BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A former Cattaraugus County man is facing a felony charge for failing to appear in court in connection to a hate crime case.
The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that 50-year-old Michael J. Cremen of Mountain Home, Arkansas appeared in State Supreme Court Friday. Cremen was taken into custody in Arkansas by the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office on an outstanding bench warrant and an indictment warrant. He was brought back to Western New York by the U.S. Marshals Service earlier this week.
Cremen, whose last known address was in Franklinville, was indicted on one count of second-degree menacing and one count of second-degree harassment and was released on his own recognizance following his arraignment on July 2, 2021.
The charges were in connection to an August 2020 incident in which Cremen allegedly threatened protesters with a knife, while using racial slurs, during a demonstration on Hertel Avenue near Parkside Avenue. He also allegedly pushed and made threats toward one protester during the incident.
Cremen is accused of repeatedly failing to appear in court on a scheduled date and was arraigned Friday morning on an indictment charging him with one count of second-degree bail jumping.
He is scheduled to return on both cases on January 3, 2023 for an attorney appearance and was remanded without bail.
