KINGSTON – The Appellate
Division of State Supreme Court has affirmed the decision of Ulster County
Court in the denial of youthful offender status for Walter Price. He pled
guilty in February 2015 to a reduced charge of criminal sexual act after
his original 2007 plea was vacated by the appellate court.
Price appealed Judge Donald Williams’ denial of his youthful offender
request, but the appellate court rejected his appeal.
In an unrelated case, the appellate court rejected the appeal of Fateen
Akbar, who pled guilty in May 2014 to criminal sale of a controlled substance
as a felony for selling heroin on three separate occasions.
At the time of his plea, Akbar agreed to waive his right to appeal and
Judge Williams agreed to impose a prison sentence of seven years with
three years of post-release supervision. At sentencing, the court sentenced
Akbar, a second felony offender, to six years in prison and three years
of post-release supervision.
Akbar filed a notice of appeal, but the appellate court ruled there
were no non-frivolous issues which could be raised and affirmed the conviction.
