ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A man who wore a clown mask and brandished a chain saw during a frightful episode in an upstate New York neighborhood was convicted Wednesday of two felony charges.
A jury in Albany County Court found the 35-year-old man guilty of first-degree menacing and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the May 1 incident in Cohoes. Sentencing was set for Feb. 6, when he faces two to seven years in prison.
Lee Kindlon, the county's district attorney, said the man was seen on surveillance video footage walking in the neighborhood wearing the clown mask and a football jersey and carrying a red chain saw in the mid-afternoon.
A local resident confronted the masked man, who pulled a plastic sheath off the chain saw and raised it in a threatening manner, Kindlon said. During a fight, the resident subdued the man until police arrived, the prosecutor said. Officers also found metal knuckles on the man, he said.
The jury returned guilty verdicts after a two-day trial and two hours of deliberation, Kindlon said. The defendant did not testify, and the defense did not call any witnesses.
The man and his public defender did not immediately return text and phone messages left at listings for them Wednesday evening.
Prosecutors called four witnesses to the stand and showed the video clip of the man.
This image taken from body camera footage provided by Cohoes Police Department, N.Y., shows a chainsaw and clown mask, May 1, 2025, in Cohoes, N.Y. (Cohoes Police Department, NY via AP)
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Incidents that were “more than online death threats” cemented Connor Hellebuyck’s decision to ask for a trade from the Winnipeg Jets, he said Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters there for the first time since being dealt to New Jersey on Oct. 23, the goaltender said his family experienced “a few moments that I don’t want to see happen again.” He added he wanted to keep the details of the incidents private.
“There was some moments and some things that happened to my family that, for me, crossed the line and as a husband and a father, I felt made that decision very certain," Hellebuyck said. "I needed to be a good husband and a good father and do what’s best for my family and my career.”
Hellebuyck backstopped the U.S. to men’s hockey gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February. In the aftermath, he attended a White House reception honoring the team, drawing criticism in Canada.
Asked if the fallout played a role in the backlash, Hellebuyck said: "I’m sure it did a little bit. I don’t think it matters if it’s fair or not."
“Those are accomplishments that I will never apologize for, and I will never speak negatively about,” the 33-year-old from Michigan said of his Olympic success. “I know the sensitivity about what’s going on between the U.S. and Canada, and I’ve never gotten into politics deep with anyone because I’m a hockey player.”
Hellebuyck said he still has a “strong emotional connection” to Winnipeg, and he doesn’t want what happened to reflect on the city as a whole.
“I grew up here," he said. “I made a lot of connections here. I don’t want anyone to think I don’t love it here.”
Hellebuyck said he was being honest about wanting to play for the Jets for his entire career when he signed a seven-year, $59.5 million contract extension in October 2023. But he said a lot has changed since then, from his family’s comfort in Winnipeg to the team’s competitiveness.
“To the people who feel that I’ve been disloyal, well, there’s also a lot that I was not expecting to happen go on throughout this contract,” he said.
The Devils said Sunday night that Hellebuyck would not play against his former team on Tuesday night, citing a decline in their expected win probability. Hellebuyck has won all five starts he has made since the trade and said he spoke with coach Sheldon Keefe and general manager Sunny Mehta about the situation.
“I’m 14 days into a new team, and they handle their business differently than I’m used to,” Hellebuyck said. “When I went in there and said my piece and said I felt it was my duty to play this game and said ‘I want to play,’ I had a good conversation with (Keefe and Mehta), and I left that conversation understanding where they’re at.”
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New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck talks to the media after a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck takes a break during a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck talks to the media after a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck looks on during a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck talks to the media after a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck makes a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vegas Golden Knights, Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
