Jamestown police say a 37-year-old man forced his way into a neighbor's apartment early Saturday morning armed with a large bladed weapon, then threatened the person inside and damaged their property before officers took him into custody. Demarco Lathan now faces a felony burglary charge along with two other counts stemming from the overnight incident on the city's East Side.
Overnight Call Leads to Multiple Charges
Officers responded to a reported burglary on Jamestown's East Side at 1:30 a.m. Saturday, according to Chautauqua Today. Once on scene, they made contact with Lathan, who the outlet reports had allegedly forced entry into a neighboring apartment while armed with a large bladed weapon. The Post-Journal likewise reported that Lathan forced entry into the neighboring unit as part of the same overnight episode.
Inside the apartment, Lathan allegedly threatened the victim and damaged their property, the outlet's report states. Police then took Lathan into custody and transported him to the city jail, where he was held pending arraignment, per the same account. No information on an arraignment date, bail status or plea has been made available.
Charges Filed Against Lathan
Lathan was charged with first-degree burglary, a felony, along with fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree menacing, the report notes. First-degree burglary charges in New York can involve factors such as causing physical injury, using or threatening a dangerous instrument, or displaying what appears to be a firearm, according to the relevant provisions of New York Penal Law §140.30. Second-degree menacing, meanwhile, involves intentionally placing or attempting to place another person in reasonable fear of physical injury, serious physical injury or death through the display of a weapon, per New York Penal Law §120.14. Those statutory excerpts describe general elements of the offenses and do not themselves establish that Lathan's alleged conduct meets every element of the charges against him.
The allegations against Lathan remain just that — allegations reported from the police account of the incident, which has not been independently verified. No response from Lathan or an attorney representing him was available at the time of the report, and the case's path toward arraignment and any further court proceedings remains unknown.
