James E. Sandford III, 28, of Penn Yan, NY, was convicted by a federal jury on charges of possessing a stolen firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and witness tampering. The verdict, handed down in the Western District of New York, exposes Sandford to a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case traces back to June 4, 2015, when Sandford was initially arraigned on a criminal complaint. After his arrest, he was overheard shouting threats at a suspected witness: “I’m not going to be in jail long. I will see you on the outside you snitch.” Federal prosecutors Brett Harvey and Frank Sherman, who led the trial, argued the outburst was a deliberate attempt to intimidate, delay, and obstruct justice.
According to a superseding indictment, Sandford distributed synthetic cannabinoids—designer drugs meant to mimic illegal narcotics—throughout the Penn Yan area between July 2014 and March 24, 2015. He allegedly sold these substances to minors and within 1,000 feet of St. Michael’s School, a private elementary school, heightening the severity of the potential charges.
The indictment also revealed a dangerous exchange: On February 22, 2015, Sandford traded synthetic cannabinoids to a minor in return for a stolen Savage .410 double barrel shotgun. At the time, he had two prior felony convictions, making his possession of any firearm a federal crime. That weapon became central to the firearms charges on which he was ultimately convicted.
Despite the government’s push on drug distribution counts, the jury deadlocked on those charges. Sandford claimed he didn’t know the substances were illegal—a defense that prevented a unanimous verdict. But on the firearms and witness tampering counts, the evidence was too strong to ignore. The jury found him guilty on all three remaining counts.
The conviction is the result of a coordinated investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt; the Penn Yan Police Department, led by Chief Mark Hulse; the Yates County Sheriff’s Department, directed by Ronald Spike; and the Yates County District Attorney’s Office, overseen by Valerie Gardner. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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