Anthony Hall’s Arrest Highlights History with Rochester Police
Weeks after pleading guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny, Anthony Hall is back in custody, this time facing allegations of assaulting a police officer. Hall, 38, is a former Rochester city employee and once led the Pathways to Peace anti-violence initiative. His latest arrest occurred early Thursday morning following an altercation on East Main Street.
This recent incident is not Hall’s first encounter with the Rochester Police Department (RPD). In 2022, Hall filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Rochester, accusing RPD officers of wrongful arrest and harassment. The lawsuit stemmed from a June 18, 2022, incident during Hall’s tenure as the city’s Manager of Violence Prevention and director of the Pathways to Peace program.
According to Hall’s complaint, he was dining at the S&T Lounge on North Street when he stepped outside to investigate a nearby shooting. While speaking with one officer without issue, Hall alleged that Officer Adam Gorman confronted him, forcibly detained him without cause, and, alongside Lt. Nicholas Adams, falsified an arrest report to justify charging him with obstruction of governmental administration. The charge was later dismissed after Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley and RPD Chief David Smith reviewed body-worn camera footage, which reportedly contradicted the officers' accounts.
The Rochester Police Department stated that Thursday’s arrest followed a domestic disturbance call shortly after midnight. Officers found Hall outside a residence with a broken screen window. When instructed to leave, Hall initially refused, engaging in a verbal altercation. As he began to walk away, Hall allegedly shoved an officer in the chest, causing the officer to fall and sustain an upper-body fracture. The injured officer was hospitalized and is expected to be on medical leave for several months.
Hall faces multiple charges, including second-degree assault, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, second-degree harassment, and trespassing. He was arraigned Thursday morning and remanded to the Monroe County Jail without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 7.
In addition to his legal battles with the city, Hall is awaiting sentencing for a prior conviction. He pleaded guilty to stealing from the Coalition of North East Associations (CONEA), a nonprofit where he volunteered. Between December 1, 2018, and September 3, 2019, Hall used the organization’s debit card to transfer over $1,000 to his personal Cash App account. Originally charged with third-degree grand larceny, which carries a maximum 10-year sentence, Hall accepted a plea deal that reduced the charge to fourth-degree grand larceny, with a maximum penalty of four years. As part of the plea agreement, Hall must repay $33,500 in restitution to CONEA. He faces a potential 1½ to 3-year prison term for this crime.
Hall’s latest arrest underscores his dramatic fall from grace. As the former head of Pathways to Peace, he once spearheaded efforts to reduce gang violence and promote community safety. Now, his legal troubles have cast a shadow over his past contributions.
As of January 2025, there have been no updates on Hall’s federal lawsuit against the City of Rochester. City officials have declined to comment on ongoing litigation, and court records show no recent developments in the case.
Hall’s ongoing legal challenges and recent arrest paint a complex picture of a man once dedicated to public service, now grappling with a series of criminal allegations.
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