Orange County News
 For Immediate Release                                                                        Contact: Christopher Borek 
June 15, 2022                                                                                           845.291.3276, 845.238.4245c

District Attorney Hoovler Announces Conviction After Jury Trial in Gun and Driving While Intoxicated Case

New Jersey Man Convicted of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and Driving While Intoxicated

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Louis Dessources, age 38, of New Jersey, was convicted following a jury trial in Orange County Court of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of Alcohol.  Dessources faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in state prison and five years of post-release supervision when he is sentenced on August 4, 2022.  Dessources was remanded to the Orange County Jail without bail following the jury’s verdict.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Police for their arrest of the defendant and their assistance in the prosecution.

On August 15, 2021, at approximately 2:47 a.m., members of the New York State Police  stopped a Lincoln Navigator that as driving southbound on the New York State Thruway, in the Town of New Windsor, for traffic violations. Dessources was the driver and sole occupant of the car.  The troopers noticed that  Dessources had the odor of  alcoholic beverage on his breath and appeared intoxicated.   Dessources, who refused to take a breathalyzer test, was arrested for misdemeanor Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of Alcohol.   A loaded 9 mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic pistol was found in Dessources’ book-bag which was recovered from the front passenger seat of the car. 

“Illegal weapons possession cannot be tolerated,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “This defendant possessed the loaded pistol in a bag that was within arms-reach as he was driving on the New York State Thruway.  This illegally possessed handgun endangered the community, as did the defendant’s actions in choosing to drive on a highway while he was  intoxicated.  I am grateful to the New York State Police for their vigilance in protecting the public.” 

District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Assistant District Attorney Peter Fernandez and Senior Assistant District Attorney Julie Mohl who prosecuted the case.

A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.