Hudson Valley Man Accused of Selling Drugs Near School Jailed For Gun Possession
A Hudson Valley man who is accused of selling drugs near a local school received a lengthy prison sentence for possessing a gun.
On Monday in Orange County Court, 46-year-old Richard Burbridge of Port Jervis, was sentenced to 13 years in state prison and five years post release supervision.
In Jan., Burbridge admitted that he possessed a loaded semiautomatic pistol inside his Coleman Street Port Jervis home and that he had previously been convicted of a crime.
After his guilty plea, Burbridge was released on bail. Prior to his sentencing, on March 3, Burbridge was arrested for allegedly selling drugs on or near school grounds in Orange County. He was charged with seven counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, seven counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell and two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near a school zone, all felonies.
Officials recovered 1.5 ounces of crack cocaine during the course of an undercover operation, police say.The investigation was triggered by community complaints about Burbridge’s alleged trafficking in narcotics.
“This defendant simply refused to stop trafficking narcotics, even after he had pleaded guilty to a felony,” District Attorney David Hoovler said. “The community will be safer during the thirteen years he is in state prison.”
If convicted of all the narcotics sales, Burbridge faces an additional 84 years in state prison.
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