Former chief's wife in custody Lisa Kaczmarek may head to Warren County site to serve drug term
First published in print: Thursday, January 8, 2009
SCHENECTADY -- The wife of former police chief Gregory Kaczmarek will likely be housed outside Schenectady County after turning herself in early to begin serving jail time for her role in a major Schenectady-based drug syndicate.
Sheriff Harry Buffardi said that as of late Wednesday afternoon, jail officials were looking to make arrangements with Warren County to take Lisa Kaczmarek to its facility in Queensbury. He didn't anticipate any problems and said the transfer could happen as early as Wednesday night but probably no later than Friday.
"We think we can properly classify her outside instead of inside the building," Buffardi said. He said they've determined that her safety may be at risk, because her husband was chief and that some co-defendants are Schenectady County jail inmates. She personally did not express any concerns for her safety at the local jail, he said.
"We're considering she might be better served somewhere else," Buffardi said.
But she had to first undergo medical screening and the classification process, Buffardi added.
Around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Kaczmarek, 48, along with her mother and sister, walked into the county courthouse and later appeared before County Judge Karen Drago, according to her attorney, Kevin Luibrand.
He said she did not speak during the hearing and it was decided beforehand that Greg Kaczmarek would only drop his wife off to the courthouse but not come inside.
"It was my decision that she attend without Greg being present to avoid any media overexposure," said Luibrand. He attributed the decision to come in early to "family considerations" but declined to elaborate.
Last month, the Kaczmareks admitted to drug charges for their part in a drug operation that sold cocaine and heroin on the streets of Schenectady. Their arrests and that of nearly two dozen defendants in May punctuated a 13-month probe spearheaded by the state Attorney General's office. All involved have plead guilty for drug offenses and the husband and wife were among a handful who were still awaiting sentencing.
The chief pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance in exchange for what is expected to two years of prison. He also agreed to give up his police badge, any weapons he has and his nursing license, but will get to keep his State Police pension.
Lisa Kaczmarek admitted to attempted third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and was to receive six months in county jail and five years' post-release supervision. Even though she is....................http://timesunion.com/AspStori.....mp;newsdate=1/8/2009
Inmate move to cost county Sending Lisa Kaczmarek to Warren County jail will cost at least $10,200
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer First published in print: Friday, January 9, 2009
SCHENECTADY — Housing Lisa Kaczmarek at the Warren County Correctional Facility for at least the next four months on a drug conviction that grew out of a major narcotics operation will cost taxpayers $85 a day, Schenectady County Sheriff Harry Buffardi said.
Over a four month period — the minimum amount of time the wife of ex-police chief Gregory Kaczmarek could serve with credit for good behavior — the cost would be $10,200. The cost will increase if she gets into trouble behind bars and must serve more than the minimum term.
Even though she turned herself in to jail officials Wednesday to begin serving a six month sentence early, Kaczmarek, 48, still must be sentenced on Feb. 2 after pleading guilty to a charge of attempted third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. That is the same day her husband will also appear before Schenectady County Judge Karen Drago to receive a two-year prison term for admitting to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance related to the same case. If he is a model prisoner, Kaczmarek could be out in 16 months, Schenectady jail officials said.
Buffardi said Thursday the decision to ship the high-profile inmate to Warren County became necessary because of several factors, including who she is and that she and her husband know some of the jail staff.
Capt. Michael Gates with the Warren County Correctional Facility said Thursday that Kaczmarek arrived at the Queensbury facility around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
She will remain at the women's wing of the jail, which can accommodate 42 female inmates — until her classification process is completed, which typically lasts between three to five days, Gates said. As part of that, she must have medical and psychological tests to determine what, if any security risks, the other inmates and corrections officers may pose to her and vice versa.
In the end, she will either be placed among the general population, in isolation, or be designated in need of increased supervision, Gates added.
The Kaczmareks and their son were among about 25 people netted by the state Attorney General's Office in a 13-month probe into a large scale drug enterprise shuttling cocaine and heroin from ...............http://timesunion.com/AspStori.....mp;newsdate=1/9/2009
Carl Strock THE VIEW FROM HERE Schenectady police world: all the latest Carl Strock can be reached at 395-3085 or by e-mail at carlstrock@dailygazette.com.
Let’s see what’s going on in the world of law enforcement, or at least in the Schenectady corner of that world. First we have an assistant chief of the city’s police department, Mike Seber, off-duty, rear-ending another car near Freeman’s Bridge on the night before New Year’s Eve and possibly getting a pass from his own subordinate officers who arrived at the scene. That little matter is being investigated by — guess who — the Schenectady Police Department. Then we have the investigator for the city’s Civilian Police Review Board, which is supposed to keep an eye on the police department, resigning in frustration at not being allowed to do any investigating. And then we have the city’s police union, the PBA, apparently playing a role in selecting the next county sheriff, to replace the outgoing sheriff, Harry Buffardi, who over the past 10 years distinguished himself by his independence from and sometimes confrontation with that union. But I wouldn’t say nothing has changed. I would say things keep changing in new and interesting directions. Like the sheriff’s job. When Buffardi announced last month that he was going to resign in the middle of his term to take a full-time teaching job at the local community college, the heir apparent was Tim Bradt, head of internal investigations under Buffardi and a former Rotterdam assistant police chief. But he soon learned that the local Democratic Party leadership didn’t want him. (Local Democrats will make a recommendation to Gov. Paterson, who will make the final appointment.) The golden boy was then Tom Constantine, recently retired Niskayuna cop and son of a prominent personage in New York law enforcement, who prudently changed his enrollment from Republican to Democrat to make himself more acceptable. But then all of a sudden he was out too, and the new golden boy was Dom Dagostino, a Rotterdam cop approaching retirement, son of county legislator Judith Dagostino and, most significantly, the choice of the local Conservative Party, which is controlled by the PBA. (When I asked Constantine if he had not approached the conservatives himself, he said he had, that he had talked to Bob Hamilton, who is actually the president of the PBA, and that tells you all you need to know about who controls what.) So it looks like the Democrats, to curry favor with the Conservatives and perhaps gain cross endorsements in future elections, will put up the PBA choice to become sheriff, and thus we might see the end of the sheriff’s independence. As for the Civilian Police Review Board, which has labored toothlessly these many years, the departure of Bob Tufano, its own independent investigator, can only render it still more toothless. In his letter of resignation Tufano said he had been unable to conduct “any type of meaningful investigation” but was limited to messenger service — picking up written complaints and delivering them to the police department, “without any type of investigation on my part.” Even of those feeble missions, he said he had performed only about four or five in the two years he has been employed. In other words, a farce. In his letter he said, “I have been told the PBA dictates how we can proceed,” though when I talked to him he said he wasn’t sure that was really true. “I think it’s coming from the administration,” he suggested, in reference to both City Hall and the police department. The chairman of the review board, Budd Mazurek, disagreed. “Let’s be honest,” he said when I asked him about this, “Bob Hamilton [president of the PBA] is the most powerful man in Schenectady.” Which might be an overstate- ment, but it gives you an idea how Schenectady operates, or doesn’t operate. As for Assistant Chief Seber, whether he was driving under the influence or not, whether his subordinates graciously gave him a ride home or not, what struck me was that he is going to be investigated by his own department, and I couldn’t help thinking, here we go again. Tufano, the departing review board investigator, who for 20 years was a cop in California, told me standard procedure in his old department would have been to immediately turn the matter over to another agency, like the state police. I asked Schenectady’s chief, Mark Chaires, why that wasn’t done, and he said, circularly, “It’s an internal investigation.” I wondered how Seber could effectively be investigated by his own subordinates, and Chaires assured me, “Obviously any interrogatories will be in my name,” even though he won’t be doing the interrogating personally. I argued that the appearance will be that Schenectady cops cover for each other, and Chaires disputed that, pointing out that they have recently arrested several of their own, including one patrolman for the fourth time (!) and a sergeant once, for DWI. Which is not exactly something to be proud of, but I agree it does show that they don’t necessarily cover for each other. Whether an assistant chief will get the same kind of treatment remains to be seen. “The rules have got to apply to everybody,” Chaires said. “You can’t put handcuffs on a patrolman for DWI and not do it for the assistant chief, if that’s what it turns out to be. It would be a significant setback for the agency.” One big problem, Chaires concedes: If no crime is charged, we will never know the outcome of the investigation because of the privacy afforded to cops by state law. And, oh yes, I almost forgot, there is the little matter of Lisa Kaczmarek, wife of former Police Chief Greg Kaczmarek, turning herself in early, before her formal sentencing on her drug plea, thus getting a head start on her expected six-month sentence, and promptly getting transferred from the Schenectady to the Warren County jail, in Queensbury. If she does the standard twothirds of her sentence, or four months, at the $85 daily rate charged by Warren County, that will cost the people of Schenectady County $10,200. Why then the transfer? Because of concerns that in Schenectady she would be in the company of codefendants, of inmates who might nurture ill feelings toward her husband, and also of jail employees who might not have been on the best of terms with her husband — this according to Sheriff Harry Buffardi, who also cited a letter from her attorney, Kevin Luibrand, raising these concerns. Having thus been put on notice, “It would bring a greater amount of liability if we kept her here,” Buffardi told me. It costs, but on the other hand, ..................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar00900
Re Jan. 6 article, “Drug mule gets five-year sentence”: I think Ms. Justice, with her scales and weights, needs an overhaul! Her scales should be checked to see if they are accurate. I think her blindfold is slipping. I question these things because she was so lenient in handing out justice to officials but harsh in handing out justice to others. How do sentences of two years and six months compare to 25 years-to-life? Cocaine and heroin are the same, no matter who hands them out! [Gregory and Lisa Kaczmarek] should have known better; after all, he was a former Schenectady police chief! The “mule” should have kicked up her hooves over her sentence!
I understand that Harry has been a "source of information" for Carl Strock for a while now. Harry likes to take pot shots behind the scenes at the PBA when he feels he has an opportunity. Just like when he felt he could get a Schenectady cop (Laviolette) arrested for being registered to vote in the city of Schenectady when he reportedly lived outside the city- he had one of his boys provide records from the Sheriff's Office to Carl Strock to try to make the PBA look bad. All it resulted in was a lawsuit against the Sheriff, his Inspector/ Correction Officer Paul Brown and an opportunity for Brown to testify under oath about whether or not he leaked confidential information to the Gazette.
I am deeply disappointed in the case of the ex-police chief and his wife [Jan. 6 Gazette]. One of the mules who told the truth about everything gets five years and the real perpetrators get little to nothing. It is hard for me to explain this situation to my teenagers. How does someone who has the public trust use it to commit crimes [for which] an ordinary citizen would most likely get life in prison? This has changed my view about Schenectady — all those cries about racism and favoritism are coming to light. The judge has always been strict with drug dealing and such, but on this case suddenly has a soft spot? The police chief and his wife should be held more accountable than average citizens because they knew exactly what they did was wrong. Anyone can look at this case and see the abuse of power and injustice. Who is going to stand up for the average citizen? A criminal is a criminal, no matter what color or status.
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer Last updated: 10:03 a.m., Monday, January 12, 2009
SCHENECTADY — A city officer already expected in court this morning to answer charges of alleged drunken driving was arrested again over the weekend and accused of vandalizing furniture, according to court records.
John Lewis, 39, was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief for destroying a kitchen table at an Oregon Avenue home on Sunday, according to records filed in City Court.
Last month, the 14-year-veteran was arrested for drunken driving after a automobile accident in the city and later suspended for 30 days.
Lewis is expected to be in City Court this morning to answer to charges of DWI.
Lewis was charged with driving while intoxicated, aggravated driving while intoxicated, speeding and improper lane use.
It's the second time Lewis has been suspended in as many months. In November, he allegedly threatened to kill his former wife and anyone she dated. He was arrested on third-degree stalking and second-degree aggravated harassment charges.
Lewis was released without bail after his arrest in that case. Before that, a City Court judge acquitted Lewis of harassment for allegedly pushing his wife. He is suing the department, contending they conspired with his wife in a bid to get him fired.
SCHENECTADY A city officer already expected in court this morning to answer charges of alleged drunken driving was arrested again over the weekend after he fought with his brother, an Albany cop, police said.
John Lewis, 39, was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief for destroying a kitchen table at an Oregon Avenue home on Sunday, according to records filed in City Court.
"Police received a call from Officer Lewis' mother at 3:47 am on January 11, 2009 stating that he was destroying the house and physically fighting with his brother, who is a police officer in the City of Albany," Schenectady police said in a statement released this afternoon.
SCHENECTADY City cop, arrested again, misses court Alcohol use alleged in mischief charge after incident at home BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
Suspended city police officer John W. Lewis was in treatment Monday, a day after his latest alcohol-related arrest, his attorney said. Lewis, 39, of Oregon Avenue, was arrested there early Sunday, accused of destroying items and fighting with his brother. He faces one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief. It was Lewis’ fifth arrest since April 2008. He is currently on suspension without pay after his fourth arrest, a drunk driving charge, from last month. All the incidents have been in the city. Lewis was arraigned on the charge Sunday in City Court and released on his own recognizance, an arrangement similar to those made after his previous arrests. He was to appear for further proceedings Monday on the new charge, as well as his other charges, but he did not appear. Instead, his attorney Michael Horan told City Court Judge Guido Loyola that Lewis could not make the appearance as he is receiving treatment at St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam. He usually goes two days a week for outpatient treatment, but he has been admitted, possibly for as long as two to four weeks, Horan told the court. Horan did not elaborate afterward on the purpose of the treatment, but offi cials have alleged that alcohol was involved in at least his two most recent arrests. St. Mary’s has an alcohol treatment center. Lewis has been off the job since at least April on varying stints of paid and unpaid suspension. He has received 30 days unpaid suspension after each arrest. The 30-day suspension on his drunk driving arrest hasn’t elapsed, Police Chief Mark Chaires confirmed Monday. Chaires said he expected further administrative action when that time has elapsed. Despite arrest after arrest, Lewis has remained officially employed. City officials have cited the vagaries of an ongoing legal battle with the police union over discipline as the reason he continues. Chaires Monday could not defi nitively say Lewis would no longer be a patrolman. “That’s definitely a possible outcome of all this,” Chaires said. “But it’s pretty clear which direction this is headed.” The city has used Lewis’ case, even before the most recent arrest, as an example of why the current discipline system is broken. City officials fired him in 1998 over allegations he used a racial slur off duty, behind police headquarters. The city, however, was ordered to rehire him when an arbitrator ruled the city was “unduly harsh” in firing him. Lewis was arrested early Sunday after a call to police by his mother, Chaires said. The mother reported Lewis was intoxicated and tearing up the house. He was also arguing and fighting with his brother, James Lewis, who is an Albany police officer. James Lewis was trying to control his brother until police arrived. Lewis was first charged in April with the violation of harassment of his estranged wife. The case stemmed from allegations that he grabbed and pushed his wife during a dispute over their child. He was acquitted of that in June in a City Court trial. In the meantime, he was also charged with a more serious count of criminal contempt, accused of violating an order of protection issued in the harassment case. In that case, he is accused of phoning the woman several times, driving by her and going to her workplace. The contempt case remains pending. He was also charged in November with threatening to kill his ex-wife. The divorce was final in September. His fourth incident was just over two weeks ago, a drunken driving arrest. He was accused of driving with a blood alcohol content greater than 0.18 and hitting a parked car on Eastern Avenue just before 4:30 a.m. Dec. 27. The arrests have generated a number of court appearances, including some where Lewis didn’t show up, while offering excuses, prosecutor Christina Tremante told Loyola in court. She asked..............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....101&ViewMode=GIF
Misty Gallo sentence in Kaczmarek case a miscarriage of justice
I just finished reading the Jan. 6 Gazette and I cannot believe what I see at the top of the page, “Drug mule gets fiveyear sentence.” Is it me or did this young lady (Misty Gallo) receive a harsher sentence than a high-level cocaine dealer (Lisa Kaczmarek) and her ex-police chief husband? Greg Kaczmarek (who in my opinion was neck deep in his wife’s and other dealer’s business) offered not only advice about moving stash houses and changing phone numbers but was overheard offering to “flash his badge” if necessary and even make the very same drug run that Ms. Gallo failed at. (By the way, what if the drug dealers had decided to off Ms. Gallo when she showed up in Schenectady without the $150,000 in cocaine and heroin? People have been shot over $149,999 less!) And the court didn’t believe that Ms. Gallo was under any pressure to do her job! Also, they pointed out that she had sold drugs at times, but I would be willing to bet it was a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of product the “Teflon Kaczmareks” distributed! For the Kaczmareks to get off so easy and Ms. Gallo, who obviously needs rehabilitation not incarceration, to have to take such a hard sentence compared to some major players in this mess, is the one and only thing I truly hate about this city: The punishment depends on who you are!
SCHENECTADY — Suspended city police officer John W. Lewis was in treatment Monday, a day after his latest alcohol-related arrest, his attorney said.
Lewis, 39, of Oregon Avenue, was arrested there early Sunday, accused of destroying items and fighting with his brother. He faces one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief.
It was Lewis’ fifth arrest since April 2008. He is currently on suspension without pay after his fourth arrest, a drunk driving charge, from last month. All the incidents have been in the city.
Lewis was arraigned on the charge Sunday in City Court and released on his own recognizance, an arrangement similar to those made after his previous arrests.
He was to appear for further proceedings Monday on the new charge, as well as his other charges, but he did not appear. Instead, his attorney Michael Horan told City Court Judge Guido Loyola that Lewis could not make the appearance as he is receiving treatment at St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam.
He usually goes two days a week for outpatient treatment, but he has been admitted, possibly for as long as two to four weeks, Horan told the court.
SCHENECTADY Officer in city youth bureau is suspended Several in department remain off police force BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
A city police detective in the Youth Aid Bureau has been placed on paid suspension. Police spokesman Officer Kevin Green confi rmed Sunday that Sherri Barnes was suspended on Saturday. He could not comment on what led to the suspension or provide a timetable for completion of an investigation. The bureau handles crimes committed by juveniles. Barnes has been with the department since at least the mid-1990s, according to newspaper reports.. She was injured on the job in two incidents. In February 2005, she suffered injuries to her knee and wrists when arresting Kendall Spraragen, who allegedly robbed the Trustco Bank on State Street and threatened to kill his father. She also had an apparent broken arm during a June 2001 incident when she responded to a fight between William Oliver and his landlord. She was injured after Oliver struggled with police. This is the latest in a series of suspensions at the Schenectady Police Department over the last year. Officer John Lewis, 39, of Oregon Avenue is on unpaid suspension after he was arrested for the fi fth time earlier this month for allegedly destroying items and fighting with his brother. He was charged with drunk driving in December. The other three arrests related to the divorce from his wife. Lewis was acquitted in June of harassment over allegations that he grabbed and pushed his wife. Lewis was suspended without pay for 30 days after each arrest. Following the suspensions , he returned to the payroll but not to duty. Officers Eric Reyell, Gregory Hafensteiner, Andrew Karaskiewicz, Daryl Millard and Kevin Derkowski remain suspended with pay pending an ongoing internal investigation into the arrest of DWI suspect Donald Randolph in December 2007. Reyell, Hafensteiner and Karaskiewicz initially faced criminal charges because the three allegedly did not file a proper “use of force” form during that arrest. They were cleared in December, but the internal investigation continues. All have been off the job for more than a year and as of September, the five had been paid $200,000 to stay home. Also, the department is investigating Assistant Police Chief Michael Seber after he ................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01104
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