NORWICH – Prosecutors are expressing outrage at the early release of a repeat felon and convicted drug dealer who was given credit for his prison sentence before he even committed the crime. He was also released early for good behavior even though he offended while on parole.
“It was suppose to be three more years, but instead they let him out in three months. It is a complete outrage,” said District Attorney Joseph McBride.
Shane M. Manwarren, 28, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in 2005 to third degree burglary and criminal possession of stolen property and was sentenced to two to six years in state prison.
He was then released on parole for good behavior in August of 2007 and then arrested just more than 4 months later for drug possession.
Police pulled Manwarren over Dec. 7, 2007, and discovered four ounces of powdered cocaine worth more than $6,400 in his car. His parole was revoked and he was ordered back to prison to finish serving his time for his 2005 convictions.
In April, Manwarren pleaded guilty to the new charges, third degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, in a plea arrangement with the district attorney and was sentenced to three years in state prison and three years post release supervision in August.
He was recently released again by the New York State Division of Parole Nov. 20 after serving a total of one year, 10 months and 20 days, since his 2005 burglary and stolen property convictions.
According to the Erik Kriss, spokesman the New State Department of Correctional Services, Manwarren was issued a concurrent sentence for his 2008 drug conviction which allowed him to be given credit for time served in prison the was retroactive to the date of his actual arrest.
“He received a concurrent sentence for his second, 2008, conviction and instead of adding time with his ‘05 conviction, he was given credit for the time already served in 2005 and in 07-08. That is how concurrent sentencing works,” said Kriss, who explained that DOCS had no authority over what was ordered by the court.
