FROM: DA HOLLEY CARNRIGHT
DATE: DECEMBER 5, 2019
RE: PRESS RELEASE – ADRIAN HOWELL APPEAL
The Appellate Division, Third Department, has unanimously affirmed the May 25, 2017 conviction of Adrian Howell upon a plea of guilty convicting him of the crime of promoting prison contraband in the first degree.
Howell was arrested by authorities after his girlfriend, co-defendant Deonia Jones, at his request, smuggled Suboxone and marijuana into the Ulster County Jail where he was an inmate. Howell planned on selling the contraband to fellow inmates, but his plan was thwarted when Jones was stopped by investigators as she entered the facility. In addition to the 29 Suboxone strips, investigators found 5.52 grams of synthetic marijuana and 6.75 grams of marijuana on her person.
On appeal, defendant challenged the sentence imposed by County Court as harsh and excessive and argued that he was not properly sentenced as a second felony offender because the Court failed to comply with proper statutory procedures. The Appellate Division, Third Department however, rejected each of defendant’s claims.
On appeal, defendant is represented by Del Atwell, Esq. of East Hampton, New York. Assistant District Attorney Joan Gudesblatt Lamb handled the appeal for the District Attorney’s office.