Chautauqua County district attorney Jason Schmidt talks with WRFA's Jason Sample to discuss his first month on the job as the county's new top prosecutor, while also discussing some of the challenges the office is faced with, while also what … [Read more...]
Schmidt Sworn in as District Attorney
MAYVILLE - Chautauqua County has a new District Attorney. Republican Jason Schmidt was sworn into office on Saturday, although the ceremony was a low key affair due to COVID-19. Schmidt was sworn in after defeating previous District Attorney … [Read more...]
DAs Office Reaches Plea Agreement with City Man in Shooting Incident, Days Before Going to Trial
MAYVILLE - A Jamestown man pleaded guilty in Chautauqua County Court on Tuesday for his role in a January 2019 shooting that left one person injured. The Post Journal says 32-year-old Rasul Bonds entered a plea of second-degree attempted assault … [Read more...]
[LISTEN] Family, Friends of Local Shooting Victim Seek Answers After Police Fail to File Charges
UPDATE (Dec. 10, 2019 - 2:20 p.m.): WRFA spoke with Jamestown Police Captain Robert Samuelson Tuesday afternoon in regards to this story. For clarification, Samuelson informed us that he has been in regular contact with the family members of Tony … [Read more...]
Appeal Involving Evidence in Jamestown Arson Case to be Heard December 2 in State Appellate Court
ROCHESTER - The Chautauqua County District Attorney's Office will make its case next month for overturning a suppression of evidence decision in the upcoming trial of a Jamestown man accused of starting numerous fires in March 2017. Assistant … [Read more...]
[LISTEN] Community Matters – Chautauqua County DA Patrick Swanson and Sheriff James Quattrone
ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE WRFA SOUNDCLOUD PAGE WRFA's Jason Sample talks with Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson and Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone about the impact the recent Criminal Justice Reform measures enacted by the … [Read more...]
County DA Announces Overdose Response Initiative
Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson and U.S Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. have created an Overdose Response Initiative. Modeled after similar initiatives across the state and country, the program aims to examine overdose deaths in … [Read more...]
Officer Resigns From Jamestown Police Department
JAMESTOWN - The Jamestown Post-Journal is reporting that an officer with the Jamestown Police Department charged in March with criminal possession of a forged instrument has resigned. Jamestown police Chief Harry Snellings told the Post-Journal … [Read more...]
Dunkirk Woman Considered Suspect in Stabbing Death of Teenager Now in Police Custody
DUNKIRK - A 26-year-old Dunkirk woman who was being sought in connection with the stabbing death of a 15-year-old female that occurred earlier this month in the north county city has been located and taken into custody. Ashlyann Lopez-Lopez is … [Read more...]
Fredonia Officer Cleared in Investigation Involving Fatal Shooting
FREDONIA - The Chautauqua County District Attorney's Office says the Fredonia police officer who shot an killed a man last December will not face any charges or disciplinary action. District Attorney Patrick Swanson held a press conference in … [Read more...]