X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

Dennis J. Lamb, Troy, for appellant. Mary Pat Donnelly, District Attorney, Troy (Lauren D. Konsul of counsel), for respondent. Appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court (Andrew G. Ceresia, J.), rendered June 17, 2019 in Rensselaer County, convicting defendant upon his plea of guilty of the crime of disseminating indecent material to a minor in the first degree. In satisfaction of a two-count indictment, defendant pleaded guilty to disseminating indecent material to a minor in the first degree and waived his right to appeal, with the understanding that he would be sentenced to six months in jail, to be followed by five years of probation. At a subsequent appearance, defendant was informed that the crime to which he pleaded guilty required him to register as a sex offender and that an enhanced surcharge was required. Based upon this new information, Supreme Court afforded defendant an opportunity to withdraw his plea, which defendant declined and indicated that he wished to move forward with the plea agreement. Prior to sentencing, defendant was arrested. Thereafter, defendant unsuccessfully moved to withdraw his plea. Following an Outley hearing regarding his arrest following his guilty plea, Supreme Court found that defendant violated the terms of the plea agreement and imposed an enhanced sentence of 1 to 3 years in prison. Defendant appeals. Appellate counsel seeks to be relieved of the assignment of representing defendant upon the ground that there are no nonfrivolous issues to be raised on appeal. Upon our review of the record and defense counsel’s brief, we disagree. We find issues of arguable merit, including whether defendant’s motion to withdraw his plea was properly denied and whether his waiver of his right to appeal is valid, which, in turn, may impact other issues that may be raised, such as the severity of the enhanced sentence imposed. Accordingly, and without passing judgment on the ultimate merit of these issues, we grant counsel’s application for leave to withdraw and assign new counsel to address these issues and any others that the record may disclose (see People v. Beaty, 22 NY3d 490, 492-493 [2014]; People v. Stokes, 95 NY2d 633, 638-639 [2001]; see generally People v. Cruwys, 113 AD2d 979, 980 [3d Dept 1985], lv denied 67 NY2d 650 [1986]). Garry, P.J., Egan Jr., Aarons, Reynolds Fitzgerald and McShan, JJ., concur. ORDERED that the decision is withheld, application to be relieved of assignment granted and new counsel to be assigned.

 
Reprints & Licensing
Mentioned in a Law.com story?

License our industry-leading legal content to extend your thought leadership and build your brand.

More From ALM

With this subscription you will receive unlimited access to high quality, online, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry. This is perfect for attorneys licensed in multiple jurisdictions or for attorneys that have fulfilled their CLE requirement but need to access resourceful information for their practice areas.
View Now
Our Team Account subscription service is for legal teams of four or more attorneys. Each attorney is granted unlimited access to high quality, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry along with administrative access to easily manage CLE for the entire team.
View Now
Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! Our Compliance bundles are curated by CLE Counselors and include current legal topics and challenges within the industry. Our second option allows you to build your bundle and strategically select the content that pertains to your needs. Both options are priced the same.
View Now
September 04, 2025
New York, NY

The New York Law Journal honors attorneys and judges who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession in New York.


Learn More
February 24, 2025 - February 26, 2025
Las Vegas, NV

This conference aims to help insurers and litigators better manage complex claims and litigation.


Learn More
March 24, 2025
New York, NY

Recognizing innovation in the legal technology sector for working on precedent-setting, game-changing projects and initiatives.


Learn More

The University of Iowa College of Law anticipates hiring lateral faculty members in the areas of Family Law and Business Law. APPLICATION ...


Apply Now ›

NY auto defense firm seeks experienced TRIAL ATTORNEY to do trials, motions, court appearances, and depositions.Salary range 115K-150K depen...


Apply Now ›

The New York State Unified Court System is one of the largest court systems in the nation with over 16,000 judges and non-judicial employees...


Apply Now ›