NORWICH – Several appeared in Chenango County Court on Friday for pleas, sentencing and arraignments.
• Edmond Bunch, Syracuse, 30, appeared in CCC for his sentencing. He changed his plea from not guilty to guilty to a reduced charge of criminal possession in the fifth degree, a class D felony. Bunch was sentenced to a determinate sentence of four and a half years in the NYS Department of Corrections, with one-year post release supervision. The $290 found in his possession were also forfeited.
On January 28, 2014, in Norwich, Bunch (in consort with another) was found to be in possession of 11 individually wrapped packages of crack cocaine with the intent to sell.
Bunch was also sentenced as a predicate felon. He had previously been sentenced by the County Court of Onondaga for criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a class C felony.
“You've been involved in narcotics for a long time, and it's not working for you,” said District Attorney Joseph McBride. He reminded Bunch that he should be setting a good example for his two children.
“You don't want us selling drugs to your kids?” he asked Bunch, who agreed. In addition to the time Bunch is facing for this sentence, he is also facing jail time for a different sentence and will not be out for a number of years.
Said Bunch before sentencing, “I'm sorry for coming here and selling drugs. It won't happen again.”
• Glenn E. O'Connor, 46, Norwich, appeared in CCC for his sentencing. He originally pleaded guilty on June 16 for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a class B felony. O'Connor was also sentenced as a predicate felon as he had previously been sentenced by Herkimer County Court for the possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a class B felony.
Before sentencing, Revoir announced that a letter had been mailed to the court by O'Connor requesting to change his plea back to not guilty because (per his letter) he had been allegedly coerced. His request to reverse his plea was denied by the court. O'Connor was then sentenced to three and a half years in the NYS Department of Corrections and one and a half years of post release supervision. O'Connor is also required to provide testimony in two other cases.
O'Connor was sentenced to the amount of time as outlined in the plea bargain, even though Revoir explained that with the request to change his plea the court was no longer required to hold to the terms.
O'Connor was not required to sign a waiver of appeal, and declined to do so.
McBride explained that this is the second time that O'Connor has appeared in court for the unlawful manufacturing of methamphetamines.
“He needs to change his life,” said McBride. “No more methamphetamine production or he will spend the rest of his life in prison.”
“I will be filing a motion to appeal on this,” O’Connor said in his statement before sentencing. “There's evidence that should be seen and testimony that should be heard. The picture that has been painted by the prosecution is inaccurate.”
