KASHAWN WATSON FOUND GUILTY OF CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON AND ATTEMPTED ROBBERY IN THE FIRST DEGREE
A jury of eight women and four men returned a guilty verdict against Kashawn Watson for the crimes of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and Attempted Robbery in the First Degree this afternoon in Ulster County Court.
The case stemmed from a home invasion on June 7, 2016, on Albany Avenue in the City of Kingston. At approximately 4:40 AM, two masked men entered a residence brandishing a loaded .45 caliber handgun and a stun gun. The perpetrators demanded money and placed nylon zip ties on one of the residents after the resident fought back. A three year old child was also in the home. During the incident a struggle ensued and one gunshot was fired as a victim and perpetrator rolled down a staircase. Both suspects fled on foot with no property stolen from the house.
Approximately one hour after the incident, an abandoned car was found blocking a driveway on Downs Street. When Kingston Police officers arrived, they found a loaded .45 caliber handgun, a stun gun, nylon zipties, and two black ski masks. The DNA of Kashawn Watson was located on one of the ski masks. Ballistics analysis and testimony from the New York State Police revealed that the .45 caliber handgun found in the car was the same weapon used to fire the bullet in the Albany Avenue residence.
Cellphone records linked Watson to the last person seen driving the abandoned car. The jury began deliberations on Thursday afternoon and deliberated for approximately eight hours before convicting Kashawn Watson on four of the six counts in the indictment. The defendant faces up to fifteen years in state prison when he is sentenced on August 17, 2017.
Kashawn Watson was also charged by federal authorities in October, 2016, as a result of gun and drug sales in Ulster County. Those charges remain pending.
Kashawn Watson was represented by Ed Bruno of Pine Bush and the case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Gerard Van Loan.