Deputies: Lima man facing felony charges after violent attempted robbery

LIMA, N.Y. (WHEC) — A Lima man is facing felony charges after the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office says he tried to rob three people at Mark Tubbs Memorial Park last month.

It happened on Oct. 25 at around 6:30 p.m. Deputies say the victims thought they were going to meet a friend at the Lima park, but before they arrived, they were told to meet in the public bathroom inside the park due to bad weather.

Deputies say when they got inside the bathroom, James Maggio, 20, of Lima popped out of the bathroom stall in a ski mask, pointing what looked like a pistol at them, and told them to give him their cellphones, and other items they had on them.

He’s accused of threatening to shoot one of the victims and putting the gun, which police later discovered was a BB gun, at the throat of one of the victims.

Deputies say none of them were hurt during the incident.

At around 9:30 p.m. that same night, deputies took Maggio into custody. They say they also searched his house and found two illegal knives and a taser, and that when they searched one of his relatives’ houses in Avon, they found a BB gun that looks like a Glock. Deputies say Maggio tried to hide it there.

Maggio was charged with three counts of felony first degree attempted robbery, felony third and fourth degree conspiracy, felony tampering with physical evidence, felony second degree criminal use of a firearm, four counts of fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon, three counts of second degree menacing and endangering the welfare of a child.

He was arraigned and bail was set at $500 cash or $1,000 bond.

Deputies say they are still investigating, and they believe a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old helped Maggio commit the crime. More arrests are expected.