District Attorney Hoovler Announces Guilty Plea in Drug Conspiracy Case

Defendant Admits Possessing Over Eight Ounces of Cocaine

Faces up to 20 Years in State Prison

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Monday, April 29, 2018, Terrance Burton, 38, of New Windsor, pleaded guilty before Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, for having possessed more than eight ounces of cocaine in February of 2017, at a home in the Village of Walden. On February 22, 2017 and February 23, 2017, Village of Walden Police intercepted two packages containing narcotics intended for Terrance Burton as part of an ongoing investigation. The narcotics recovered as part of that investigation totaled four kilograms, the largest amount ever seized in the Village of Walden. After the initial arrests in the case, the investigation continued with the aid of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. The matter was submitted to a grand jury which charged Terrance Burton with crimes including Conspiracy in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree. The indictment alleged that Burton was engaged in a conspiracy to possess and sell cocaine and heroin.

At the time Burton pleaded guilty, he admitted possessing over eight ounces of cocaine on February 23, 2017 at the East Main Street home in Walden. Burton faces up to twenty years in prison when he is sentenced on July 30, 2018.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the Village of Walden Police Department for their investigation into Burton and his apprehension.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Janine Kovacs.

“Anyone who possesses narcotics in these amounts is contributing to the narcotics trafficking problem and deserves a severe state prison sentence,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “My office will work with all of law enforcement partners to combat the sale of illicit narcotics on our streets. While we remain committed to encouraging treatment for many offenders who are addicted to narcotics, the only effective way to combat the opioid epidemic is to seek severe penalties for higher level narcotics dealers.”

A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police 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.