Press Release - Brandon M.Ward Appeal

PRESS RELEASE

FROM:     HOLLEY CARNRIGHT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY

DATE:     MAY 31, 2018

The Appellate Division, Third Department has unanimously affirmed the conviction of Brandon M. Ward rendered December 22, 2015 upon his plea of guilty of the crime of sexual abuse in the first degree. 

Defendant’s conviction stems from a series of incidents which occurred in the Village of Ellenville in the summer and fall of 2014 involving a ten year old victim.  Defendant was eventually charged with the crimes of criminal sex act in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, three counts, and endangering the welfare of a child.

Following his arrest, defendant waived indictment and pled guilty to a superior court information charging him with sexual abuse in the first degree and waived his right to appeal.  Thereafter, County Court (Donald A. Williams, J.) imposed the agreed upon State prison sentence of seven years to be followed by 10 years of postrelease supervision. 

On appeal, defendant challenged the validity of his waiver of appeal and argued that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel due to numerous alleged failures on counsel’s part.  The Appellate Division, Third Department, however, rejected all of defendant’s claims. 

On appeal, the defendant is represented by Theodore J. Stein, Esq. of Woodstock, New York.  Assistant District Attorney Joan Gudesblatt Lamb, Esq. handled the appeal for the District Attorney’s Office.

Press Release - Alan Planthaber Plea

Alan Planthaber, age 58, of the Town of Ulster, was convicted of Assault in the second degree in Ulster County Court on May 30, 2018.

On December 1, 2017 at approximately 9:30 PM Police Officer Ralph Leiter of the Ulster Police Department responded to a panic alarm at a residence in the Town of Ulster. Through a window he observed blood on the walls inside and the victim, covered in blood, hovering in a corner. Upon investigation it was learned that the victim was repeatedly beaten by the defendant suffering a fractured jaw and numerous broken ribs.

Defendant, who has a prior criminal history, which includes a domestic assault in Alaska is scheduled to be sentenced by County Court Judge Donald A. Williams on August 2, 2018.

If you are the victim of domestic violence you can get help through many services in Ulster County.  Family of Woodstock 338-2370; Crime Victims Assistance 340-3443 or 340-3442; EVOLVE 331-7080.  There is also a 24 hour hotline 800-942-6906 (English) and 800-942-6908 (Spanish).  The child protective services hotline is 800-342-3720 and the Ulster County Family and Child Advocacy Center 334-5155.

There were 2360 domestic incidents reported in Ulster County last year.

The case was prosecuted by Sr. Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth A. Culmone-Mills.  The defendant is represented by the Public Defender’s Office.

Press Release - Bradley Cook Sentence

FROM:  HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

DATE:  MAY 29, 2018

RE:  PRESS RELEASE – PEOPLE V. BRADLEY COOK

After having been found guilty by an Ulster County jury of Robbery in the Third Degree, Bradley Cook was sentenced to 2 1/3 years to 7 years in state prison by the Hon. Donald A. Williams. 

Cook was convicted of robbing the Key Bank on Wall Street in Kingston. Last summer, dressed in a black hoodie, a baseball hat, black sunglasses, a scarf covering his neck and chin, and wearing latex gloves, Cook approached a bank teller and handed her a note demanding money.  The note stated, “no tracers, no dye bags, no police, nobody gets hurt.”  In response, the teller handed Cook $699 which he took and exited the rear of the bank.

Shortly after the robbery, City of Kingston Police Officers responded to the bank and began attempting to apprehend the perpetrator.  A photo of the bank robber taken from security footage was distributed to members of law enforcement.  Within an hour, Cook was identified by Kingston Police Department, Sgt. Richard Negron, as the bank robber. 

Cook was apprehended that same day.  He was brought back for questioning and subsequently confessed to the crime.

The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael Kavanagh and the defendant was represented by Thomas Petro. 

Press Release - Leoneudi Agueda

FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

DATE: MAY 24, 2018

RE: PRESS RELEASE - DISTRICT ATTORNEY D. HOLLEY CARNRIGHT ANNOUNCES:  LIBERTY MAN ADMITS TO ENGAGING IN SEXUAL ACT WITH A CHILD  

Leoneudi Agueda, 24, of 44 Dwyer Avenue in the Village of Liberty, Sullivan County, entered a plea of guilty on Thursday, May 24, 2018, to the Class “D” violent felony of Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree in Ulster County Court.  In doing so, Agueda admitted that on or about June 8, 2017, he engaged in oral sexual conduct with another person who was less than fifteen years old.  Agueda also waived his right to appeal.

The defendant was arrested on June 15, 2017, following an investigation by the New York State Police, Ellenville Barracks. He was indicted by an Ulster County Grand Jury for his conduct here on February 8, 2018.  The felonious sexual act was with a twelve year old child and occurred at a parking area off State Route 52 in the Town of Wawarsing.  The defendant also faced misdemeanor charges in Sullivan County.

In addition, the defendant was charged by the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office on February 6, 2018 with two counts of Bribing a Witness for offering monetary compensation to two witnesses in exchange for their altered testimony in this case.  The defendant had been released on property bond when the briberies took place.

The defendant is to be sentenced on July 27, 2018.  He faces a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison which can be followed by up to ten years of post-release supervision.  He will be required to register for a minimum of twenty years under the New York State Sexual Offender Registration Act. 

The case was prosecuted by Special Victims Bureau Chief, Katherine R. Van Loan.  The defendant was represented by the Ulster County Public Defender’s Office.      

  

Press Release - Ronald Wood Appeal

FROM:     HOLLEY CARNRIGHT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY

DATE:     MAY 24, 2018

The Appellate Division, Third Department has today unanimously affirmed the June 3, 2015 conviction of Ronald Wood upon his plea of guilty convicting him of the crime of aggravated criminal contempt. 

Defendant’s conviction stems from an incident in October, 2014 during which he punched the victim in the face in violation of an order of protection.  As a result, he was sentenced to six months in the Ulster County Jail and five years probation and a no contact order of protection was issued in favor of the victim.  Two months later, however, defendant was charged with aggravated criminal contempt, two counts, and sexual abuse in the third degree, two counts, related to the same victim and was also charged with violating the conditions of his probation.  Defendant subsequently pled guilty to aggravated criminal contempt, waived his right to appeal and admitted that he had violated certain terms and conditions of his probation.  Upon revoking his probationary sentence, County Court (Donald A. Williams, J.) sentenced defendant, a second felony offender, to one and one-third to four years on the violation of probation to be served consecutively to a three and one-half to seven year sentence for aggravated criminal contempt. 

On appeal, the defendant argued that the waiver of appeal was not valid and further that the plea colloquy was insufficient to establish his guilt.  The Appellate Division, Third Department, however, specifically concluded that defendant’s appeal waiver was valid and accordingly, his challenge to the sufficiency of the plea allocution related to the indictment was foreclosed.

On appeal, the defendant is represented by Donna Maria Lasher, Esq. of Youngsville, New York.  Assistant District Attorney Carly Wolfrom, Esq. handled the appeal for the District Attorney’s Office.