Bax to Take Plea to Settle Case

Longtime City Hall veteran Guy Bax will take plea to a single count to settle case

Former City of Niagara Falls building commissioner Guy Bax who was suspended by Mayor Paul Dyster in August of 2009 because the mayor questioned his relationship with plumbing contractor John Gross, is expected to take a criminal plea in the very near future to accepting a gratuity from Gross, the Niagara Falls Reporter has learned.

Suspended with pay, Bax retired in January of 2011 and has never been charged with any crime during a lengthy federal investigation of City Hall’s dealings with Gross who is currently serving a 33-month federal prison term for tax evasion.

The Bax probe surfaced again on Monday when two FBI agents visited Niagara Falls City Hall and the basement offices of the landlord licensing department, Mayor Dyster confirmed on Monday afternoon. The mayor said he believed the agents were hoping to talk to Randy Ubriaco, who had beenworking as the landlord licensing agent until recently. Ubriaco reportedly was not present when agents visited the office but he told us later he been questioned recently about the Bax matter, but he called it “routine questioning following up on something that happened four or five years ago.”

Dyster said he believes the visit was related to the Bax case and sources tell the Reporter Ubriaco worked part-time under Bax before the former commissioner was suspended.

Meanwhile, the Niagara Falls Reporter has learned that Bax, who has never admitted any wrongdoing and was in open conflict with the Dyster Administration over code enforcement policies, will accept a plea of going on a fishing trip with Gross to settle the case.

Bax could not be reached for comment and a late afternoon call to the FBI was not returned by press time.