SCHENECTADY — A Schenectady man who held a restaurant employee at knifepoint and stole his cigarettes during a theft spree will spend nearly a decade in prison.
Schenectady County Judge Matthew Sypniewski sentenced James R. Downing, 54, to eight years in prison for the August incident at Katie O’Byrnes Irish Pub & Restaurant in Schenectady. He’s also required to spend five years on parole.
The victim in the case will have a 20-year restraining order, according to the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office…