10-Year Sentence Given For Unlawful Firearm, Intimidation

A Syracuse man was sentenced Thursday to 10 years on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and one count of intimidation with a deadly weapon.
Kenneth S. Williams Jr., 34, Boston Street, Syracuse, entered a plea agreement Jan. 22, and it was accepted Thursday morning by Superior Court Judge David Cates.
Kosciusko County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katy Hampton suggested imposing the maximum sentenced followed by probation was necessary. She said probation would be helpful for Williams’ transition back into society.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s office, a Syracuse Police Department officer was waived down by a man who said a man, identified as Williams, was holding a dog by a collar and punching it. When asked if everything was fine, Williams told the man it was none of his business and left the scene. The man went into a gas station and when he walked out, Williams was screaming at him and said he was just disciplining the dog. He then showed the man a gun on his waist and said, “Do we have a problem.” The officer reviewed the surveillance video and recognized Williams from past experiences with him.
Cates said that Williams has an extensive criminal history and that he “doesn’t see any point in probation.”
Cates sentenced Williams to 10 years for count I, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. He has one day credit for this count.
For count II, intimidation, Williams was sentenced to two years. He will serve these concurrently, or at the same time with count I.
Upon his release, Cates said he expects Williams to “function as a member of society.”

(Story By The Times Union)