclassified misdemeanors. Quinion was issued an appearance ticket.
- Kyleek Tucker, 20, of Attica, was arrested April 16 at 3:22 p.m.in Cairo and charged with first-degree knowingly making/possessing dangerous contraband in a prison, a class D felony. Tucker’s arrest status was not reported.
- Joseph Ridley, 34, of Cairo, was arrested April 17 at 1:30 a.m. in Cairo and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a class E felony, and operating a motor vehicle impaired by drugs, an unclassified misdemeanor. Ridley was issued an appearance ticket.
- Christopher Krieg, 34, of Cairo, was arrested April 18 at 12:50 p.m. in Cairo and charged with criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor, and third-degree menacing, a class B misdemeanor. Krieg was released on his own recognizance.
