Authorities say in release: City man indicted for perjury

ALBANY >> A Saratoga Springs man is being charged for lying to a federal grand jury that was investigating an arson that killed four people in Schenectady, authorities said in a news release.

An indictment unsealed Friday charges Richard Ramsey, 47, of Saratoga Springs with four counts of making false declarations before a federal grand jury, the release said.

If convicted, Ramsey faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a $250,000

fine on each count, and a term of supervised release of up to three years, the release said. If convicted on all four counts, he faces a total maximum sentence of imprisonment of 20 years and a $1 million fine (in addition to supervised release for up to three years).

Ramsey appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and was held pending his arraignment and detention hearing Monday at 1:30 p.m.

According to the release, the indictment alleges the false declarations were made to a grand jury investigating the fire on or about May 2, 2013 at 438 Hulett St. in Schenectady, which caused the deaths of David Terry and three young children, seriously injured another child, and destroyed the building.

Ramsey testified under oath before the grand jury on Oct. 11, 2013, Jan. 10, 2014, and May 5, 2016. He gave four sets of statements that were contradictory and inconsistent to the degree that one of them was necessarily false, the release said.

According to the release, the indictment alleges that on Oct. 11, 2013, Ramsey testified he allowed Robert Butler to use his car on May 2, 2013, but later, on May 5, 2016, gave irreconcilably contradictory testimony.

On Jan. 10, 2014, Ramsey testified that he drove his car to a specific location so that Robert Butler could later use it to drive to Schenectady on May 2, 2013, the release said. Ramsey also testified he affixed a New York license plate he found in a barn to his car and that license plate was on his car on May 2, 2013, the release said.

However, on May 5, 2016, Ramsey gave irreconcilably contradictory testimony, the release said.

On Oct. 11, 2013 and Jan. 10, 2014, Ramsey testified he took his car to a junkyard to be scrapped because he believed it had been used by Robert Butler to drive to 438 Hulett St. to set the fire, but then, on May 5, 2016, gave contradictory testimony about why he took the car to a junkyard, the release said.

Also charged in the same case Friday was Bryan Fish, age 22, of Schenectady. A news release said Fish was charged with three counts of making false declarations before a federal grand jury that was investigating the arson.

Fish plead not guilty and was held pending a detention hearing Monday.

The charges announced today result from an ongoing investigation into the fatal fire, the release said. There is a reward of up to a total of $40,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the arson, the release said. Anyone who has information can call ATF at 1-888-ATF-FIRE (1-888-2833473), or email ATFTips@ atf.gov, or contact ATF through its website at www. atf.gov/contact/atf-tips

The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict of the New York field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.