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Border Patrol agent pleads to beating elderly couple at scene of wife's death in Massena

Posted 10/18/16

By ANDY GARDNER MASSENA -- A U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with beating an elderly couple who stopped to assist at the scene of his wife’s death will spend five years on probation. Bryan …

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Border Patrol agent pleads to beating elderly couple at scene of wife's death in Massena

Posted

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- A U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with beating an elderly couple who stopped to assist at the scene of his wife’s death will spend five years on probation.

Bryan McDonald, 34, pleaded to two reduced counts of second-degree attempted assault in St. Lawrence County Court on Friday, according to Assistant District Attorney Joshua Haberkornhalm.

The ADA said the court decided the sentence.

“The plea deal called for us to leave sentencing up to the court, but the court has since committed to a five-year term of probation on each felony count and the sentences will run concurrently,” Haberkornhalm said. “I was prepared to do that, so were the victims.”

He added that the judge might additionally impose community service when McDonald is sentenced on Dec. 5 at 1:30 p.m. in St. Lawrence County Court.

McDonald has resigned from his position as a supervisory U.S. Border Patrol agent at the Burke station.

“He resigned in advance of the plea. The felony conviction would have resulted in him losing that position,” Haberkornhalm said.

McDonald was originally charged with two counts of second-degree assault. The charges were felonies because of the age of the victims. State law upgrades an assault charge to a felony when the victim is more than 65 years old and the perpetrator is more than 10 years their junior.

According to statements given to police, McDonald struck Richard F. Ladue, 66, and Carol Ladue, 65, both of Massena.

Carol Ladue gave a statement to police saying she and her husband were returning home from the Massena Community Center in separate cars on county Route 37 Dec. 4 around 10:30 p.m. She said she was flagged down upon arriving at the scene and as she approached after leaving her car, McDonald started yelling at her and punched her in the face, according to her statement. Inv. Nick Arcadi filed a document with the court saying McDonald also kicked her while she was down.

Richard Ladue arrived shortly after his wife, he told police. He got out of his vehicle and McDonald started yelling at him and struck him in the face, he told police. He said in his statement that he believed McDonald broke his nose.

Both Ladues sought treatment at Massena Memorial Hospital, according to documents filed with Massena Town Court.

The investigation into the death of McDonald’s wife, Ashley McDonald, is ongoing. Read more about that here.