Man sentenced to 8 years in prison for manufacturing meth
ALBION – A Lockport man received the maximum sentence, 8 years in state prison, as part of a plea deal for admitting his role in manufacturing methamphetamine in an Albion apartment.
Ryan Adkins
Ryan J. Adkins, 22, on Sept. 12 pleaded guilty criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.
As a second felony offender, he could have faced a maximum of 12 years in prison. But as part of a plea deal, Adkins wouldn’t be sentenced to more than 8 years in prison.
Adkins was arrested on April 19 along with six others when Albion police discovered meth was being manufactured in an apartment at 28A East Bank St. Adkins has been identified as the leader of the meth operation by District Attorney Joe Cardone during a previous court appearance.
Adkins apologized for the crime today during his sentencing. He said he has turned his life around, earning his high school equivalency diploma while in county jail. He said that degree could serve as a starting point for living a better life.
“I’m a drug addict,” Adkins told County Court Judge James Punch. “I’ve been dealing with drugs for a long time.”
Brian Degnan, Adkins’ attorney, asked the judge to consider half of the maximum sentence or 4 years. He said Adkins’ problems are due to his drug addiction.
Punch said Adkins has a lengthy criminal history, including a recent conviction in Genesee County Court for having precursors of methamphetamine. The sentence from Genesee will be served with the sentence from Orleans.
“Being a drug addict doesn’t absolve you from this crime,” Punch told Adkins. “You’ve profited from this and you’ve done this before. You’re literally bringing poison into this community.”
In other sentencings today:
• An Albion man, 19, who was arrested along with Adkins on April 19 in the meth bust was sentenced to six months in jail and 5 years probation.
Nicholas D. Barrett is a first-time criminal offender and had a minor role in the operation, Punch said today.
Barrett apologized for the crime.
“I regret that and I will never let it happen again,” he said.
Barrett also has to pay a $325 court surcharge and $50 DNA fee. He has already served time in jail. The judge allowed him to keep his license so Barrett could keep his full-time job in Brockport.
“You’re young and intelligent,” Punch told Barrett. “You can either use your gifts or throw it away in the waste basket.”
• An Albion man was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison for violating his probation.
Evan Shaffer, 23, of Lee Road was charged with driving while intoxicated in Brockport on July 5. He also failed to report for an appearance and was arrested at a bar.
“You have to man up here and conduct yourself accordingly,” Punch told Shaffer.
The judge said he doesn’t want to take a chance Shaffer will get another DWI and kill somebody’s loved one.
Punch said probation was an opportunity for Shaffer but he did “shockingly bad.”
