Michael Mink Press Release

The Appellate Division Third Department has unanimously affirmed the May 16, 2016 conviction of Michael Mink upon a jury verdict convicting him of the crimes of driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and upon a plea of guilty convicting him of the crime of circumvention of ignition interlock device.
 

     Defendant’s convictions stems from an incident which occurred in February 2014, when the defendant left a family house party after an evening of drinking. Police were alerted to this fact following a 911 call from an individual at that party. The gray Chrysler defendant was driving was eventually spotted by a Sheriff’s Deputy and when defendant pulled into a gas station and stopped, he was observed by police exiting the driver’s side of the vehicle. Defendant exhibited all of the indicia of intoxication and after failing the field sobriety tests which were administered to him, he was arrested.

          Defendant was convicted after a jury trial of DWI and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the first degree, after which he pled guilty to circumvention of ignition interlock. He was sentenced by Supreme Court Justice Mott to one year in jail for the DWI and concurrent jail terms of equal or lesser length on the remaining convictions.

     On appeal, defendant challenged the sufficiency and weight of the evidence supporting his conviction, but the reviewing court rejected his assertions. 

     On appeal, defendant is represented by Teresa C. Mulliken of Harpersfield, New York. Assistant District Attorney Joan Gudesblatt Lamb handled the appeal for the District Attorney’s Office.

Press Release - Joshua Stuart conviction

FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

DATE: SEPTEMBER 11, 2019

RE: PRESS RELEASE – JOSHUA STUART CONVICTION

On September 10^th, a jury of seven men and five women convicted Joshua Stuart, age 42, of Kerhonkson, of the crimes of Robbery in the First Degree (2 counts), Burglary in the First Degree, Burglary in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the second degree.  The jury deliberated for two and a half hours before returning their verdict.

Stuart was acquitted of one count of Attempted Murder of a police officer.

The charges stem from a series of violent crimes in the Town of Wawarsing in September of 2018. 

On Friday morning, September 28, 2018, at around 4:00 AM, Stuart entered the Ellenville Regional Hospital armed with a loaded nine millimeter handgun and demanded Dilaudid and Demarol. After hospital employees resisted, Stuart fired the weapon into a glass dispensary and stole eighteen glass vials of Dilaudid and syringes and fled the scene.

An intense manhunt ensued in which nearly all local law enforcement agencies devoted personnel and resources to assist.

Within an hour Stuart was spotted in a wooded area near Cutler Road in Wawarsing by police officers from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Ordered to show his hands, Stuart fired at least four shots at Officer Zachary Petrowsky. Petrowsky’s partner, DEP Officer Megan Whelan, returned fire and Stuart fled into the woods on foot.

The following day Stuart broke into a residence on State Route 55 near the wooded area where he was last seen.  A magazine from a handgun was found and tested for DNA confirming Stuart had been in the residence. 

On Sunday morning, September 30, 2018, Stuart committed two more burglaries and stole a 2005 Honda Pilot which he drove to NYC.

On Monday, October 1, 2018, Stuart was arrested by members of the US Marshalls Violent Felony Fugitive Task Force after robbing a coffee shop in Brooklyn and attempting to escape by diving into the Gowanus Canal.  Stuart was in possession of the handgun used in the robbery and police shooting at the time of his arrest.

District Attorney Holley Carnright stated, ”The officers involved in this shooting should be commended for their bravery. DEP Officer Megan Whelan had been working as a police officer on patrol for only three months at the time of this shooting and we believe she saved her partner’s life by returning fire at Stuart.”

The case was prosecuted by Sr. Assistant District Attorney Gerard VanLoan and Assistant District Attorney Timothy Lawson.  Defendant was represented by Russell Schindler of the Ulster County Public Defender’s Office.

Stuart is scheduled to be sentenced in Ulster County Court on November 14 before the Honorable Donald A. Williams.

Press Release - Orion McLeod indictment

FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2019

RE: PRESS RELEASE - DISTRICT ATTORNEY D. HOLLEY CARNRIGHT ANNOUNCES:  KINGSTON MAN INDICTED FOR ASSAUT AND CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACT

Orion McLeod A/K/A Orion Ector, 47, 128 Henry Street, in the City of Kingston, was indicted by an Ulster County Grand Jury on Thursday, September 5, 2019 with Assault in the Second Degree, Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree (two counts) and Intimidating a Victim or Witness in the Third Degree, all felonies, and six misdemeanor charges including Menacing in the Second Degree (3 counts),Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree (2 counts) and Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree.    

The defendant was arrested on August 21, 2019, following an investigation by the Kingston Police Department.  The investigation commenced when officers responded to Health Alliance Hospital’s Broadway Campus.  The crimes are alleged to have occurred at a Smith Avenue apartment in the City of Kingston.  Three victims have been identified from this incident.

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

Press Release - Publishers Clearing House Scam

FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

RE: PRESS RELEASE - PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE SCAM

Publishers Clearing House has gotten many reports about scammers using the Publishers Clearing House name to deceive people. Scammers call, claiming you’ve won the sweepstakes, but to collect your prize, you need to send money to pay for so-called fees and taxes.

According to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Division of Consumer Affairs, paying to collect a prize is a scam. Scammers will ask you to send money by Western Union or MoneyGram, or by getting a prepaid card or gift card because it’s nearly impossible to trace.

If you think you’ve won a prize, Consumer Affairs advises:

·       Publishers Clearing House will never ask you to pay a fee to collect a prize. In fact, no legitimate prize promoter will ever charge you to win.

·       If anyone calls asking you to pay for a prize, hang up.

·       Never send money to collect a prize. It’s a scam.

·       Publishers Clearing House doesn’t call ahead to say you’ve won.

·       Check the Publishers Clearing House’s fraud protection page, https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection-2/

Consumer Affairs can be reached at 845-340-3260.