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Weapons Seized, Falconer Man Jailed After Threatening ‘Terrible Violence’

Pictured are guns confiscated by Ellicott police after learning of a threat made on social media. Submitted photo

A Falconer man was jailed after a cache of weapons were seized in a storage unit not long after he reportedly made a threat of “terrible violence” on social media.

Ellicott police took 36-year-old James B. Caloren into custody on five felony counts of criminal possession of a weapon after receiving information Feb. 28 that he had allegedly posted a message on Facebook threatening violence.

Det. Kevin Pierce of the Ellicott Police Department said the threat was credible enough to begin an investigation. During that time, officers learned that a local storage unit rented by Caloren may have contained weapons.

“It was a credible threat that basically said he was contemplating doing terrible violence,” Pierce told The Post-Journal on Tuesday. “We always take these kinds of things seriously, especially in this day and age. Based on our investigation and the people we talked to, we learned of the storage unit and that he may have been keeping weapons in there.”

A warrant was obtained, and during a search of the unit, police found an AK-47 assault rifle, 16- and 12-gauge shotguns, a rifle, other weapons and a “large amount of ammunition,” Ellicott police said. Due to past convictions — non of which reportedly involved weapons — Caloren was barred from owning firearms.

James Caloren

Caloren was taken into custody and arraigned in Ellicott Town Court on the felony charges. He was remanded to the Chautauqua County Jail on March 1; no further no court date has been announced.

Ellicott police said federal charges are expected against the Falconer man. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also investigating.

Pierce asked the public to notify police when suspicious activities are observed. He said he was surprised more residents did not tip police off to Caloren’s comment on Facebook.

“I’m kind of surprised we didn’t get more calls on it,” Pierce said. “We just can’t allow something like that to be posted. We encourage the public to reach out if they see something and to say something.”

Ellicott police can be reached on its anonymous tip line at 241-9877. Information can also be sent to the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force — of which Ellicott is a member — at 483-TIPS.

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