Falls mayoral candidate and community activist is indicted on burglary and related charges
Mar. 30—LOCKPORT — Demetreus Nix, a Falls community activist and mayoral candidate, has pleaded not guilty to a grand jury indictment stemming from a January break-in at a Pierce Avenue property.
Nix entered his plea to charges of third-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief and petit larceny during an arraignment Wednesday morning before Niagara County Court Judge John Ottaviano. The charges stem from a reported break-in at a home in the 1100 block of Pierce Avenue on Jan. 16.
He was released on his own recognizance, as the charges are not bail eligible, and he is due back in court June 7 for a pre-trial hearing.
Nix has not been charged, but has been linked to a reported burglary at an apartment building in the 500 block of 20th Street, between Jan. 18 and 19, that is under the control of the same owners as the Pierce Avenue property.
The owner of Nix Construction and Property Management and founder of the Entrepreneur School of Thought on 19th Street, was originally arrested by Falls police on a criminal complaint days after the two January burglaries. He was initially charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree grand larceny in connection with the break-in at 1117 Pierce Ave., that resulted in an estimated $30,000 in damages to the property and the alleged theft of $1,500 in construction equipment.
The property was being renovated by Rod Davis, a Western New York developer, whose firm, Power City Ventures, LLC, had been designated by the city as the preferred developer for a housing renovation project that was eligible for up to $1 million in reimbursable grant funds through the state's Restore New York program. Davis has since withdrawn from the renovation project.
Nix has claimed that Davis owed him $13,000 for work his construction company performed at Power City-controlled properties in the Falls. Specifically, Nix claimed that he was owed money for work done at a property owned by a David-controlled subsidiary known as Akeed, Incorporated.
A police report on the burglary at 1117 Pierce Ave., listed the property as owned by Akeed Incorporated.
In an interview with the Gazette, Nix has admitted that he has been inside the Pierce Avenue property. But he has insisted that he was only there to do renovation and repair work for Davis.
He denies committing the burglary.
"Of course my fingerprints are over there," Nix told the Gazette. "I did all the work on that house."
Sources with knowledge of the burglary investigation have told the Gazette that evidence linking Nix to the crime includes security camera video in addition to fingerprints and other forensic evidence.
Nix, who served nine years in prison following his guilty plea to a manslaughter charge as a teenager, announced earlier this month that he would be a candidate for mayor in the June Democratic primary election.
Incumbent Mayor Robert Restaino and former Falls City Councilman Glenn Choolokian have also declared their candidacies for the Democratic primary. Restaino has the endorsement of the Falls Democratic Committee.
The criminal charges could complicate Nix's campaign plans. A section of the City Charter bars elected city officials from holding office if they have been convicted of a crime involving "moral turpitude."
