NEW HARTFORD, NY — Eight people face misdemeanor rioting charges following a disturbance at an entertainment venue inside Sangertown Square Mall.
New Hartford Police Department mall detail officers and zone patrol officers responded to a report of a fight in progress at Fun Nation at approximately 6:30 p.m. Nov. 29.
Fun Nation is located in the former JCPenney site within the mall.
Officers arrived to find Sangertown Mall Security and Fun Nation staff attempting to disperse approximately 10 individuals involved in a disturbance.
Police assisted in removing the group from the business.
Most of those involved dispersed once outside.
Melissa Henderson, 42, of Utica, walked away from the parking lot toward Commercial Drive.
While officers remained inside Fun Nation gathering information, interviewing staff and collecting video evidence, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle on Commercial Drive for an unrelated violation.
Henderson arrived at the vehicle stop, where police say her actions contributed to renewed disorderly behavior and resulted in her arrest on multiple criminal charges.
New Hartford police responded to assist the sheriff’s office.
Each of the eight individuals was charged with one count of riot in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor.
Those charged are Henderson; Tyneishia Henderson, 21, of Utica; Dontasia Henderson, 20, of Utica; Miguel Martell, 27, of Utica; Preonda Prest, 24, of Utica; Jahmeer Sullivan, 18, of Utica; Aiden Diaz, 18, of Utica; and a 15-year-old male juvenile from Utica.
All will answer the charges in Town of New Hartford Court.
Pyramid Management Group, the parent company of Sangertown Square Mall, issued lifetime bans to all individuals charged in connection with the incident.
