NORWICH — Individuals facing various charges including drug possession, reckless endangerment, and grand larceny appeared in Chenango County Court Friday.
• Connie D. Hendrickson, Greene, came before the court with her lawyer Peter Orville to change her plea to guilty.
It was alleged that Hendrickson fired six shots from an SKS rifle at two individuals. While authorities said none of the bullets hit anyone, three hit a vehicle. She was initially charged with attempted murder, attempted assault in the first degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, and reckless endangerment in the second degree.
As a result of an agreed upon disposition between Hendrickson’s attorney and Chenango County Assistant District Attorney Michael Ferrarese, if Hendrickson entered a guilty plea to the count of the class D felony of reckless endangerment in the first degree, she would receive an indeterminate sentence of one to three years in state prison.
In order for the plea to be valid, the first count of the indictment had to be dismissed by the court, which it was.
Hendrickson admitted that on or about Aug. 1, 2013 at approximately 2 p.m. in the Town of McDonough she did recklessly fire a rifle which created a grave risk to the victim.
Ferrarese said the victim was reluctant to testify. “It is in the best interest of the community as a whole for this disposition today,” Ferrarese said. The ADA added the victim believes she is a relative of Hendrickson, but Hendrickson denied relation.
“The victim’s reluctance resulted in this lesser plea,” Revoir said.
Sentencing in the matter was adjourned until Dec. 8, 2014.
The court exonerated $15,000 of Hendrickson’s $20,000 bail that was posted.
“You now stand convicted of a felony,” Revoir said. “This means you are not to have any law violations and no arrests. If that happens, all deals are off. You’ve been out all this time, just continue the same behavior, and all will be fine. Be appreciative of your attorney, that was a very favorable disposition.”
• Jabon J. Walker, Harlem, entered a guilty plea to the first count of his indictment, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a class B felony. Walker appeared with his attorney Steven Natoli.
Walker admitted to having possessed knowingly and unlawfully 44 bags of heroin.
As a predicate felon, Walker will serve a determinate sentence of 3 1/2 with three years of post-release supervision.
McBride asked the court that the money in Walker’s possession at the time, $759 be forfeited.
During the course of the proceedings Walker was facing in Chenango County, McBride said, “Feds took him from the local jail for a significant period of time. The federal charges have been resolved and he as been sentenced federally.”
Revoir told Walker that while he may have reviewed statutes and may believe that certain amounts of time served may be granted to him, Revoir would make no promises. “What you believe has no bearing on this today. Whether or not you get credit has no bearing on accepting go this offer today,” Revoir said.
On the record, Walker plead guilty to the felony charge.
The plea was accepted by the court and Walker was remanded to the CCCF where he will await the completion of a pre-sentencing report. Sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 1, 2014.
• Nicholas S. Barrows appeared before the court with attorney Zachary Wentworth for the purpose of reviewing the conditions of his probation.
Barrows was convicted of sexual abuse in the second degree and was sentenced to six months of probation and four months of weekends in the CCCF.
According to McBride, Barrows has sole custody of one child, and four others were living in his home.
Revoir confirmed that Barrows has sole custody of one of his children — and the mother of that child has custody while Barrows is serving his weekends. When his weekend sentence is over, the mother has the child every other weekend.
Barrows has two other children with which he shares joint custody with their mother. That custody is on a week to week basis. Barrows told the court that his fiancé has two children that live with him in his home.
“He (Barrows) was accused of molesting someone in his house, and plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge earlier this year,” McBride said. McBride said a report prepared by the probation department suggests Barrows has impulse control issues, a low IQ, and is at a higher risk to reoffend.
The probation department asked that Barrows have no contact with children.
“This appears to be Barrows’ second offense,” said the probation officer present in court, who said the first offense was sodomy of a male in 2003. “It seems like both males an females would be at risk.”
Said McBride, “I just have a concern he’d be alone with a young male or female. I don’t believe it would be guaranteed those children would be safe.”
According to Barrows’ defense attorney, his children have been with him “the whole time without incident.”
Per a report read by Revoir that was prepared in September of this year, Barrows said he was not in a relationship. Revoir asked Barrows how he went from single to living with a fiancé and her children in just a month.
“We’ve been on and off,” Barrows said.
“She’s out. She is not going to live with you,” Revoir said. “That is not part of the provisions. If she is there with her kids, she is out tonight. They are not living there.”
