Allegany County: Jury convicts Alfred man of burglarizing home of elderly woman

After a trial that began on January 30, 2018, an Allegany County Jury today returned with a guilty verdict against Josiah Gardner, 29, of Alfred. Gardner was charged with and convicted of Burglary in the Second Degree. According to a press release from the District Attorney, the jury determined that Garnder was an accomplice in a burglary which occurred in the village of Almond in September 2015. The Burglary occurred at the home of an elderly woman who, due to health problems, was away from the home and had been hospitalized and then confined to a nursing home. Josiah Gardner and a nephew of the woman, the release stated, broke into her home and stole a television, cash, a checkbook and a lockbox containing all of the woman's personal papers. Gardner cashed seven of the checks, which he made out to himself, pawned the television and was later found in possession of the lockbox and papers. He now faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 15 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for March 29. The District Attorney's office said "state police Investigator Heather Knolhoff put in a tremendous effort in bringing about the arrest of the burglars and seeing that justice was affected.”  The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Tom Fuoco. The defendant was represented by Assistant Public Defender Paul DiCola.