DeWitt — The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office reports that sheriff deputies have charged twelve demonstrators the morning of Jan. 28 at the main gate of the Hancock Field Air National Guard Base on Molloy Road in DeWitt.
Deputies report that at about 9 a.m. on Jan. 28, they were dispatched to the main gate of Hancock Air Base, along with members of the DeWitt Police Department and New York State Police, where a group of about 30 protesters were gathered to rally against the used of remotely piloted aircrafts, also known as drones.
The base is home to the 174th Attack Wing of the New York State Air National Guard, which provides pilots to remotely operate the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Deputies report they arrested 12 of these protesters and charged them with trespassing, disorderly conduct and obstruction of governmental administration. The suspects arrested are: Edward Kinane, 71, of Syracuse; Peter Perry, 46, of Syracuse; James Ricks, 66, of Ithaca; A. William Ofenloch, 66, of New York City; Brian Hynes, 50, of Bronx; Beverly Rice, 78, of New York City; Joan Pleune, 76, of Brooklyn; Charles Bowman, 69, of Getzville, NY; Elizabeth Adams, 69,of Leverett, MA; Joan Wages, 54, of Floyd, VA; Steven Baggarly, 50, of Norfolk, VA; and Raymond McGovern, 76, of Arlington, VA.
In addition to being charged with trespass, disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration, Rice and Pleune were also charged with criminal contempt in the second degree, for violating an order of protection that had been previously issued by a judge.
All 12 protesters were transported to the Sheriff’s Office North Community Police Station where they were processed and are expected to be arraigned in Town of DeWitt Court in the afternoon of Jan. 28.
