District Attorney Jim Farrell announced today that Kyle James, aka “Killa”, 31, of Liberty, N.Y. entered pleas of guilty on Friday, March 10, 2017, to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^nd Degree, a class C violent felony, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3^rd Degree, a class B felony.  Under the terms of the plea agreement Farrell said that James is expected to receive a sentence of 17 years in state prison and 5 years of post-release supervision when he is sentenced on June 9, 2017. 

Farrell said that Liberty Police were called to James’ residence in the Village of Liberty on January 27, 2016 as a result of a 911 call and the report of a man with a gun.  After investigation, Liberty Detectives found a loaded 380 caliber Bersa handgun, that had been defaced, as well as 49 grams of heroin, 29  grams of cocaine, 17 ounces of marihuana, a digital scale, hundreds of glassine envelopes, a cutting agent for the narcotics and $5,000 in cash.  The cash seized will be forfeited under the plea agreement and used for law enforcement purposes. 

Farrell praised the work of the Liberty Police who “performed a thorough investigation into this matter and their good police work resulted in the seizure of an illegal, loaded and defaced handgun that was employed in the defendant’s drug dealing, as well as a substantial amount of both heroin, cocaine and marihuana that was destined for distribution in our streets.”  James was also indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2016 for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin in Sullivan County.  That matter is currently pending in the United States District Court in the Southern District and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney.  Farrell also thanked the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center who forensically analyzed the evidence in this case .