WOODBURY, N.Y. — Julio Lewis, 34, of Schenectady, was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison following his guilty plea to criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler.
Lewis’s sentence, announced in Orange County Court, stems from a January 8 traffic stop on the New York State Thruway, where police discovered 186 grams of cocaine in his vehicle. Troopers observed the drugs in plain view on the floor of the car, and Lewis admitted to owning the cocaine at the scene.
Lewis pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, acknowledging in court that he possessed more than half an ounce of cocaine. His sentence also includes three years of post-release supervision.
District Attorney Hoovler commended the New York State Police for their work on the case, stating that proactive policing was crucial in disrupting the flow of narcotics into Orange County. “Let this case, like the many others that have come before, stand as a warning to drug dealers: your criminal business is not welcome here and you will be held accountable for your actions,” Hoovler said in a statement.
Lewis’s conviction is part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat narcotics trafficking in the region.
