Orange County News

For Immediate Release                                                                           Contact: Christopher Borek
March 12, 2019                                                                                  845.291.3276, 845.238.4245c

District Attorney Hoovler Announces Guilty Plea in Shooting Case

Defendant Admits Shooting Middletown Man

Faces 10 Years in State Prison

 Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, Modesto Santiago, 21, of Middletown, pleaded guilty before Orange County Court Judge Robert H. Freehill to Assault in the First Degree, in connection with the August 2018 shooting of Middletown man.

At the time that he pleaded guilty, Santiago admitted that on August 30, 2018, at approximately 7:30 pm, he shot a man on Monhagen Avenue in Middletown with a .380 caliber pistol.  Santiago was arrested the day after the shooting occurred.  The victim was hospitalized for injuries he sustained in the shooting.

Pursuant to a plea agreement which was placed on the record at the time that Santiago pleaded guilty, the District Attorney’s Office will recommend that he be sentenced to twelve years in state prison and five years post-release supervision when he is sentenced on April 23, 2019.  The judge stated that he would sentence Santiago to up to ten years in state prison and five years post-release supervision.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Middletown Police Department for their investigation and the arrest of Santiago, as well as the New York State Police who assisted in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eliza Filipowski. 

“I commend the City of Middletown Police Department for their investigation of this case and for their quick apprehension of the defendant,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “My office will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners in reducing gun violence and will seek severe state prison sentences for all those who use illegally possessed guns to settle their disputes.”

 A criminal charge is merely an allegation 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.