MONTICELLO – A 23-year-old
man, originally from Diana, New York in Lewis County, was sentenced in
Sullivan County Court on Monday to 12 years in state prison to be followed
by five years of post-release supervision.
Thorn Wimer was charged with the violent felony of criminal possession
of a weapon. He admitted to possessing a loaded 32 caliber handgun in
July 2014 in the Village of Liberty.
Wimer’s conviction followed a joint investigation by the State Police
Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, State Police at Liberty, Village
of Liberty Police and the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office
into his trafficking in illegal and stolen handguns in the county.
The investigation revealed Wimer illegally sold four guns to undercover
officers in Liberty in 2014, two of which were loaded at the times of
the sales.
Wimer was previously convicted in July 2014 to criminal possession of
a weapon for menacing another man with a gun in Lewis County and was on
probation for that offense at the time of the Sullivan County crimes.
The plea agreement allowed the judge to sentence Wimer to a minimum of
3 ½ to 15 years in prison. Judge Frank LaBuda ultimately imposed
a 12-year sentence.
“The defendant’s actins in possessing and trafficking in stolen
guns in our community are an affront to responsible gun ownership and
undermine the safety and security of our community,” said District
Attorney James Farrell. “The enforcement of existing laws prohibits
this defendant’s conduct and the sentenced imposed upon this defendant
by the court shows the commitment of our local and state law enforcement
agencies to ensure that those who illegally possess and distribute firearms
in Sullivan County will be held accountable.”
