CANANDAIGUA — At some point, two-time convicted Geneva drug dealer William Jenkins Jr. likely will be extradited to New Jersey to face a manslaughter charge.
For now, the brother of National Football League player Janoris Jenkins remains in the Ontario County Jail for a couple of more weeks.
During a brief proceeding Thursday in Ontario County Court, Judge William Kocher gave Jenkins until July 13 to decide if he wants to fight extradition or agree to be returned to New Jersey, where he is accused of killing another man at his brother’s home.
Jenkins, 34, was charged Wednesday by officials in Bergen County, N.J., with aggravated manslaughter in the death of Roosevelt Rene, 25. His body was found Tuesday at the home of Janoris Jenkins, a cornerback for the New York Giants. William Jenkins and Rene both lived at the home.
ESPN reported that Janoris Jenkins, 29, was not home when Rene died. He has been in Florida since the completion of Giants minicamp two weeks ago and was advised by attorneys to remain in Florida.
Janoris Jenkins’ home is about 10 miles from MetLife Stadium, where the Giants play home games
William Jenkins was arrested by New York State Police on a parole violation late Monday night into early Tuesday morning, after he was at the Expressmart on Collett Road in Farmington. A trooper responding to a suspicious person complaint said Jenkins had been trying to buy gas for nearly two hours but didn’t explain why he could not get it.
Jenkins did not have a valid driver’s license in New York or New Jersey, according to state police, and was on parole for a drug conviction in Ontario County.
Police said Jenkins may have been traveling from New Jersey to Geneva, where he lived previously.
Geneva Police Department Det. Brian Choffin said Jenkins was arrested twice for selling drugs in Geneva, in 2006 and 2010, and did prison terms for both convictions. Choffin added that last year, Jenkins’ cousin Therian Atkins was arrested and pleaded guilty to burglaries at the Smoke Shop and Kwik Fill in Geneva.
Jenkins was taken to jail on a parole detainer Monday night, and state police learned he was a person of interest in Rene’s death. Police and prosecutors from New Jersey interviewed Jenkins Wednesday at the jail and later charged him with aggravated manslaughter.
According to several media sources, Jenkins told New Jersey authorities he got into a fight with Rene. TMZ Sports reported that Rene, also known as music producer Trypps Beatz, was a family friend and Janoris Jenkins collaborated with him on a rap song in March.
According to multiple media sources, police said Rene died by strangulation or suffocation.
Jenkins was represented at Thursday’s court appearance by attorney Carrie Bleakley, with the county conflict defender’s office. She asked Kocher for an adjournment of one or two weeks to talk to Jenkins more about the extradition process.
Kocher told Jenkins he could hire his own attorney, and on July 13 agree to waive extradition or request a hearing. He will be held in jail on the parole detainer until then.