The False Evidence Used in the False Conviction of William M. Dean
By Former DA Tantillo, NYSP Szoczei and Dake — As Follows Herein in Part
Click any (letter) in the text below to jump to that exhibit.
First, then NYSP Inv. Miklos S. Szoczei II told DA Michael R. Tantillo that he had a statement by Dean's then girlfriend Leighanne Attridge-Kuchinick that they were both at Walmart in Macedon, NY using a stolen credit card from a Town of Richmond burglary of John and Jessica Alliet. He also told Tantillo that he had the two of them on Walmart security video using said stolen credit card, and their car. ALL this information was falsified by DA Tantillo, NYSP Szoczei and NYSP Dake.
Ontario County Sheriff's Office Investigator Gregory J. Shaffer was present during the alleged statement of Ms. Attridge-Kuchinick and refused to perjure himself during the Grand Jury or trial testimony as NYSP Szoczei and DA Tantillo did.
See what is called a police field note written by NYSP Inv. Miklos S. Szoczei II, dated May 26, 2010, interview of Leighanne Attridge-Kuchinick with Inv. Gregory J. Shaffer (Ontario County Sheriffs' Investigator) received on August 15, 2014 by Dean. Discovered in some files with the New York State Police Troop "E" Farmington, NY, to which NYSP Szoczei provided to his superior in charge and obtained by OCSO Gregory Shaffer.
Now see what was alleged to be the only field note written by NYSP Szoczei, that was provided to then OCDA Michael R. Tantillo and in turn sent to Mr. Dean's prior trial counsel Jeffrey R. Morrow on February 28, 2011 — long after the trial started — dated May 26, 2010.
Now see police field note written by Ontario County Sheriff's Office Inv. Gregory J. Shaffer on May 26, 2010 of the interview of Leighanne Attridge-Kuchinick at the Monroe County Jail with NYSP Inv. Miklos S. Szoczei II— received by Mr. Dean on August 23, 2016, more than 5 years after trial, withheld by OCDA Tantillo for many years.
See the falsified NY CPL 710.30 notice written by NYSP Szoczei of the alleged allegation made by Ms. Attridge-Kuchinick — added some time later with the intent to create evidence of a crime against Mr. Dean, as it was fabricated after the fact.
See black and white photo of T-shirt allegedly removed from Mr. Dean's property at the Monroe County Jail as alleged by NYSP Inv. Dake on July 22, 2010 — eleven (11) days before the search warrant was applied for and obtained by Szoczei and Dake.
Szoczei claimed he and Dake searched and photographed the property with a search warrant at the Monroe County Jail on August 06, 2010 — when it was only NYSP Dake on July 22, 2010. Szoczei told Dake to hold the photographs until August 6, 2010 so he could obtain a search warrant.
See report of NYSP Inv. Aaron B. Dake at the Monroe County Jail, dated July 22, 2010, obtained by OCSO Inv. Shaffer — confirming Dake was there alone in the Monroe County Jail, before any search warrant existed.
See search warrant application by Szoczei, dated August 02, 2010, provided to Hon. William F. Kocher, Ontario County Court Judge — applied for 11 days after Dake had already taken the alleged T-shirt as shown in Exhibit F report.
See the search warrant allegedly executed on August 6, 2010 — the date Szoczei and Dake falsely claimed they seized the T-shirt, despite having done so on July 22, 2010 as noted in their reports.
See what the Court lists as a return to the Court of Seized Property obtained bya search warrant filed by Szoczei and Dake claiming they removed from the Monroe County Jail on August 6, 2010 — despite Dake having done so on July 22, 2010 — filed with Hon. William F. Kocher, Ontario County Court Judge, dated August 9, 2010, and photo of property allegedly obtained. Not the real property.
The black and white photo shown in Exhibit E was used at the Grand Jury as Exhibit 8 see the transcripts attached hereto, with Tantillo and Szoczei claiming the T-shirt was found in Dean's property at the Monroe County Jail by means of a search warrant to Grand Jury members. The Grand Jury and Trial testimony transcripts are certified and available as evidence. Szoczei stated the real evidence was at the barracks, the grand jury was to take his word for what it was, and not for them to see it make a independent determination as they are supposed to do. Same as to the alleged security video of Walmart that they never saw Just Szoczei's Word for it. They also denied the Grand Jury to see the Material Exculpatory Witnesses at Walmart who said it was not William Dean or Attridge-Kuchinick using the alleged stolen credit card that day. Again just take NYSP Szoczei word for what it depicted, as was done in trial also.
Now see the colored photograph provided to prior trial attorney Jeffrey R. Morrow on/or about December 13, 2010 by Tantillo, Szoczei — of the T-shirt seized under the alleged search warrant on August 6, 2010 — which is BLUE, NOT RED, ORANGE or any other color. Ignored by attorney Morrow.
The application for the search warrant says it's RED. All the witnesses, police reports, Tantillo, Szoczei and Dake testified to the Grand Jury and at trial that it the T-shirt with the letters MMA ELITE across the front. The mug shot photo showed it was ORANGE — NOT RED or BLUE no MMA ELITE. Monroe County Sheriff stated it was ORANGE, as did witnesses in the report.
During closing argument at the end of trial, Tantillo stated: "it was RED with a SKULL and an ARROW going through its EYE" — despite presenting a BLUE one and displaying one with a large black cross on the front with the words "MMA Elite" in a black and white photo to the Grand Jury and trial jury. The Walmart Asset Protection Manager, Monti Harshfield, identified it during trial as the one with the words "MMA Elite" across the front alleging it was purchased at Walmart and can ben seen in the Walmart Security video claiming it did not work. Again further claiming that the video did not work so the jury and grand jury could not see it just take Inv. Szoczei's and Harshfield's word for it. What they did manage to show the jury after they alleged played with the video was edited and cut out the material witnesses nd no one was identifiable.
See the RED T-shirt Mr. Dean was actually wearing — shown in photographs taken by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office Pittsford, NY when he was unlawfully arrested for the false charges that were eventually dismissed in Monroe County. Taken on May 21, 2010, in the Town of Pittsford, NY, MC Sheriff's Office Sub. Zone "A".
See the mug shot photo taken at the Monroe County Jail on May 22, 2010, some 9+ hours after the arrest of Mr. Dean — while he was in the Monroe County Sheriff's custody the entire time before the charges were dismissed.
Unfortunately for Tantillo, Szoczei and Dake, they did not know that Monroe County had taken photos of Mr. Dean in the RED T-shirt on May 21, 2010 during an incident injury report — when he was unlawfully arrested and assaulted by officers — more than 9 hours before this mug shot was taken.
Further, Tantillo and Mark Dean — Mr. Dean's former brother — also testified falsely at the Grand Jury and trial to cover up his own criminal actions, falsely accusing his former brother of burglarizing his own home to collect a false insurance claim. His former brother also claimed that the car seen at Walmart was his brother's William's.
This is Mr. Dean's actual car as identified by his brother — directly contradicting that claim also with held from the jury as was the actual car seen at Walmart that Tantillo and Szoczei had photographs of and Szoczei wrote a field not depicting a different car. All withheld.
This is a sample of the evidence found since his trial from 2011 to date and withheld by the then Ontario County District Attorney, Michael R. Tantillo, and additional evidence is still being withheld by that office being run then by OCDA James B. Ritts. A new request was made on August 11, 2026 for the missing material exculpatory evidence.
Nor was the then Ontario County Supreme Court Judge, Hon. Craig J. Doran forthcoming in enforcing his order issued to Tantillo and his former office on July 22, 2016 to provide Mr. Dean with a complete copy of his entire file — not done as of August 11, 2026 either.
See Index No. 113796-2016 Ontario County Clerk's Office, 20 Ontario Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424 for the court order and CPLR Article 78 petition filed and ordered.
Exhibits
Click any exhibit letter in the text above, or expand below to read the full description.
More exhibits coming soon — some photos and documents in G through L pending. Updated: 09/02/2026