2 are sentenced to state prison for drug crimes in Orleans County
‘There’s too much drugs in Orleans County.’ – Judge Sara Sheldon
ALBION – Two people were sentenced to state prison on Monday for drug crimes in Orleans County.
Leonel Lopez-Sanchez, 45, of Rochester received the longest sentence at 3 years in prison.
Lopez-Sanchez in December admitted to having cocaine in Orleans County. He pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree with intent to sell.
Lopez-Sanchez faced a maximum of 3 ½ years in state prison and two years of post-release supervision.
Sara Sheldon, interim County Court judge, gave him less than the maximum at 3 years in prison. Lopez-Sanchez has taken drug treatment programs in jail. He also doesn’t have any prior felonies, although he has four misdemeanors in Miami, Dade County, Florida.
He also will be on post-release supervision for two years, and may be deported to Cuba.
Lopez-Sanchez was arrested on Feb. 16, 2017 after an investigation by the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force and a the execution of a search warrant on North Main Street by the Albion Police Department.
“I made a mistake,” Lopez-Sanchez said in court on Monday. “It will never, ever happen again.”
• A co-defendant in the case also was to be sentenced to up to 3 years in state prison on Monday. But the judge wanted to hear more from the District Attorney’s Office about Patricio A. Borquez’s involvement.
Borquez and his attorney Mark Lewis said Borquez was involved in one drug transaction.
Borquez developed a drug addiction after fracturing his skull in a construction accident and using pain medication, his attorney said.
He became addicted to the pain pills and then started using heroin.
He sold drugs to support his drug habit, Lewis said.
Since he has been in jail for just over a year, he has completed drug treatment programs through GCASA and also is a regular attendee of a Bible study.
“He has been attempting to better himself,” Lewis told the judge.
Borquez told Judge Sheldon he wants to become a pastor, and be “the father I used to be.”
His attorney asked the judge to sentence Borquez to time served after more than a year in jail.
Sheldon adjourned sentencing until March 5 to hear more from the DA’s office about Borquez’s role in the drug sales.
“There’s too much drugs in Orleans County and you were helping to bring drugs into Orleans County, whether it was one time or three times,” Judge Sheldon said.
• In another case, Andrew Coley, 20, of Albion was sentenced to 2 years in prison, plus a year of post-release supervision for selling crack cocaine.
His attorney, John Zimberlin, said Coley’s drug addiction has fueled his criminal actions.
“I’m not justifying it, I’m just pointing it out,” the attorney said.
Coley didn’t speak during his sentencing and also wasn’t cooperative with probation staff in a presentencing report, Judge Sheldon said.
“Unfortunately Mr. Coley you need an attitude adjustment or you will continue down this path,” she said.
