District Attorney Hoovler: Guilty Verdict in Drug and Perjury Case

 

Defendant Convicted of all Counts Against Him IncludingCriminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree and Perjury in the First Degree

 

Defendant Faces up to 27.5 to 31 Years in State Prison

 

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Monday, January 30, 2023, Sherlan Simpson, 37, of Newburgh, was convicted after a jury trial in the Orange CountyCourt of all charges against him including Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Perjury in the First Degree.  Simpson faces a maximum sentence of twenty-four (24) years in state prison on the drug charges and three and one half (3.5) to seven (7) years in state prison on the perjury charge when he is sentenced on March 20, 2023.  Simpson was remanded to the Orange County Jail without bail following the jury’s verdict.

As alleged at trial, on January 6, 2021 Simpson was stopped for a vehicle and traffic violation in the vicinity of State Route 32 in the Town of Woodbury.  New York State Troopers observed a backpack in the back seat of Simpson’s vehicle.  Simpson then fled the traffic stop in his car, racing into the Woodbury Commons where surveillance video showed a backpack being thrown from the car.  Members of the New York State Police recovered the bag from where the defendant threw it and inside was the defendant’s personal belongings as well as two kilos of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $200,000.  Subsequent DNA analysis of the contents of the bag matched the defendant.

When evidence in the case was presented to the Orange CountyGrand Jury five days later, the defendant elected to testify on his own behalf, as is his right.  However, after taking the oath to tell the truth, the defendant proceeded to deny that he ever had a backpack in the car or threw the backpack from the car.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Police for their investigation which led to the arrest of the defendant. District Attorney Hoovler also thanked the Town of Woodbury Police Department for their assistance during the apprehension of the defendant.

“The spread of vast quantities of dangerous narcotics was disrupted by the keen attention of the law enforcement officers in this case,” said District Attorney David. M. Hoovler.  “This defendant was prevented from peddling his drugs in our communities by his arrest, prosecution and conviction.  That the defendant would go so far as to lie under oath before the Grand Jury strikes at the very heart of our criminal justice system and itself deserves stern punishment.  I thank the law enforcement agencies responsible for this defendant’s arrest and reiterate my Office’s dedication to targeting the trafficking of narcotics throughout Orange County.”

District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Senior Assistant District Attorney Ryan Greenbaum and Assistant District Attorney Emily Worden who prosecuted the case.

 

This 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 afair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.