AUBURN - Throop town councilor William Tonzi was arraigned on four felony charges related to forging U.S. currency in Cayuga County Court Thursday.

Tonzi, 44, of 7058 Beach Tree Road, Auburn, pleaded not guilty to the felony charges of first-degree forgery and three counts of first-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Tonzi is accused of passing three forged $20 bills at the Big Lots store on Grant Avenue in Sennett Aug. 30, passing three forged $20 bills at the Northside Beverage corner store at York and North streets in Auburn Sept. 24 and two forged $10 bills at the Pit Stop Gas Station and Convenience Store in Port Byron Nov. 2.

Tonzi's case was placed on the 45-day motion calendar with motion arguments set for April 7.

Also in court:

• Jason Abron, 30, of Geneva, had his trial date on a number of criminal weapons possession and other charges set for April 25. Abron is accused of aiming a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun at an Auburn police officer during a foot chase Oct. 24.

• Timothy Alcock, 26, of 2 Gaylord St., Auburn, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of second-degree robbery. Alcock admitted he was the strong-armed culprit who snatched an elderly woman's purse outside of a Grant Avenue store Dec. 2.

The victim suffered a broken wrist, a broken tooth and a concussion.

Alcock was previously convicted of a first-degree attempted robbery charge in August 1995 and convicted of a third-degree burglary charge in June 2001.

Alcock's sentencing is scheduled for March 24.

• Bryan Colon, 25, a state prisoner originally from Buffalo, had his trial set for March 7 on a felony charge of first-degree possession of dangerous contraband in a prison. Colon allegedly possessed a weapon used for stabbing April 20 at the Auburn Correctional Facility. Colon's request to have his assigned lawyer Kevin Taylor changed was denied.

• Mark Hopeman, 44, of 52 Orchard St., Auburn, was scheduled to enter a guilty plea on a reckless endangerment charge, but will have a bench trial in his DWI case instead.

Court officials said Hopeman was intoxicated during his court appearance Thursday. When Hopeman refused to take a BAC test, Corning remanded him without bail.

Hopeman is charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree criminal mischief and a felony DWI charge for allegedly driving drunk Nov. 5 with a 0.22 blood alcohol count, leading police on a car chase and ramming a police vehicle by putting his vehicle in reverse while a police officer was exiting his cruiser to approach Hopeman's vehicle.

• William Hornburg, 47, of 12036 Old State Road, Cato, had a bench trial scheduled for March 28 in his misdemeanor case of second-degree governmental administration. Hornburg allegedly resisted a sheriff's deputy transporting him to court proceedings at the Victory Town Court July 28.

• Kriss Kissel, 39, of Syracuse, was sentenced to one year in county jail for his sixth driving while intoxicated conviction. Kissel admitted he drove without a license and with a 0.15 percent blood alcohol count Aug. 6 on Route 34 in Cato.

Kissel was also sentenced to a $1,000 fine, a $295 surcharge and had his license revoked for the rest of his life.

• Dustin Kryszczuk, 32, of 265 Fenner Road, Lansing, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of driving while intoxicated

Kryszczuk admitted he drove while intoxicated on Beech Tree Road in Aurelius on May 23 at 2:10 a.m. His sentencing is scheduled for March 31.

• Jamie Peterson, 25, of 14 Allis Ave., Moravia, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary. Peterson admitted he stole tools from an Aurora Street residence in Moravia Oct. 24.

His sentencing is scheduled for March 24.

Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net