Press release
A combination of an unusual set of circumstances, DNA technology and old fashioned police work led the arrest of 25 year old LeRoy resident Patrick J. Gonzales, by the LeRoy Police Department.
This arrest allegedly solves a two year old burglary which occurred on March 16, 2017 at 1:58 am on Lake Street in the Village.
The burglary occurred when a person entered the victim’s building and stole a safe and other items. At the time of the burglary, the alarm activated, but the police were accidentally sent to the neighboring business. Because of this error, the patrols found no burglary and were sitting on Wright avenue talking when a person allegedly identified as Gonzales walked by them, eastbound on Wright Avenue towards Route 19.
The police recognized Gonzales, but had no cause to stop him.
Once the patrols were advised they were sent to the wrong business, they checked the correct business and located the burglary along with a fresh set of footprints in the snow eventually leading to a wooded area. The footprints were followed and led to the discovery of both the stolen safe and what appeared to be the perpetrator’s jacket buried in the snow. Both were recovered and the footprints were again followed, which led to the same location and direction on Wright Avenue that Gonzales was seen traveling earlier. The footprints led towards a rooming house on Lake Street, in which Gonzales was living at the time. The same footprints were then found on the property of the rooming house. Eventually enough cause was developed to petition Gonzales into the Genesee County Court for a court ordered DNA, which was granted in July of 2018. The DNA was secured and compared to DNA evidence found in the jacket buried in the snow and allegedly matched.
During the investigation, Gonzales left New York State twice, but returned the first time to surrender his DNA and then returned this past time to turn himself into the LeRoy Police Department and face the charges.
Gonzales is charged with one count each of the D-felonies of burglary in the 3rd degree and grand larceny in the 3rd degree. He was arraigned in LeRoy Town Court and released under the Supervision of the Genesee Justice Program.