Appellate court upholds conviction of major Orange County drug trafficker

GOSHEN – The Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court Second Judicial Department has affirmed the conviction of a former Otisville man who was convicted of operating as a major trafficker.

and was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison.

In his appeal, Perez-Molina maintained that the county court failed to make an inquiry during the plea proceeding as to whether he understood his right to discovery and was willing to waive that right. That contention was rejected by the appellate court that concluded that he knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently pled guilty.

Perez-Molina also argued that his sentence was excessive, but the appeals court said that was without merit.