BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, there have been seven people arrested in Erie County for either intentionally coughing or spitting on a police officer.
The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that he plans to prosecute all of those who allegedly committed the crime to the fullest extent of the law.
The people include:
- Darren Hamilton
- Hamilton was arrested May 4 for stealing items from a gas station on Hertel Avenue and harassing a customer. Hamilton, 59, allegedly spit and coughed on the responding efforts while claiming he was positive for coronavirus. He was charged with attempted assault.
- Aisha Rodriguez
- She was arrested on May 1 for allegedly violating an order of protection. She spit at three cell block attendants while being processed at Central Booking and claimed she was positive for coronavirus. Rodriguez, 47, was charged with attempted assault.
- Alex Laboy
- Laboy was arrested on April 6 in the Town of West Seneca after he was allegedly drunk and refused to listen to police officers. He spit at the officer and said he was positive for coronavirus. Laboy, 24, was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
- Lindsey Schott
- The Lancaster woman was arrested during a traffic stop on April 2 after allegedly coughing toward an officer's face multiple times. She claimed she was positive for coronavirus. Schott, 27, also had a small amount of marijuana and an adderall pill on her. She was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and menacing.
- Abdulla Abdalla
- Abdalla, 21, was arrested on March 29 in the City of Buffalo on Peter Street near Amherst Street. Police smelled marijuana in Abdalla's vehicle. The 21-year-old refused to listen to officers and as oficers tried to handcuff Abdalla, they spat twice in the officer's face. Abdalla was charged with obstruction of governmental administration, harassment, and resisting arrest.
- Bryce Sortino
- The Town of Tonawanda man was arrested on March 26 in Buffalo after an alleged robbery. During the arrest, Sortino, 25, spit on two officers and claimed he tested positive for coronavirus. He was charged with obstruction, harassment, and resisting arrest.
- Jesse Baker
- The Buffalo man was arrested on March 15 in West Seneca for an alleged DWI. While being arrested, he is accused of coughing on an officer and claiming he was positive for coronavirus. He was charged with DWI.
“By performing their duties to keep our communities safe and interacting with the public, police officers and first responders are at a greater risk of contracting this virus," Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said. "Any person who intentionally coughs or spits at a member of law enforcement during this health crisis will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This behavior intentionally threatens the health and livelihood of our officers and first responders, and it will not be tolerated."
