Prospere
Jackson
GOSHEN – Two Newburgh men, a father and his son, were sentenced in Orange County Court Wednesday to state prison time for criminal possession of a weapon.
Ernie Prospere, 40, was sentenced to five years in prison for his guilty plea. His son, Takai Jackson, 18, was sentenced to 3 ½ years in prison for his guilty plea on the same charge.
On October 6, 2014, Newburgh City Police responded to the area of 175 William Street in Newburgh after receiving a complaint of a man holding a gun. It was later determined that Prospere had been holding a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun. By the time police arrived, Jackson had the gun.
The weapon was recovered by police from a garbage can where they saw Jackson discard it.
“My office will continue to seek severe prison sentences against those who illegally possess handgun,” said District Attorney David Hoovler. “Too many lives have been lost due to the violence that illegal handguns in our cities have wrought. Newburgh’s residents deserve to live in a city free from fear of those who possess illegal weapons.”
