Several plead guilty in County Court
ALBION – Several people pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court on Monday.
Derrick Adams, 30, of Medina admitted to unlawfully having cocaine with the intent to sell it on April 25.
He pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree. The charge carries a maximum of 1 to 2 ½ years in state prison.
As part of a plea deal, Adams, who has no previous criminal history, instead will face a maximum of 6 months in jail and 5 years on probation when he is sentenced on Feb. 5. He also agreed to forfeit $5,818 that was seized by law enforcement.
• An Albion man pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the fourth degree. Joseph Piedmont, 52, of South Clinton Street admitted to taking a debit card. He agreed to pay restitution of $14,321.
Piedmont told Judge Sheldon he made “bad decisions” and went back to using drugs after being clean.
The grand larceny charge normally carries a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison. But in a plea deal, Piedmont will face up to 6 months in jail plus 5 years of probation when he is sentenced on Jan. 22.
• A Waterport woman was accepted into a diversion program. If she can stay off drugs and obey the law during the program, a felony charge will be dismissed and she will avoid jail.
Mary Golding, 52, of Waterport pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary for going into a building on North Liberty Street in Albion without permission.
The judge ordered that Golding go into an inpatient drug treatment program, and then an outpatient program.
“She doesn’t get home until she is squeaky clean,” the judge said.
She told Golding she needs to do the hard work of rehab or else she will go to state prison, possibly for 3 ½ to 7 years.
• Frank Ranallo, 47, of Medina pleaded guilty to violating his probation and could be sentenced to up to a year in the county jail on Jan. 8.
Ranallo violated his probation by not attending substance abuse and mental health counseling appointments. He also was using drugs, and committed another crime, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Sara Sheldon, the acting County Court judge, told Ranallo he needs to go to his appointments.
“This is not a joke,” the judge said. “This is serious.”
• Evan J. Vanskiver, 24, of Hilton also was arraigned for violating probation. Vanskiver allegedly didn’t notify probation of a change of address.
His attorney Nathan Pace said it was “a communication error.” He asked that Vanskiver be released from jail.
Judge Sheldon set bail at $500 and set Dec. 4 for a hearing about whether Vanskiver violated terms of his probation.
• A 17-year-old boy from Medina admitted to sending a sexually explicit image to a 14-year-old girl. The boy pleaded guilty to disseminating indecent material to a minor.
The judge granted him youthful offender status. The crime won’t go on his record and he won’t have to register as a sex offender. He will serve six months in jail, plus five years of probation.
