MONTICELLO, NY — A 31-year-old Liberty man was sentenced on August 4 to 17 years in prison for possession if a loaded illegal handgun and about 50 grams of heroin.  The drugs and weapon were found in a search of his home during an investigation of a domestic dispute. The suspect, Kyle James, also known as "Killa", 31, of Liberty entered a guilty plea to two felony charges.

Sullivan County District Attorney Jim Farrell said that Liberty Police got a call on the early morning hours of January 27, 2916. During the police found a loaded .380 Bersa handgun along with approximately 50 grams of heroin, 30 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, including a digital scale and packaging material, approximately 17 ounces of marihuana and $5,000.00 in cash.  

Under the plea agreement, James received the sentence totaling 17 years on the two main charges. He was also ordered to serve five years of post-release supervision, and to forfeit $5,000.00 in cash.  James was sentenced as a second offender because of a prior conviction of selling illegal drugs.

Farrell said, "The Liberty Police acted swiftly and professionally in this case. This defendant's history is one of drug dealing and he possessed these drugs with the intent to sell them in our community.  The sentence handed down today reinforces our position that those that possess and sell this poison will be held accountable and responsible with state prison sentences.  My law enforcement partners and I will continue to fight the opioid problem and will use every tool at our disposal to do so." 

James is also being prosecuted in federal court as a result of a federal indictment for conspiracy to distribute heroin, and he faces a sentence in that case of up to 30 years.

  Farrell thanked the Liberty Police, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, which includes members of the Liberty Police, Monticello Police, Sheriff's Department and New York State Police, as well as the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York for their assistance in this prosecution.