ITHACA, N.Y. – At least three defendants were sentenced in Tompkins County Court this week following arrests from earlier in the year.
Emily Sosna, 37
Following her arrest for violating an order of protection multiple times, Sosna appeared in Tompkins County Court on Friday afternoon to enter a plea. According to court records, Sosna was indicted in July after Cornell University Police reportedly arrested her for violating an order of protection which was served to her in November 2016.
Sosna was initially charged separately on three different occasions for allegedly violating the order on January 23, January 24 and June 12.
Judge John C. Rowley said the matter in Friday’s court appearance was in regards to allegations that Sosna had delivered a handwritten letter to the victim’s mailbox with threats to kill him.
“Do you understand how a letter like that places a person with a reasonable fear that you might intend to harm or kill them?” Rowley asked.
Sosna pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal contempt, a class E felony which would carry no more than 4 years in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for December 1.
Related: Court records: Ithaca woman indicted after violating order of protection for months
Jason Fields, 32
Fields pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal contempt in July after his arrest on March 25 for his involvement in a domestic dispute. The Auburn man was arrested by New York State Police when he was found harassing a victim on Maple Ave. in Ithaca.
During his plea appearance, Judge John C. Rowley said that Fields intentionally violated an order of protection with the intention of causing physical harassment upon the victim.
Fields, who was represented by Attorney Jerome Mayersak, pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal contempt and was sentenced on Friday to 1 1/2 to 3 years in state prison.
Related: Auburn man pleads guilty to criminal contempt
Shawn Payne, 33
Payne was arrested in December 2016 after Ithaca Police found him in possession of more than an ounce of cocaine. Records state the Groton man was arrested after a backpack was recovered which allegedly belonged to the defendant. Police say Payne’s license and over $1,000 dollars in cash were both found in the backpack along with two knotted bags containing cocaine.
Police say they recovered approximately 33.14 grams of cocaine in the backpack.
Payne, who pleaded guilty to fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, was sentenced on Wednesday to 1 1/2 years of incarceration with a 1 year post-release supervision period.