Alex Bay man gets prison for felony DWI
An Alexandria Bay man was sentenced Wednesday in Jefferson County Court to up to six years in state prison for a felony driving while intoxicated conviction.
Christopher C. Burnham,44, was sentenced to 2 to 6 years in prison, fined $4,500 and had his driver's license revoked for June 30 guilty pleas to felony DWI and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He also admitted that day to violating probation.
He admitted that he drove while intoxicated March 28 on Church Street in Alexandria Bay while his driver's license was suspended or revoked for a prior alcohol-related offense. In doing so, he admitted violating probation, to which he had been sentenced in March for a prior misdemeanor DWI conviction.
In other court activity Wednesday:
Jocelyn R. Franklin,25, of 116 Keyes Ave., Apt. 5, pleaded guilty to first-degree scheme to defraud. She also admitted violating probation. She is expected to be sentenced Sept. 27 to six months in the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building, followed by five years' probation, and be ordered to pay $4,100 in restitution.
She admitted that between December 2008 and March 2009 she wrote numerous checks to businesses in Watertown drawn on a closed checking account. With her guilty plea, she admitted she violated probation.
She had been sentenced in March 2009 to five years' probation for convictions on two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny for using another person's debit card to remove money from the person's account.
Dennis H. Winick,35, Bradenton, Fla., waived extradition rights and agreed to be returned to Apex, N.C., where he is wanted on a felony theft charge. He was arrested by Watertown police July 19 after being involved in a minor-injury motorcycle accident on South Indiana Avenue. He was charged by city police with DWI.
In court activity Thursday:
Gregory R. Wakeel,33, Clayton, was sentenced to three years' probation after successfully completing Drug Court. He had been referred to the substance abuse rehabilitation program after pleading guilty in April 2009 to third-degree grand larceny for stealing more than $3,000 from Roger Wakeel. For finishing the program, his earlier plea was vacated and he was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree attempted grand larceny.
Wanda J. Bedore,40, Watertown, pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal nuisance and was referred to Drug Court. Further information was not available from the court.
Jade M. Bedore,19, Watertown, was arraigned on three counts each of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. The charges were contained in a grand jury indictment unsealed in court.
It is alleged that she had and sold heroin on two occasions in December in Watertown and once in January. She pleaded not guilty to the charges and was sent to jail on $10,000 bail.
