The Johnstown Police Department announced five arrests in connection to a five-week investigation that began with a traffic stop where drugs and a pipe bomb were discovered last month.

The investigation included an initial traffic stop and searches in Johnstown and Gloversville last month and two more searches this week in Gloversville, police said.

Johnstown officers first stopped John M. Lamont, of Gloversville, and Krista N. Moore in the Summers Best Ice Cream parking lot on Briggs Street around 11 p.m. on July 15, according to a department press release. Lamont, who identified himself as a member of the Hells Angels Outlaw Motorcycle Club, was found to be driving without a valid license.

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit was requested to the scene and a K-9 officer detected narcotics. Officers located 20 grams of methamphetamine and a pipe bomb. The New York State Police Bomb Disposal Unit was requested to the scene and safely recovered the explosive. Lamont and Moore were taken into custody, police said.

July searches

The Glove Cities Emergency Response Team, made up of members from the Johnstown police, Gloversville police and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, then executed two additional search warrants at 4 Washington St. in Johnstown and 385 North Main St. in Gloversville — Lamont’s residence, police said.

Thomas Warner of 4 Washington St. was taken into custody on a pair of misdemeanors. Multiple pieces of evidence consistent with manufacturing pipe bombs were taken from 385 North Main St., the department said in the release.

With the assistance of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and New York State Police Forensic Video Multimedia Services Unit, law enforcement said they were able to use surveillance footage to identify several women who removed items from Lamont’s residence, intending to prevent the police from discovering them.

Searches Tuesday

Then this week, on Tuesday, the Glove Cities Emergency Response Team executed two additional search warrants at 83 Third St. and 20 Steele Ave. in Gloversville. Danielle L. Murray (also known as Danielle Lasher) and Laura J. Seeley were taken into custody. A quantity of methamphetamine, a shotgun as well as two additional pipe bombs were located by police, law enforcement said.

Johnstown police ensured in its release that there is no current threat to the public.

Charges filed

Lamont has been charged with first-degree criminal possession of a weapon (explosive), a felony, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and aggravated unlicensed operation, both misdemeanors. He was remanded to the Fulton County Correctional Facility on a $50,000 bail.

Moore was charged with three felonies, first-degree criminal possession of a weapon (explosive), third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. She was remanded to the Fulton County Correctional Facility on a $10,000 bail.

Warner still has charges pending, but is currently charged with second-degree obstruction of governmental administration and resisting arrest.

Seely was charged with first-degree criminal possession of a weapon (explosive), second-degree hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence, all felonies, as well as second-degree obstructing governmental administration, a misdemeanor. She was released on her own recognizance and scheduled to appear in court at a later date.

Murray was charged with second-degree hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence, both felonies, as well as second-degree obstructing governmental administration. She was also released on her own recognizance and scheduled to appear in court at a later date.

The release said Murray is facing additional charges from the Gloversville Police Department.

PETER R. BARBER John Amidon at the Kateri Shrine in the town of Mohawk Wednesday, August 13, 2025.

John Amidon at the Kateri Shrine in the town of Mohawk on Aug. 13.

John Amidon at the Kateri Shrine in the town of Mohawk on Aug. 13. Amidon is a co-organizer of the Kateri Tekakwitha Peace Conference.

With ever-developing wars that are going on across the world, individuals may believe they can’t make an impact. Maureen Auman and John Amidon, co-organizers of the Kateri Tekakwitha Peace Conference, are working to change that mindset.

The 27th annual peace conference will take place in Fonda at the Saint Kateri National Shrine and Historic Site, 3636 State Route 5, on Aug. 22 and 23. The theme this year is, “Palestine and Israel: Tragedy, Trauma, Truth & Compassion.”

Both organizers were distraught about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and were moved to make it the center of their conference this year.

“I mean, it’s unbelievable that people would be slaughtering children and women, and men too, for that matter,” Amidon said. “It’s just unbelievable.”

Amidon was steadfast in making sure this war was a topic at this year’s conference. He and Auman had discussed the theme of climate change as another possibility, but felt that the issues in Gaza had a greater relevance.

Contacting speakers

Auman began the process to contact different credible speakers five months ago. Both organizers wanted to make sure that the speakers could educate attendees on the conflict, as well as list ways to make an impact.

Speakers will include: Middle East activist Phyllis Bennis, poet D. Colin, civil rights attorney Kathy Manley, peace activist Brian Terrell, climate activist Pippa Bartolotti, nurse and activist Jeid Ebanks,........

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