Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Thursday, September 21, 2023, Robert Jemerson, 19, of Newburgh, was sentenced by Judge Craig Stephen Brown in the Orange County Court to an aggregate sentence of 10 1/3 to 13 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision. Jemerson was convicted in August of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and Tampering With Physical Evidence after a jury trial.
As alleged at trial, on September 8, 2022 members of the City of Newburgh Police Department and the New York State Police conducted a vehicle and traffic stop in the vicinity of Downing Park in the City of Newburgh. After the vehicle was stopped, Jemerson, who was the passenger, fled from the stop and ran towards the pond in Downing Park. While fleeing from police, Jemerson threw a loaded .38 caliber revolver into the pond and then jumped into the pond himself. Police officers rescued Jemerson before he drowned. Subsequently, law enforcement drained the pond and recovered the firearm Jemerson was seen throwing. The firearm was later test fired and determined to be in operable condition. Jemerson previously faced trial for the charges in May, 2023 which resulted in a deadlocked jury.
District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department and New York State Police for their investigation and arrest of the defendant.
“Law enforcement will pursue illegally possessed firearms wherever necessary, including at the bottom of a pond,” said. Hoovler. “Not only was a dangerous and unregistered gun taken off the streets, but a violent offender was held to account for his actions. I applaud the dedicated work of the City of Newburgh Police and the New York State Police, as well as the prosecutors who handled the case at trial. My Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of illegally possessed guns in order to make our communities safer.”
District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Senior Assistant District Attorney Christopher Kelly and Assistant District Attorney Amanda Arroyo who prosecuted the case.