Albion man with long criminal history gets 10 years in prison

ALBION – An Albion man with a criminal history dating back nearly four decades was sentenced today to 10 years in state prison for several drug crimes.

Charles G. Ingram, 59, was arrested last April 1 along with 15 others following a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of crack cocaine, heroin, prescription narcotics and marijuana in the village of Albion, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported then.

Ingram’s case went to trial and he was found guilty by a jury on Oct. 31. Today he was sentenced for two counts each of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, as well as one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.

Charles Ingram

His attorney Kevin McKain said Ingram’s more recent crimes included “minuscule sales, very small sales” with Ingram acting as the middle man.

“He certainly was not profiting greatly from these sales,” McKain said during sentencing this afternoon.

Ingram has a long history of crack cocaine use and alcohol abuse, and has used his criminal actions to pay for his addictions, McKain said.

Ingram also suffers from diabetes and had his left leg amputated since he was jailed last April.

District Attorney Joe Cardone said Ingram has a lengthy criminal history since 1975, with repeated convictions for narcotics sales.

Ingram has served four prison terms since 1975, adding up to 32 years behind bars.
When he was most recently arrested, he was living at 175 North Main St., Room No. 20.

County Court Judge James Punch gave Ingram 10 years in state prison.

“You’ve been profiting from these sales for a long time,” the judge told Ingram at sentencing. “You’ve been doing this type of thing and other crimes for decades.”