Judge Astacio arrested, sent to jail until Thursday's hearing

June 05, 2017 11:25 PM

Judge Leticia Astacio was handcuffed and escorted by deputies to her court hearing Monday morning.

Judge Aronson made an offer good for 24 hours: plead guilty to the charge of declaration of delinquency and get 45 days in jail, plus two years of probation. The declaration of delinquency is for Astacio's failure to give a court ordered urine sample after an interlock reading that tested positive.

On Monday Judge Astacio declined the offer. She will remain in jail until a hearing on Thursday.

Judge Astacio walked into the Hall of Justice Monday morning for her meeting with her supervisor, Judge Craig Doran. The meeting was in Judge Doran's office on the 5th floor.

About 15 minutes after Judge Astacio arrived, three Rochester Police Officers arrived on the 5th floor and walked towards Judge Doran's chambers.

Judge Astacio's attorney, Ed Fiandach said, "This is not good. This is not a good sign."

There was an outstanding bench warrant waiting for Judge Astacio.

Judge Astacio was ordered back to Rochester from Thailand where her attorney said she was living in the mountains with monks. Judge Doran said leaving the country for an extended period of time was possibly in violation of her job. Judge Astacio's lawyer says he couldn't reach her because she was in Thailand and Verizon shut down her service over an unpaid bill.



Judge Astacio also missed a court date last week involving alleged interlock violations from her DWI arrest last year. When she missed the court date, the judge for the DWI case, Judge Aronson, issued a bench warrant for her.

"You buy a ticket and come from halfway around the world to appear in court, that's I think good enough evidence that you intend to appear,” says Ed Fiandach. “Our state's highest court has made it very clear that the purpose of bail is only to ensure that a person shows up in court and I think she's already expressed an ability and the desire to be in court by virtue of the fact that she's here today knowing - quite frankly - what was going to happen to her."



Voters react

"She deserves a second chance, but maybe not a second chance as a judge -- doing something else," says Krash Myz.

Krash Myz of Rochester says judges are held to a higher standard. He says City Court Judge Letitia Astacio has failed to maintain that standard. He questions if she can't manager herself, how can she judge the actions of others?

"You think that a judge is suppose to be more responsible and set an example to the people she is suppose to be judging," says Myz.

Monday, after Astacio appeared in court and was remanded to jail, people told us it's not Astacio's apparent problem with alcohol, but her behavior and seemingly constant run-in's with the law since her initial arrest last August. In particular, leaving the country and missing her last court appearance.

"I don't think she should get a second chance, but I'm happy that she did agree to come back to the country," says Stephen Welker.

Melodie Valenciano says everyone messes up and makes mistakes. She thinks if Astacio can show that she is seeking help and changes, she should be able to return to her job.

Valenciano tells us: "There's been a lot of statements made. I haven't heard that they've been verified... Everything's like hearsay to me. That's why I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt."

"She needs to prove herself, that she can be a good judge and make good decisions," she adds.



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Judge Astacio arrested, sent to jail until Thursday's hearing

New York judge arrested, led from courthouse in handcuffs

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — An embattled City Court judge was escorted Monday from judicial chambers in handcuffs.

Rochester court deputies and city police officers executed a bench warrant issued for Judge Leticia Astacio's arrest last week after she missed a Tuesday court appearance related to an August drunken-driving conviction.

Astacio, a Rochester City Court judge, smiled and said hello to the gaggle of reporters waiting for her at the fifth floor elevator bank of the Monroe County Hall of Justice where officers marched her off to be processed at the nearby Rochester Public Safety Building. She returned later to the courthouse for an arraignment before Judge Stephen Aronson of Canandaigua City Court, who issued the warrant and is overseeing her drunken-driving case.

He ordered her held without bail in Monroe County Jail until a Thursday hearing. The reason she missed her court appearance last week was because she had been living in a temple with monks in the mountains of Thailand since May 3, she had texted to her lawyer.

"You're doing everything to show you don't care what happens to your public trust," Aronson said.

In court Monday, Aronson offered Astacio a deal: Plead guilty to violating her initial drunk-driving sentence and receive 45 days in jail, two years of probation and six months on an ankle monitor. She declined and was ordered to jail.

On Feb. 13, 2016, Astacio was arrested around 8 a.m. ET on her way to City Court after New York state troopers were summoned to what appeared to be a one-car crash Interstate 490. She refused to take a Breathalyzer test

On Aug. 22, she was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge that was extended to February 2018 after she admitted violating two conditions: abstaining from alcohol and not driving under the influence.

Astacio, a Democrat who was elected to a 10-year term in 2014, also was in court in March when she beat four allegations that she violated the conditions of her sentence. One alleged that she twice drank alcohol, and three others were related to the use and maintenance of her ignition interlock device, which prevents a vehicle from starting if a driver has had too much to drink.


In May, Astacio was summoned to court after her interlock device on April 29 registered a blood-alcohol-content reading of 0.0651%. A vehicle will start only if a person's blood-alcohol content is below 0.03%.

Astacio, who worked as a prosecutor for a time in 2009 in the Driving While Intoxicated Bureau of the Monroe County District Attorney's Office, denied consuming alcohol and contended that her daughter had registered the reading, said her lawyer, Ed Fiandach. It is not illegal for another person to drive a car outfitted with an interlock device meant for someone else.

After the reading, which Fiandach said occurred near the beginning of May, Aronson asked that Astacio take a urine test that detects ethyl glucuronide, a byproduct of alcohol, and submit the results to the court. She did not, so she was summoned to court Tuesday and did not appear because she was in Thailand.

Why Astacio had not been arrested when she returned to the United States over the weekend was not immediately clear. She had told Fiandach that she had bought a one-way ticket to Thailand and would be there until some time in August.

She returned to Rochester because her supervising judge, Justice Craig Doran of the New York State Supreme Court, had directed she attend a 9 a.m. Monday meeting in his office at the Monroe County Hall of Justice, expressing concern in a letter that her behavior constituted a "voluntary abandonment of public office" that would be deemed a breach of her judicial responsibilities if she failed to show up.

"You are self-sabotaging any chance you have to return to the bench," Aronson said in court, telling Astacio that her attitude appeared to be contemptuous.

Though she still receives her paycheck, Astacio has been prohibited from presiding over cases since before her drunken driving conviction in August and has been barred from entering non-public areas of the courthouse since November. She has continued to receive her $173,700 salary because she remains an elected judge.

Astacio will again be working for her pay upon her release from jail — whenever that may be.

Her supervisors, state Supreme Court Judge Craig Doran and City Court Judge Teresa Johnson, told Astacio Monday that she will required to conduct research in the courthouse law library Monday through Friday, whenever court is in session.

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New York judge arrested, led from courthouse in handcuffs

Bench warrant issued for caregiver accused of stealing from elderly Valley couple

MESA, AZ - A home caregiver, hired to care for the elderly, is now accused of stealing from them instead.

Kendra Leann Coultas is facing multiple counts of theft, trafficking in stolen property, and drug possession, while her boyfriend Joshua Clark is also charged with trafficking in stolen property.

The couple is accused of stealing money and jewelry from an elderly Mesa couple in their 80s.

The family, once relieved to hear about the arrest, is now turning to ABC15 for help in bringing their family justice.

The victim's daughter, Kathy Hunter said the suspects failed to show up for their recent court hearing, and a bench warrant has been issued for their arrest. Hunter said she was disappointed to learn that the couple may not be arrested, unless they're busted for another crime, as bench warrants for a crime such as this one are not considered high priority for most stressed and short-staffed police agencies.

A criminal defense attorney said courts issued many bench warrants every single day. Most law enforcement agencies spent the time and resources to track down suspects who were considered dangerous or violent.

"The whole system, trying to bring them to justice makes me feel like a victim again," said Hunter.

The family took a chance on the struggling couple who seemed down on their luck. 

"Plus my mom seemed to like her look," Hunter added.

After about a month, Hunter said she started noticing jewelry missing. The family then installed cameras in the home. Hunter said the video showed Coultas stealing everyday household items, money from wallets, and pilfering through items in their rooms.

"I mean it's one thing to steal my stuff, I still have a job, but to take money that's potentially food and medicine for an elderly person, it's disgusting," said Hunter.

Court documents indicated Coultas admitted to stealing cash and jewelry, then with the help of her boyfriend, pawning it off at the Gold Vampire pawn shop in Mesa.

"They've probably melted down most of it," said Hunter.

Among the stolen items included the engagement ring given by her father to her mother, also an engagement ring that had been in the family for generations.

"The diamond may not have been worth anything, but the sentimental value was," said Hunter. "To know that something that my mom treasured so much is never coming back to her is just devastating."

ABC15 News stopped by a Mesa address listed for Kathy Coultas and Josh Clark. Relatives said they did not live there anymore. A criminal defense attorney says if the couple is stopped for any traffic violation or commits another crime, the bench warrant will be activated, and the couple would be arrested. No future hearing dates are scheduled at this time.

"It's just not acceptable. She hasn't been convicted so this means she can work this crime again and again on the elderly until the cows come home," said Hunter.

She said she was speaking out to prevent this from happening to other families who relied on caregivers.

"Do your own individual background checks, do other research before letting people into your home, and be cognizant of what's happening," said Hunter.

Court documents indicate that Coultas admitted to stealing at least $13,000 worth of items from the couple.  Documents also stated that Coultas said she knew what she did was wrong, and apologized for her actions.

Background checks indicated Coultas had an outstanding warrant out of Mesa city court for failing to appear in court for a previous shoplifting charge.

Court records also indicated that Clark said he knew the items he was pawning were stolen, but was hurting financially and needed the money.

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Bench warrant issued for caregiver accused of stealing from elderly Valley couple