DA secures conviction in Auburn prison contraband case

District Attorney Jon Budelmann announced that his office secured the conviction of Inmate Antuan Stanley (DOB 4/4/1983) of both counts in the Indictment: Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree (both class D felonies). A Cayuga County jury found that Inmate Stanley, while incarcerated at the Auburn Correctional Facility, possessed a weapon fashioned out of a plastic toothbrush, sharpened to a point, which he used during a fight with another inmate on February 9, 2014. Both inmates suffered lacerations and injuries.Inmate Stanley was remanded (without any bail) to the Cayuga County Jail to await sentencing. He was previously convicted of a felony in 2010 [Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, five (5) years determinate prison and five years Post-Release Supervision] and 2005 [Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, one to three years indeterminate prison], as well as several other misdemeanor convictions. Stanley has been released from state prison and had been housed in Cayuga County Jail while awaiting trial.Assistant District Attorney Brian Leeds prosecuted the defendant’s trial which started with Jury selection Monday. The jury returned the guilty verdict at around 2:30 PM (November 19, 2015) after several hours of deliberation. Stanley faces up to 3½ to 7 years (minimum 2 to 4 years) for the conviction as a predicate felony offender and is eligible for persistent felony offender, which could carry a life imprisonment sentence. He is to be sentenced on January 26, 2016. Stanley chose to represent himself at trial, after firing several of his assigned attorneys throughout the proceedings.District Attorney Budelmann praised the work of the facility staff as well as his Assistant. Dangerous contraband weapons pose a serious threat to the safety of everyone inside the prison and to the security of the facility itself. Given the safety hazard they present to both staff and inmates, we are very happy with the outcome and thank the jury for listening to the evidence and holding this inmate accountable for breaking the rules.