A Hudson Valley man was sentenced to 20 years in prison following an armed home invasion. He later tried to bribe a witness with $2,500.

On Thursday in Orange County Court, 35-year-old Sean Leath of Middletown was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and five years post supervision, for forcing his way into an apartment in Middletown and displaying what appeared to be a pistol.

Prior to his guilty plea, and after jury selection began, prosecutors learned of allegations that Leath paid a witness $2,500 to change his testimony and not identify Leath as the person responsible for the burglary.


Leath was also sentenced to two to four years in prison for attempting to brie a witness. The two prison sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

“The community will be safer during the two decades that this defendant will be in prison,” Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler stated. “This defendant admitted invading a home with what appeared to be a pistol. Such violent conduct, particularly in an area where everyone deserves to feel safe, is clearly deserving of a lengthy state prison sentence.”

The District Attorney’s Office started an investigation into whether other people were involved in Leath’s attempts to bribe a witness.

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