Orange County News
For Immediate Release Contact: Christopher Borek
June 7, 2018 845.291.3276, 845.238.4245c
District Attorney Hoovler Announces Prison Sentence
In Gun Possession Case
Newburgh Man Sentenced to Thirteen Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing
Loaded Handgun That He Discharged in Street Dispute
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Thursday, June 7, 2018, Antonio Harriott, 27, of Newburgh, was sentenced by Orange County Court Judge William L. DeProspo to thirteen years in state prison and five years post-release supervision in connection with having fired an illegally possessed pistol in the air during a street confrontation in the City of Newburgh in August 2017. On March 15, 2018, Harriott had been convicted after a jury trial of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.
At the trial prosecutors argued that on August 4, 2017, the defendant and another man were involved in a verbal confrontation with others on Lander Street in the City of Newburgh. Prosecutors argued that during the confrontation Harriott pulled out a semiautomatic handgun that he fired into the air. Police recovered a .380 caliber shell casing from the scene, but never recovered the actual weapon.
District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department for their arrest and investigation of the case.
“The community will be safer during the more than one decade that this defendant is in prison,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “We cannot tolerate those who illegally carry handguns on our city streets, much less those who engage in reckless gunplay to settle disputes. My Office will continue to seek severe state prison sentences for those who illegally possess loaded firearms. We owe a debt of gratitude to all the brave police officers who work to keep our streets safe.”
District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Assistant District Attorney Christopher Kelly and Assistant District Attorney Michael Purcell who prosecuted the case.