Warrant leads to unrelated charges

NORTH COLLINS, N.Y. (RELEASE) - Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard reports that observations made by Sheriff's Detectives led to a search warrant being executed at a Town of Collins residence late Friday evening, and the recovery of a stolen vehicle.

At about 5 p.m. Friday, Detectives Greg McCarthy and Matthew Noecker went to a residence on Kerr Warner Road, to question an occupant of the house on an unrelated investigation. While approaching the residence the detectives observed several surveillance cameras outside the house. As the detectives stood on the porch, they also noticed a large marijuana plant inside the house, near a rear window.

As a result, a search warrant for the house was obtained from Town of North Collins Justice Michael Stevens. Found inside the house was an additional quantity of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and several long guns. Located inside a garage on the property was a 2006 Dodge pick up truck that had been reported stolen in the Town of Cheektowaga in June of this year.

Arrested was Joseph A. Mills, 50, who resides at the residence. He was charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, a Class D Felony, Criminal Possession of a Stolen Property (Motor Vehicle,) a Class E Felony, Criminal Possession of Marijuana and Endangering a Minor, both of which are Class A Misdemeanors. The last charge was due to the fact that the detectives had located a rifle with loaded magazine and a bag of marijuana next to it, all of which were in the reach of a small child who was inside the house at the time.

Mr. Mills was taken to the Erie County Holding Center, pending his arraignment in the Town of Collins court.