Two plead not guilty to new St. Lawrence County indictments

pCANTON — Two reindicted men reiterated their not guilty pleas in St. Lawrence County Court on Tuesday./ppAndrew M. Francis, 18, of 1229 County Route 55, Brasher Falls, pleaded not guilty to felony first-degree robbery and misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon./ppThe indictment charges on July 23 in the village of Potsdam, Mr. Francis forcibly stole property while using or threatening to use a weapon against another person./ppAccording to a Potsdam Village Police report, at 11:25 p.m. on July 23 in the A-Plus Sunoco at 147 Market St., Mr. Francis, Brasher Falls, allegedly brandished a knife, robbed the store clerk at knifepoint and fled with an unknown amount of cash./ppMr. Francis was previously indicted on identical charges on Feb. 21 but that indictment was dismissed with the district attorney’s office given the opportunity to present it to a new grand jury./ppWhy the indictment was dismissed was not immediately known./ppCounty Court Judge Jerome J. Richards reduced the previous securing order of $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond to $10,000 or $20,000 following a request by Mr. Francis’s attorney, Edward F. Narrow./ppAlex M. Danboise, 27, of 14 Francis St., pleaded not guilty for the second time to an indictment charging him with three counts of attempted second-degree robbery, second-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, all felonies./ppThe indictment charges on Aug. 6, 2018, in the town of Brasher, Mr. Danboise was aided by another individual when he allegedly attempted to forcibly steal property and, during the commission of the crime and while leaving the scene, he or another participant displayed what appeared to be a firearm and caused physical injury to another person./ppHe was previously indicted and subsequently pleaded not guilty to the charges but that indictment was dismissed with the district attorney’s office allowed to represent it to a new grand jury./ppWhy the indictment was dismissed was not immediately known./ppHe was reported to have tested positive for cocaine on the morning of his arraignment and the day previous. He denied use, telling the court that he had picked someone up who had smoked crack in his car, that being the only way he can think of having come into contact with the drug./ppHis $20,000 bond was exonerated and he was released under probation supervision./p