NORWICH – A Norwich man arrested in a drug raid in 2017, violated his probation and was sentenced to another two years in prison after admitting everything, and then telling the judge, "I think it's okay to sell drugs to certain people in the community."
Alan S. Banks II, 51, of Norwich pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, and was sentenced to a split sentence of six months in jail along with five years of probation following an investigation into the sale of cocaine last December. The investigation resulted in a no-knock search warrant on Banks' apartment on Silver Street in the City of Norwich.
Banks was kicked off of probation after he refused drug testing and treatment, violated other terms of his probation, and then admitted to everything, but with explanations for why he committed the crimes.
Chenango County Probation Officer Amanda Fisher filed a violation of probation report against Banks after he admitted to temporarily dropping out of treatment, smoking marijuana, drinking beer, and carrying three knives at once into her office – all violations of his probation.
According to Banks, it "wasn't the first time," he had brought knives into her office, and while he was warned that he could have his probation violated for drinking alcohol and smoking illegal substances.
Banks explained his violations to the court, "The weed helps me with chronic pain, and now I have a prescription for it." "I planned on returning to treatment, and I only refused testing because I had trouble peeing in-front of people." "...it was only half a beer." "...the knives were for work."
Banks told the court that if he were to be punished for violating probation, he would like four months in jail or be allowed back into probation because there are people relying on him.
Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride disagreed with Banks, and after asking Banks a series of questions, McBride advocated for a harsh prison sentence against him.
"It's very rare that we get to look into the mind of a defendant," said McBride.
