Sludge Watch ==> NY - Plattsburg man

[Maureen Reilly]

Published May 24, 2008 05:15 am - Arthur Blakesley must stay out of trouble 
for three years after pleading guilty to felony grand larceny.

Man involved in N-viro dumping project won't serve jail time
Involved in Nviro dumping project

By STEPHEN BARTLETT
Staff Writer


PLATTSBURGH -- A former Plattsburgh businessman with an "alarming" criminal 
history will serve no jail time after pleading guilty to grand larceny.

Arthur Blakesley, 48, must stay out of trouble for three years or he could 
be sentenced to two-and-a-third to seven years in prison.

He has already made restitution in the amount of $7,500 and must also pay a 
court surcharge of $320.

"The court notes your criminal history, which clearly shows a pattern of 
theft charges either in New York or Florida, and it is alarming," Acting 
Supreme Court Justice Kevin K. Ryan told Blakesley at Friday's sentencing.

Blakesley said little except to plead guilty and tell Ryan he had moved from 
Pennsylvania to live with friends in Fairfax, Vt., while he undergoes 
medical treatments.

The charge against Blakesley stemmed from an incident involving Ward Lumber 
purchases made on an unauthorized account.

He has had civil and criminal accusations lodged against him in several 
states and was a subcontractor involved in the controversial Nviro project, 
which removed bio-solids from the City of Plattsburgh's Compost Plant and 
transported it to area properties.

Residents from several towns complained about the strong odors coming from 
the dumped N-viro and worried whether it could contaminate water supplies. 
The city eventually stopped the process.

Ryan noted that Blakesley had previously pleaded guilty to a Class E felony 
but through his attorney, Frank Zappala, withdrew the plea, which would have 
landed him five years probation.

On Friday morning, he pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny as a D 
felony.

Ryan noted the case took some time to complete, due to adjournments as 
Blakesley dealt with the matter of restitution. Ultimately, he paid $7,500.

The judge pointed out that there was a period where Blakesley avoided 
trouble with the law, but that clearly wasn't always the case.

"You were previously placed on probation and served some jail time, and that 
has not stopped your activity," Ryan said. "This is a serious matter."

sbartlett at pressrepublican.com