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| Charges Against Port Leyden Couple Dismissed in Interest of Justice 12/20/17 04:30pm |
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charges dropped this afternoon in Lewis County Court at the request of Special Prosecutor Steven D. Cole with the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office. Anthony Belmont, 74 and Janice Belmont, 72, husband and wife, were each facing a count of third-degree Grand Larceny, a class "D" felony. Mr. Cole indicated that based on new information received by his office, the People no longer wished to pursue the case and asked that the charges against both be dismissed in "the interest of justice." Mrs. Belmont's attorney, William J. Rile, said during the appearance that the New York State Police did a faulty job investigating the case, forcing his client to hire an attorney and have her reputation potentially ruined. Mrs. Belmont is a long-time Village of Port Leyden Trustee and former Justice of the Peace in the Village. Mr. Cole told the court that the People had a different set of facts when the case was indicted and once the issue was recognized he decided to request that the charges be dismissed. Mr. Young, speaking with us after the court appearance, said the charges were undeserved. "The bottom line is, if the police had taken the time to look at the bank records during their investigation they would have known there was nothing there," Mr. Young said. Mr. Young said that the Belmonts had cared for their elderly aunt- Julie Belmont- for years, allowing her to be able to live on her own in her home until just a few months before she passed away. "They loved her very much," Mr. Young said, "It's unfortunate that other family members, who did not have as close a relationship, decided to step in with baseless claims." |
