Monroe County Jail deputies plead guilty to role in inmate fights
Both deputies were arrested in March after a three-month-long internal investigation led to criminal charges.
Deputy Dominic Kujawa, 21, was charged with felony assault and official misconduct after the sheriff's office accused him of "enabling" one inmate to assault another and failing to intervene during the fight.
While investigating that incident, jail officials accused a second deputy, 20-year-old Dominic Denaro, of alerting inmates before cell searches. Denaro was arraigned on misdemeanor charges including official misconduct and obstruction of governmental administration.
Both men pleaded guilty May 30 to the official misconduct charges, with an agreed-upon sentence of three years probation, the Monroe County District Attorney's Office confirmed.
In March, the sheriff's office said it planned to fire Kujawa. He resigned shortly after. Denaro has also resigned from his post.
Jail officials in December announced they were investigating a series of fights between two inmates inside the jail's housing unit. One person needed hospital treatment for injuries. An inmate told a supervisor about the fights and the alleged involvement of jail deputies during routine rounds, officials said.
Two other unnamed deputies remain on leave as internal and criminal investigations continue.
— Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Twitter @kaylacanne and @bykaylacanne on Instagram. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Dominic Kujawa, Monroe County Jail deputies, plead guilty to misconduct
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
36 minutes ago
- USA Today
Police say influencer Ariiela La Langosta was 'likely targeted' in fatal shooting
Authorities in New York have revealed the cause of death of Arriela La Langosta, a popular online personality whose death made waves on social media. The 33-year-old, whose real name Ariela Mejia-Polanco, was found dead behind the wheel of her vehicle on Cross County Parkway in Mount Vernon, a city north of the Bronx, on Sunday, Aug. 17, according to the Westchester County Police Department. Police confirmed that Mejia-Polanco died from gunshot wounds, and a preliminary investigation revealed that she "was likely targeted for violence and her death was not a random act." The social media influencer, known online from her account @ had 570,000 followers on Instagram and had a high-profile friendship with rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine. 'NY won't ever be the same' 6ix9ine shared a series of videos of himself and Mejia-Polanco spending time together and joking around, praising her as a "tremendous woman." "The queen of New York," Tekashi added, including a snippet of their favorite song, Aventura's early 2000s hit "Obsesión." "NY won't ever be the same." Mejia-Polanco was featured as a dancer in the music video for Tekashi's 2023 song, "Wapae," from the rapper's third album, "Leyenda Viva." In subsequent posts, Tekashi gushed that Mejia-Polanco "supported me in everything" and that the influencer was like a "sister" to him. WABC reported that rapper Cardi B also acknowledged her passing with the message, "RIP Dominican Pretty." Reactions pour in for mother of two According to local media outlets WABC-TV and CBS News New York, Mejia-Polanco worked in the New York City nightlife scene. Ikon New York, a Manhattan restaurant and disco lounge, paid tribute to her in an emotional Instagram post on Aug. 17. "Our hearts are broken. Your joy, your humility, and the way you treated everyone with so much care always made you stand out," the statement said. "Thank you for giving so much love and support to our home, which also became yours." Opus Lounge also shared a post: "We join with his family's grief at this difficult time and send our deepest condolences." Mejia-Polanco is survived by her two children, who are 13 and 14 years old, WABC-TV reported. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Michael Franti cancels tour as more sexual abuse allegations surface
Michael Franti has canceled his upcoming tour, including a scheduled Bay Area concert, as accusations of sexual abuse continue to build against the musician. 'This is one of the hardest messages I've ever had to write,' Franti posted on social media Wednesday, Aug. 20. 'Recent events online have left me disheartened and my spirit isn't in the place it needs to be to get on stage and give you the joy and energy you deserve.' The Oakland-born frontman for Spearhead and the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy added, 'The remaining dates on the Welcome to the Family Tour will be canceled. I'm devastated to disappoint you, but I hope you understand that I need this pause to be with my family.' A concert was originally scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 26, at Saratoga's Mountain Winery. Promoter AXS said tickets would be refunded automatically. The tour cancellation comes less than a week after Spanish American singer Victoria Canal alleged in an Instagram post that she was groomed and abused by a 'very powerful' older musician when she was 19. Canal did not name Franti in her Aug. 11 post, but she has previously credited him with discovering her in 2018 and inviting her on tour. Later that same day, Franti, a frequent face at Bay Area festivals such as Stern Grove and BottleRock Napa Valley, took to his Instagram account to acknowledge a romantic relationship with an unnamed artist outside his marriage but denied any abuse. 'The relationship was completely consensual, based on mutual feelings and attraction,' he wrote. Canal described the man as controlling and abusive in private. She alleged that he photographed her without consent and isolated her from others, saying the experience 'plagued my body, spirit, and mind' throughout her 20s. A few days later, Canal shared similar allegations sent to her by Carla Swanson, who co-founded Soulshine yoga resort hotel in Bali with Franti in 2011, and Wyoming musician Makina Kaili. Yet another voice joined the controversy on Wednesday. Writer Minda Lane published a lengthy Substack post recounting her experience with Franti between 2008 and 2017. She described herself as a longtime fan and admitted she initially welcomed his attention but later came to see a troubling pattern of behavior. She claimed that Franti once stripped naked in front of her shortly after they met, later pushed her into sexualized exchanges over webcam and alternated between affectionate and dismissive treatment that left her confused and seeking his approval. Lane also recalled instances she described as public 'misconduct,' including what she said was an appearance at a festival in jeans with 'a hole in the crotch and no underwear.' 'I didn't think of it as being groomed,' Lane wrote. 'Instead, I thought a dream was coming true. I thought I had manifested the experience through the sheer ardor and conviction I carried for his music and his causes. 'What I realize now is that he probably never meant the sweet or complimentary things he said to me,' she continued. 'He only said what he needed to keep me in thrall so I would remain available when he wanted to use me.'
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Michael Franti dropped by management amid 'troubling' allegations
Musician Michael Franti has reportedly been dropped by his management company, amid a string of cancellations connected to claims of misconduct. Activist Artists Management dropped Franti, according to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, as the pop-reggae artist attempts to weather a scandal seemingly brought on by a series of social media posts from singer-songwriter Victoria Canal. Activist Artists Management did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier this week, Soulshine at Sea 3, an aquatic music festival headlined by Franti, was canceled after an exodus of slated artists. The cruise was intended to sail in November from Miami to Mexico—until artists like Dispatch, Maggie Rose, Hirie, and Liz Vice pulled their performances. "We've decided we will no longer be performing at Soulshine at Sea. We have been made aware of deeply concerning public allegations involving another artist on the lineup and have chosen to withdraw from the event," Dispatch said in an Aug. 16 post on Facebook. "We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding." Hirie and Vice also referenced "concerning" and "troubling allegations" in their respective social media posts. In a post to Soulshine at Sea's website Aug. 17, event promoter Sixthman referenced "recent events" when confirming the cancellation and promised to unveil a replacement cruise soon. Franti took to social media shortly after to acknowledge he had "a romantic relationship outside my marriage" with an unnamed artist, an admission seemingly connected to the cancellation. While neither Franti nor any of the Soulshine performers named the artist, their posts directly followed allegations made on Instagram earlier this month by Canal, who said she had been groomed by a "very powerful, decades older man." The abuse, the Spanish singer-songwriter alleged, began when she was 19, after she was "plucked" from the internet during her college years, and promised professional opportunities. Canal, 27, went on to allege that this man now enjoys a family-man image and active career, but "has a history of incredibly damaging behavior" behind the scenes and is protected by "a team of enablers." "This experience, which lasted a little over a year, has had a years-lasting effect on my intimate life," she wrote. "The truth is, I just couldn't carry on hiding this part of me. Hiding from the young women who follow me has felt so painful, and I finally feel so ready to speak on it openly." Reps for Franti have not responded to USA TODAY's request for comment, including questions on a nonconsensual relationship with Canal. Canal went on to promise the release of a new song that would address the trauma and explained that she was omitting the name of her alleged accuser for fear of financial and professional harm. When reached for comment, a rep for Canal said: "It feels very liberating for Victoria to speak on her experience as she continues to heal. She hopes sharing can help young women entering the world of music to keep their eyes open and protect themselves." Following Canal's posts, Tank and the Bangas, a group slated to tour alongside Franti for the remainder of the summer, also canceled their joint shows, writing on Instagram: "While we are not aware of any specific details related to the matter, in light of the recent post made by the artist, we have made the difficult decision to not participate, until we have a better understanding of the facts." Franti, in his own lengthy statement posted to Instagram, wrote that while he had had an extramarital affair seven years prior with a fellow musician on his tour, it was entirely "consensual." He did not name Canal. The pair collaborated on 2019's "The Flower" and Canal served as the opener on Franti's tour that same year. "I'm aware of the recent posts this artist made about our relationship, and while I support her need to express herself publicly, the relationship was completely consensual, based on mutual feelings and attraction. I vehemently dispute any version of the story that says otherwise," Franti wrote. "I will, however, take full accountability for not better recognizing the power imbalance as she was younger than me, and I was the headliner on tour." If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: (4673) and and en Español
