Medina man sentenced to 6 years in state prison on drug charges
MEDINA – A Medina man was sentenced to 6 years in state prison after he faced numerous drug charges for criminal sale and criminal possession for a controlled substance.
Ronald O. Riley Jr.
Ronald O. Riley Jr., 44, was charged in June for allegedly selling crack cocaine. He was sentenced as a second-felony offender this morning in Orleans County Court by Judge Sanford Church. Riley also will be on post-release supervision for three years when he is out of prison.
In other cases in County Court today:
• Xavier Hand, 26, of Medina pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. He faces up to six years in state prison when he is sentenced on Jan. 10.
Hand admitted in court today he had fentanyl last January with the intent to sell it. He also admitted to having a loaded firearm.
He was charged in February and accused of selling and distributing fentanyl pills disguised as prescription oxycodone pills. He also allegedly disguised Xanax bars and high-grade marijuana.
Law enforcement seized 114 fentanyl pills disguised as Oxycodone pills, over 2,000 disguised Xanax bars, over a half of pound of Psilocybin mushrooms, over 14 pounds of high-grade marijuana, over $156,000 in cash, a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, scales, numerous packaging material and other drug paraphernalia.
• Corey Weathers of Rochester pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree and faces up to two years in state prison when he is sentenced on Jan. 10.
Weathers was stopped in a vehicle on Route 31A (West Lee Road) in Barre on Nov. 22 and law enforcement found two bags with a white powder that was confirmed to be cocaine, District Attorney Joe Cardone said in court.
Weathers is a second-felony offender. He also faces 1 to 2 years of post-release supervision as part of the plea agreement today.
• Austin Buzzard, 24, of Carlton was sentenced to six months in the county jail for violating his probation. Judge Church revoked the probation after Buzzard admitted to being in contact with someone who has an order of protection against him, for making a false statement, for getting arrested, and for not notifying probation of an address change.
• Cal Share of Kendall admitted to violating his probation and could face up to 364 days in the county jail when he is sentenced on Nov. 29.
Share is on probation for driving while intoxicated. He admitted to drinking alcohol on several occasions including twice when his ignition interlock device indicated he had been drinking, for failing to report to probation on six occasions, for having an adulterated urine sample and for not doing any of his community service.
• Joe Cortez, 40, of Batavia was found to be incompetent by mental health professionals. His case has been delayed so he could have a psychological evaluation.
Cortez faces up to nine months in the county jail for second-degree criminal contempt for violating an order of protection.
He will now receive mental health treatment to see if he can be competent to help in his own defense.
