Violent fugitive and two others arrested on Onondaga Nation, sheriff says

Onondaga County law enforcement said a violent fugitive wanted in a series of stabbings and robberies was arrested on the Onondaga Nation, along with two other suspects, after a coordinated operation that pulled in several sheriff’s office units and required approval from tribal leadership.

Sheriff’s officials identified the fugitive as Jeffrey Smoke Jr., 44. They said he faced multiple felony charges, including robbery, assault in the first and second degree and criminal possession of a weapon. Jessica M. Manzi, 36, was also charged with felony robbery, assault and weapons offenses. Shane Bucktooth, 43, was charged with felony assault and felony criminal possession of a weapon.

The sheriff’s office said the arrests came after Road Patrol, the Criminal Investigations Division, Special Enforcement, School Resource Officers and SWAT worked together. Deputies said they were given permission by the Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs to enter the territory for the operation, a rare instance of cross-jurisdiction cooperation in a case officials described as highly sensitive.

Investigators said Smoke had been wanted for what they described as a brutal pattern of attacks and believed he likely would have continued escalating his violence if he had not been stopped quickly. Among the incidents outlined by the sheriff’s office, Smoke and Manzi allegedly lured two victims to a residence on April 9, where one victim was stabbed in the neck and another was attacked with a baseball bat. In another February incident, officials said additional victims were allegedly brought to the residence under the pretense of buying drugs, then assaulted and robbed.

The sheriff’s office also said Smoke was accused in a February 4 encounter in which he allegedly struck a driver in the face several times, took over the vehicle and led deputies on a high-speed pursuit. Officials cited a 2025 robbery at Speedway in Nedrow and said Smoke had a prior robbery conviction involving an assault rifle.

Authorities said they were looking for additional possible victims and asked anyone affected to contact the Criminal Investigations Division. The arrest, officials said, removed a person they considered an immediate danger from the community.