3 plead guilty in County Court and could be sentenced to jail/prison

ALBION – Three people pleaded guilty to crime in Orleans County during court on Monday and could be sentenced to either county jail or state prison.

Philip A. Riley, 32, of West Bank Street in Albion faces the longest possible sentence – up to 5 years in state prison when he is sentenced on Dec. 21.

Riley admitted in court on Monday that he had heroin and sold it for a profit on April 7.
He pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a charge that carries a maximum of 8 years in state prison. As part of a plea deal, his sentence will not exceed 5 years, plus 1 ½ to 2 years of post-release supervision.

Riley was charged in July along with 16 other people in a big drug bust in Orleans. Riley has been in the county jail on $100,000 bail since his arrest.

Jennifer McCarthy-Conklin, 39, of 1 Thomas St., Holley, was part of the drug arrests in July. She pleaded guilty in court on Monday. She admitted she had cocaine and sold it from the Holley Hotel on Feb. 27.

She pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, which carries a maximum sentence of 2 ½ years in state prison, plus one year of post-release supervision. She will be sentenced on Dec. 21.

Matthew Ritzel, 26, of Hamlin pleaded guilty to entering a house on Kendall Road in Murray and taking items from the dwelling on June 3.

He pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in the second degree, which carries a maximum sentence of 2 to 7 years in state prison.

As part of a plea deal, Ritzel, who has no prior criminal history, won’t be sentenced to be more than a year in county jail. If the judge gives him more than a year, Ritzel can withdraw the plea and go to trial.

He will be sentenced on Jan. 11.