NORWICH – An Afton man who pleaded guilty to allowing cocaine to be sold out of his home said he is “a good guy” and “doesn't think he deserves jail.” Judge Frank B. Revoir disagreed, telling the man “you ain't a good guy,” and sentenced him to nine months incarceration at the county jail.
On March 23, Allan G. Shepard pleaded guilty to the class E felony of criminal nuisance in the first degree.
It is alleged during the months of March and April of 2014 he knowingly and unlawfully allowed others to gather at his Afton residence to sell cocaine and that he benefited from the transactions by receiving cocaine for his personal use.
“They were friends that came to my house and were doing drugs,” said Shepard. “I did cocaine with them.”
On April 17, Shepard reappeared in Chenango County Court to be sentenced.
“You allowed drugs to be sold out of your home,” said District Attorney Joseph A. McBride. “Drugs are killing the young people in our community, and it's affecting everyone.”
McBride also said Shepard looks like a responsible guy but that he needs to understand there are consequences for encouraging the local drug problem since “drugs are killing the community.”
Shepard's landlord and daughter appeared in court to receive personal items taken during the search including his firearms, wife's jewelry and $1,273 that was determined to be his retirement money.
Before he was sentenced, Shepard let the court know he had left the hospital early after receiving heart surgery two days before. He said it was his fourth surgery, he had a coronary stint put in and he needed the jail to watch him.
His public defender John Cameron said it is a minor surgery, and his client is ready to be sentenced.
“I just want to say I don't think I deserve jail. I am a good guy. I worked 30 years, and I am well-known in town,” said Shepard.
Shepard said the DA's office indicted him on gun possession like he was “a danger,” and that he just did seven months of drug court.
“This lawyer (pointing to Cameron) hasn't done anything for me,” he added.
Revoir responded to Shepard and said his gun possession charge was only a class A misdemeanor and the most important charge – the only one he is being convicted of – is the class E felony of criminal nuisance for “allowing his home to be a point of sale for drugs.”
“Drugs are poisoning our community. If that's your definition of a good guy... I would say you ain't a good guy,” said Revoir. “I am glad you worked 30 years, and you probably were a good guy when you did that, but letting drugs and drug dealers in your home is unacceptable by anyone's definition.”
Regarding Shepard saying his lawyer did nothing for him, Revoir said he should be appreciative of Cameron's help.
“You are only getting nine months. I send people to state prison every day for similar sentences. We took your background into consideration; it doesn't mean people are corrupt. But what you did was inexcusable,” he added.
Revoir said if he had known Shepard's attitude before, he may have reconsidered the sentence he is “now bound by law to impose.”
Shepard was sentenced to nine months incarceration at the Chenango County Correctional Facility.
He was handcuffed and remanded to the jail on the day of his sentencing.