OLEAN, N.Y. — One of two men police say took part in a daytime home invasion of a North Third Street residence nearly two weeks ago turned himself in Wednesday.
Michael A. Osby Jr., 30, of 68 N. Third St., Allegany, surrendered himself to police around noon today at the Olean Police Department.
“He spoke on the phone this morning with Sgt. Timothy Cashimere, who was able to reason with him to come in and go about this the easy way,” said Capt. Robert Blovsky of the police department’s Street Crimes Unit. “He had a friend bring him to the station and came in peacefully.”
Police charged Osby with first-degree robbery, a felony; unlawful imprisonment; second-degree harassment and petit larceny.
After processing, Osby was arraigned in Olean City Court before Judge Daniel Palumbo. Osby was remanded to Cattaraugus County Jail without bail until his next court appearance.
Osby has previously served time behind bars for robbery, being sentenced to a maximum term of 3 ½ years in state prison after being convicted of first-degree attempted robbery, a class C felony, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision database. His term expiration date was Aug. 30, 2012.
Authorities are still searching for Osby’s alleged accomplice, James Earl Pittman, 23, who has a last known address of 321 Daisy Place, Buffalo.
“We’ve heard he is somewhere down in the Bradford, Pa., area, and we’ve notified police down there to be on the lookout,” Blovsky said.
Pittman faces the same charges as Osby, the captain said. Police describe Pittman as standing 5-feet-11-inches and weighing approximately 160 pounds.
Around 9 a.m. Nov. 6, police say, Osby and Pittman knocked on the door of the North Third Street residence and pushed their way inside after the lone male occupant answered. The victim was uninjured. The alleged robbers did not brandish a weapon.
“According to the victim, Osby was the more forceful one of the two during the incident,” Blovsky said.
Osby and Pittman took a pair of boots and a cellphone, Blovsky said.
“They were looking for money, and they thought there was money stashed in the boots,” he said.
Investigators believe the robbery was not a random act and that the pair had targeted the house.
Anyone with information on the incident or the whereabouts of Pittman can call Olean police at 376-5678. Calls will be kept confidential.
