MONTICELLO – A Monticello man, currently in prison on a gun conviction in Orange County, was convicted by a Sullivan County jury on Thursday, adding several years to his prison sentence.
Sullivan County District Attorney Meagan Galligan announced the conviction of Ronald Royster, 30, on charges of Aggravated Criminal Contempt, Criminal Contempt, Aggravated Family Offense, and Criminal Mischief, all felonies, in connection with his conduct against a former paramour.
According to Galligan, on October 5, 2018, and March 1, 2019, Royster, in violation of an Order of Protection directing him to stay away from and not contact his former paramour, repeatedly attempted to make contact with her, including by ringing her doorbell and throwing a rock through the window of a car parked in her driveway.
Royer’s trial in Sullivan County was delayed while he was being prosecuted in Orange County for Criminal Possession of a Weapon, along with pandemic-related pauses in the court system, the Sullivan County trial began on February 28.
Royster has previously been convicted of two misdemeanors and one felony charge of Criminal Contempt for his conduct against the same victim. He is currently serving a 3.5-year sentence on his Orange County conviction and faces up to an additional 7.5 to 15 years at sentencing on this case.
“This defendant has repeatedly terrorized a hardworking member of our community who displayed tremendous courage in facing him in court this week,” Galligan said. She added, “He has demonstrated that he will stop at nothing to make contact with her, but Sullivan County’s law enforcement community will stop at nothing to protect her as well.”
Royster remains incarcerated at the Upstate Correctional Facility and will be sentenced on May 13 for the Sullivan County conviction.
