Albion man pleads guilty to assault, could face 4 years in prison

Resident also pleads to attempted burglary from church

ALBION – An Albion man confessed to going to a home late at night on Feb. 1 and brutally beating up a 59-year-old resident at 431 West State St.

Domingo E. Candelaria, 22, of 175 North Main St., pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in Orleans County Court today. As part of his plea he will be sentenced to four years or less in state prison. If Judge James Punch sentences Candelaria to more than four years, Candelaria can withdraw his plea and go to trial. If convicted by the jury, he could face up to seven years in prison. Punch set sentencing for Oct. 21.

Candelaria said he “overreacted” on Feb. 1. He went to the victim’s home at 2 a.m. He was looking for the man’s son. Candelaria said the man’s father, Ronald Hubbard, answered the door. Candelaria said Hubbard had a knife. Police reports have said that Hubbard was unarmed.

Candelaria punched him many times, including several blows when Hubbard was already down, Candelaria said in court.

Hubbard was in the hospital for three weeks and has mild brain damage from the incident, District Attorney Joe Cardone told Punch in court. Hubbard also continues to be plagued by headaches and is lethargic, Cardone said.

Candelaria and the man’s son had a dispute over a woman, police have said.

In another case with a plea today, Michael G. Andre, 23, of West Park Street in Albion pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in the third degree. He will be sentenced Oct. 21 and could face 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison.

Andre confessed in court that he broke into the Presbyterian Church in Albion on Jan. 14. He broke a window in a locked church office and stole a laptop, Cardone said.