Several are sentenced to state prison for crimes in Orleans
ALBION – Several people were sentenced to state prison on Monday by Orleans County Court Judge James Punch for crimes that included selling and possessing drugs, and other felonies.
Vickie Hughes, 49, of Brockport was sentenced to 2 ½ years in state prison, plus 2 years of post-release supervison.
She pleaded guilty on June 1 to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree. She admitted she had morphine in Albion last October and sold it in the Rite Aid parking lot. Hughes, as a second felony offender, could have been sentenced to up to 4 years in state prison.
Another Brockport resident who admitted to selling cocaine and marijuana was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison.
Jesus M. Vargas, 35, was arrested in December following an investigation by the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force into the sale and distribution of cocaine and marijuana in Orleans County and Brockport.
A Medina resident was sentenced to 1 ½ to 3 years in prison for trying to cash a forged check.
Terry R. Johnson, 25, of Medina pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, a charge that carries a maximum of 2 to 4 years in state prison. As part of a plea deal, Johnson faced a maximum 1 ½ to 3 years in prison.
He admitted in a previous court appearance knew he was given a forged check and then tried to cash it. Johnson said someone bought his car with a forged check in another person’s name. Johnson told the judge he knew the check was forged.
Judge Punch said prison was warranted “considering the nature of the crime and your long criminal history.”
Joseph Taylor, 18, of Shelby Center was sentenced to 2 ½ years in state prison and 2 years of post-release supervision for attempted burglary in the second degree.
Taylor admitted in a previous court appearance he broke into a house on Long Bridge Road in Albion on Jan. 15.
Taylor’s attorney Nathan Pace requested youthful offender status for Taylor and a split sentence with probation to “give him an opportunity to improve himself.”
Punch said Taylor has twice been given youthful offender. The judge denied youthful offender this time.
“This is a serious crime and it looks to me like a crime spree,” Punch said.
A 17-year-old boy from Albion was sentenced to six months in county jail for attempted second-degree burglary and criminal mischief. He also was ordered to pay $3,564 in restitution for the costs of fixing a car he damaged.
The boy was granted youthful offender. Orleans Hub won’t publish his name. He will need to pay the restitution over 48 months once he is out of jail.
“People work hard for their property and then you just wreck it,” Punch told the boy. “This is a serious thing.”
