FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT
DATE: JANUARY 20, 2017
On January 19, 2017, the Appellate Division, Third Department unanimously affirmed the April 14, 2015 conviction of Johnnie Simpson, a/k/a Gazoo upon his plea of guilty of the crime of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a class B felony.
Defendant’s conviction stems from a series of cocaine sales he made to a confidential informant under the supervision of Kingston Police. After the CI arranged a third controlled buy, defendant was arrested and found to be in possession of cocaine prior to the completion of the sale. Defendant was thereafter charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. Defendant subsequently pled guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, and was sentenced by County Court Judge Donald A. Williams to a determinate term of six years to be followed by two years of postrelease supervision.
On appeal, defendant argued that his attorney was ineffective and that he had a conflict of interest. These claims were, however, properly rejected by the Appellate Division, Third Department after a full exploration of the underlying facts.
On appeal, the defendant is represented by Raymond D. Sprowls, Esq. of Walden, New York. Assistant District Attorney Joan Gudesblatt Lamb, Esq. handled the appeal for the District Attorney’s Office.