Press release
INTERSTATE 390 - Sheriff Thomas J. Dougherty reports the arrest of a Nunda NY resident on drug related charges after a traffic stop.
On October 13, 2020 at approximately 5:50 pm, Deputy Matthew Thomas was assigned to the Sheriff’s Office Operation Safe Interstate initiative, when he stopped a vehicle on Interstate 390 for a violation of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law.
The Deputy Sheriff suspected that there was drug activity in the vehicle and conducted a drug investigation. The roadside investigation revealed that a passenger, who was identified as 37-year-old Bobby J. Szijarto was in possession of thirty nine (39) plastic bags of suspected fentanyl and eight plastic bags of suspected crack cocaine. It is also alleged that Szijarto attempted to conceal the narcotics on his person in an attempt to prevent Deputy Sheriffs from discovering the illegal substances.
The suspected fentanyl and crack cocaine were sent to a forensic lab for testing. Szijarto was released pending the lab results. On December 3, 2020 Deputy Thomas arrested and charged Szijarto with felony Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, felony Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree and felony Tampering with Physical Evidence after lab results revealed that the suspected drugs tested positive for fentanyl and cocaine.
Szijarto was turned over to Central Booking Deputies at the Livingston County Jail for processing and pre-arraignment detention as the offenses did qualify for pre-arraignment detention under the NYS Justice Reform Act, however a Judge may not set bail.
Szijarto was later arraigned at the Livingston County Centralized Arraignment Part (LC-CAP) at the Livingston County Jail before Town of Groveland Justice Love. The Judge did release Szijarto on his own recognizance per bail reform and Deputies did set him free.
Assisting with the investigation was Sergeant Caleb Cutting and Deputy Justin Hilt.
