An empty tank of gas in a Jeep Liberty made for a bad Christmas for its driver and passengers when police in Cortland County, who stopped to check on the disabled vehicle, discovered it was stolen. (BOOKING PHOTOS ARE POSTED AT END OF STORY.)
Cortland County Sheriff’s Office provided this report: On Christmas Day at approximately 10:12 p.m., sheriff’s deputies stopped to assist the occupants of a disabled vehicle — identified as Vicente Martinez, Isaias Lanzo and a 16-year old — when their vehicle ran out of gas and was parked on the side of the road in the Town of Marathon.
During the road side interview, Martinez gave officers a wrong name. While continuing to assist all three occupants, deputies discovered the vehicle, a 2010 Jeep Liberty SUV, had been reported stolen on December 24 to New York State Police in North Syracuse during a burglary investigation at a business in the Town of Salina.
The defendants were subsequently arrested at the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office without incident. Martinez, 18, and Lanzo, 20, were charged with 4th Degree Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, a felony. Martinez was also charged with 2nd Degree Criminal Impersonation, a misdemeanor, and issued multiple Vehicle and Traffic tickets. Martinez and Lanzo were issued appearance tickets for January 15 at 6:30 p.m. in Town of Marathon Court.
The juvenile was released to a family member and will be petitioned at a later date, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
Defendant Name: Vicente M. Martinez
Address: Cortland Street, Marathon
Age: 18
Charge: Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 4th Degree (Class E Felony); Criminal Impersonation in the 2nd Degree (Class A Misdemeanor).
Date Arrested: 12/26/19
Jurisdiction: Town of Marathon
ROR/Bail/$ : Released on an Appearance Ticket
Arrested By: Sgt. Chad Burhans
Defendant Name: Isaias O. Lanzo
Address: Bradley Street, Syracuse
Age: 20
Charge: Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 4th Degree (Class E Felony).
Date Arrested: 12/26/19
Jurisdiction: Town of Marathon
ROR/Bail/$: Released on an Appearance Ticket
Arrested By: Sgt. Chad Burhans
