A Hudson Valley man admitted that he beat his friend to death.

On Tuesday in Orange County Court, 28-year-old Primitivo Sosa of Middletown was sentenced to two to seven years in state prison in connection with the beating death of a man near the train tracks in downtown Middletown on September 3, 2017.

“Violence has no place in our communities,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said. “Those who resort to violence to settle disputes, even if they do not use weapons, must be held accountable for their actions. Although this defendant did not intend on killing his victim, he knew he was beating a man with severe medical issues. To the extent that this defendant’s alcohol abuse contributed to this conduct, I hope it is addressed while he is incarcerated and afterwards. But alcohol abuse does not excuse violent behavior.”

Sosa confessed he punched a man that he knew had serious medical issues multiple times in the head at the railroad right-of-way in the vicinity of Low Avenue, in the City of Middletown.

Sosa was accused of wrapping a flexible object around a 31-year-old man’s neck, dragging him by the neck and hitting him before leaving. He was also accused of returning hours later and punching the man 10 or more times in the head.

The beaten man died the next day at Orange Regional Medical Center. Sosa was arrested two days after the beating.

Sosa and others at the railroad right-of-way were drinking at the time of the incident, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

At the time he was sentenced Sosa indicated that he will seek treatment for alcoholism, officials say.

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