The man accused of kidnapping a woman from her Gates home and throwing her into the Genesee River in Rochester has been found guilty of attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery and menacing.
Franklin Leonard was convicted of five of six charges against him in State Supreme Court.
On October 21, 2015, the 62-year-old Leonard first tried to rob a realty office in Gates, but when he found out they didn’t have money there, he ran to the nearest house and carjacked a 74-year-old woman in her own driveway to make his getaway. He forced her into her car and drove to Flint Street in Rochester, where he threw her into the river, then stole her possessions and fled.
The victim held on to a tree branch until help found and rescued her. Her testimony helped to convict Leonard.
He’ll be sentenced in January.