Hudson Valley Elected Official Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison

The Hudson Valley man who nearly killed a lost delivery driver has been sentenced.

John Reilly III, 49, of Chester, was found guilty earlier this year of shooting an unarmed food delivery driver on May 2, 2025. Reilly III was the active Town of Chester Highway Superintendent at the time of the shooting.

According to court documents, the DoorDash driver was lost, and his phone battery died while walking up to Reilly’s residence in the Town of Chester with a bag of food.

He asked Reilly if he had ordered the food. Reilly told the man to leave, and when the driver attempted to leave in his vehicle, Reilly emerged from his home with a gun and shot at the vehicle.

"Seconds later, Reilly again aimed the gun at the car and fired. A round pierced the vehicle and struck the victim in the lower back, causing devastating injuries. The .45 caliber projectile was recovered from the victim’s abdomen during emergency surgery," the Orange County DA's Office stated.

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The DoorDash driver needed surgery to remove over two feet of his small bowel.

Many Guns Found In Home

During the investigation, officials say they found seven illegally possessed pistols inside the home.

Reilly held a Federal Firearms License to sell firearms, but he had no New York State firearms license or pistol permit to possess guns in New York State legally.

Reilly was found guilty of Assault in the First Degree (a class B violent felony), Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (a class C violent felony), Assault in the Second Degree (a class D violent felony), and Criminal Possession of a Firearm (eight counts, a class E felony).

Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison

He faced up to 25 years in prison for the top charge. This week in Orange County Court, a judge sentenced Reilly to 17 years in prison, followed by

“The lengthy sentence imposed on this defendant justly reflects his depraved indifference to human life,” Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “The victim is forced to live with life-altering injuries as a result of this defendant’s violent criminal actions. It is yet another example of the consequences of the use of dangerous firearms by an individual who had no business possessing a gun."