Prison weapon extends sentence
A state prison inmate was sentenced Monday in Jefferson County Court to an additional 11/2 to 3 years in prison for possessing sharpened objects while incarcerated at Cape Vincent Correctional Facility.
Juan Medina,26, an inmate at Elmira Correctional Facility, had pleaded guilty Jan. 8 to first-degree attempted promotion of prison contraband. He entered an Alford plea, meaning he did not admit to the underlying facts in the case, but was pleading guilty to avoid a possible stiffer sentence if convicted of the crime at trial.
It was alleged in an indictment handed up in May that he had 6-inch and 8-inch sharpened metal rods while incarcerated Sept. 10, 2008 at the Cape Vincent facility.
Mr. Medina is now serving a five-year prison sentence imposed in May 2007 in Bronx County for a first-degree robbery conviction.
In other court activity:
Lakisha A. Singleton,25, Schenectady, was sentenced to an unspecified amount of time served at the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building and five years' probation for Jan. 11 guilty pleas to third-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree promoting prison contraband.
She and her sister, Desiree F. Womack, who pleaded guilty Jan. 11 to the same charges, admitted they tried to smuggle heroin to an inmate at Cape Vincent Correctional Facility on Nov. 15. Ms. Womack was sentenced March 8 to six months in the PSB and five years' probation.
Both women's probation supervision will be transferred to Schenectady County.
Justin E. Rankin,22, formerly of Evans Mills but now living in Texas, was sentenced to five years' probation and fined $4,500 for Jan. 4 guilty pleas to two counts of felony driving while intoxicated. He admitted he drove while intoxicated March 28 on Interstate 81 in the town of Ellisburg and again on May 21 on Eastern Boulevard.
The charges were felonies because he was convicted of DWI in December 2008 in City Court. His probation supervision will be transferred to Texas.
Lisa S. Dion,38, Richland, was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay $2,500 in restitution for Jan. 15 guilty pleas to fourth-degree attempted grand larceny and second-degree falsifying business records. She admitted that in March and April she tried to steal more than $1,000 from Mercer's Sunoco, 32 E. Church St., Adams, by falsifying cash register records. Her probation supervision will be transferred to Oswego County.
Dennis K. Kowalczyk,20, Watertown, was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to perform 192 hours of community service for Jan. 11 guilty pleas to second-degree reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. He admitted that he drove a vehicle Oct. 5 on Arsenal Street with a 15-year-old passenger after inhaling intoxicants. His vehicle went off the Arsenal Street bridge over the CSX railroad tracks after he passed out at the wheel, city police said. Police said he had inhaled Duster, a computer cleaning spray.
Jermaine A. Nesmith,27, Watertown, was sentenced to time served at the PSB and three years' probation for Jan. 12 guilty pleas to first-degree attempted falsifying business records and second-degree obstructing governmental administration. He admitted that he gave police a license belonging to James Bragg during a traffic stop in the 200 block of Arsenal Street. The license later was determined to be suspended, police said.
Shawn R. Casinelli,28, Long Island, was sentenced to three years' probation for Jan. 11 guilty pleas to second-degree criminal trespass and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was accused of entering the Academy Street apartment of Kathleen A. McKenzie without her permission on Aug. 28 and damaging a door and table.
Bryan J. Harper,24, of 18200 Switzer Road, was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge after pleading guilty to second-degree criminal contempt. He entered an Alford plea, meaning he did not admit to the allegations, but was pleading guilty to avoid possibly being convicted of a more serious offense at trial.
Mr. Harper was accused of violating an order of protection held by Corry Negley-Harper by grabbing and choking her June 15, 2008 in Carthage.
Corey M. Dangerfield,19, of 1212 Superior St., Apt. D-13, pleaded guilty to third-degree robbery. Sentencing was set for May 3. He admitted that he forcibly took a cell phone from Jarret S. Clark by striking him Jan. 19 in Watertown.
