New York State Police have arrested a Utica man after an investigation into unauthorized and threatening radio transmissions made over a public safety channel used by emergency responders in Herkimer County.
According to investigators, on November 18, an employee of a State Police communications vendor reported hearing a man broadcast threatening and racially charged statements over the Herkimer County law enforcement radio frequency while monitoring activity in the Town of New Hartford. The transmissions allegedly included comments about committing acts of violence.
Troopers from the SP Marcy Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducted interviews, reviewed recordings, and identified the suspect as 53-year-old Stacey Snell of Utica. Snell is known to law enforcement from previous incidents involving unauthorized radio use.
On November 26, investigators executed a temporary extreme risk protection order at Snell’s home, where they recovered a handheld radio believed to have been used in the incident. Snell was taken into custody without incident.
He is charged with making a terroristic threat, a class D felony; second-degree aggravated harassment, a class A misdemeanor; and second-degree obstructing governmental administration, also a class A misdemeanor.
Snell was processed at SP Marcy and arraigned in Oneida County CAP Court.
State Police say the investigation is ongoing and additional details will be released when available.
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