Sheriff: Man released after his second arrest in tractor theft case

Sheriff’s officers rearrested an Harford man Tuesday after he failed to appear in court on charges he stole a $30,000 farm tractor from a seasonal camp, but he was then released without bail again after his arraignment in County Court, according to the department and court records.

Santo E. Oliver, 46, of 770 Rt. 221, was discovered at 4:30 p.m at 7 Kingsley Ave. and rearrested on a warrant, according to the department. The address corresponds to a residence in a trailer park across from the intersection of Starr Road and Route 13, according to Google maps.

Cortland County Court issued a bench warrant for Oliver on March 12 after he failed to appear to face charges of third-degree grand larceny and third-degree criminal mischief, felonies, as well as third-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor. After his second arrest, Oliver was sent to the Cortland County Court for arraignment, where he was released without bail, according to county records.

Oliver’s charges do not qualify for bail under the reform act enacted Jan. 1 and he was told to report to Alternatives to Incarceration, a part of the county probation department, three times a week while his case progresses, according to court records. Oliver was previously told to report to probation before he missed court, records show.

Oliver was indicted for stealing the John Deere tractor on Feb. 21, along with Glen L. Brenchley, 46, of 15 Kingsley Ave., Lot #14, according to court records.

Brenchley is waiting for his arraignment on May 5 in Cortland County Court.

All non-emergency court cases are currently postponed due to the new coronavirus epidemic.

Oliver and Brenchley unlawfully entered a canvas storage shed at a seasonal camp on Owego Hill Road in Harford and stole the tractor, a John Deere Gator utility vehicle worth $10,559, a set of jumper cables, a gate lock, a chain, a come-a-long, a set of binoculars, a flashlight, a 12-volt cable winch worth $200 and an assortment of hand tools, according to court documents. While they were stealing the tractor and Gator, Oliver and Brenchley damaged the vehicles, according to the court records, and the repairs cost about $1,435.15.

In two letters filed in the court documents, Mark Clark identified himself as the owner of the camp and the stolen items and requested Oliver and Brenchley be held without bail.

“He should have been held in jail without bail ’til this case is resolved,” Clark wrote in a letter that referred to Oliver. “This would prevent him from making others victims to his criminal activity.”

Clark stated Oliver has a “long history of criminal behavior,” and requested Oliver not be offered any plea deals, but “...prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Orders of protection against Oliver and Brenchley were also requested in the letters. “They broke into our camp on a seasonal road with poor cell service,” Clark wrote. “Our wife and kids and grandkids are there a lot and would like to continue to use it without fear of them returning.”

In his letter against Oliver, Clark railed against his accused actions.

“We feel enough is enough. Even though we recovered the stolen items the defendant has committed multiple crimes,” Clark wrote. “It’s time to take him off the streets so he doesn’t continue his criminal behavior as he has done this for years.”