Newburgh Man Convicted After Jury Trial of Illegally Possessing Loaded Handgun

Faces Up to 15 Years in Prison
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Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Thursday, March 15, 2018, Antonio Harriott, 27, of Newburgh, was convicted after a jury trial before Orange County Court Judge William L. DeProspo of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.

At the trial prosecutors argued that on August 4, 2017, the defendant and another man were involved in a verbal confrontation with others on Lander Street in the City of Newburgh. Prosecutors argued that during the confrontation Harriott pulled out a semiautomatic handgun which he fired in the air. Police recovered a .380 caliber shell casing from the scene but never recovered the actual weapon. An Orange County grand jury charged Harriott with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for possessing the loaded weapon and Tampering with Physical Evidence for hiding the weapon after the incident.

On March 15, 2017, an Orange County jury convicted Harriott of the top charge of Crimnal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, but did not return a verdict on the Tampering charge. A mistrial was declared as to the tampering charge. Harriott faces up to fifteen years in prison on the charge of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree when he is sentenced by Judge DeProspo on April 24, 2018. Judge Prospo remanded the defendant to the Orange County Jail without bail following the verdict.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department for their arrest and investigation of the case.

“We cannot tolerate those who illegally carry handguns on our city streets, much less those who engage in reckless gunplay to settle disputes,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “The City of Newburgh will be safer during the years that this defendant is incarcerated. My Office will continue to seek severe state prison sentences for those who illegally possess loaded firearms. We owe a debt of gratitude to all the brave police officers who work to keep our streets safe. The jury’s verdict was clearly supported by the evidence.”

District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Assistant District Attorney Christopher Kelly and Assistant District Attorney Michael Purcell who prosecuted the case.

A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.