Opinion
14291 Ind. No. 2815/10 Case No. 2016-2171
10-05-2021
The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Gilbert WELSH, Defendant–Appellant.
Janet E. Sabel, The Legal Aid Society, New York (Lauren E. Jones of counsel), for appellant. Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., District Attorney, New York (Ellen Stanfield Friedman of counsel), for respondent.
Janet E. Sabel, The Legal Aid Society, New York (Lauren E. Jones of counsel), for appellant.
Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., District Attorney, New York (Ellen Stanfield Friedman of counsel), for respondent.
Webber, J.P., Singh, Scarpulla, Mendez, Rodriguez, JJ.
Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Larry Stephen, J.), entered on or about May 10, 2013, which, adjudicated defendant a level three sexually violent predicate sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act (Correction Law art 6–C), unanimously affirmed, without costs.
The totality of the information presented to the court constituted clear and convincing evidence to warrant the point assessment under the risk factor for alcohol abuse, under the standard set forth in People v. Palmer, 20 N.Y.3d 373, 378–379, 960 N.Y.S.2d 719, 984 N.E.2d 917 (2013).
The court properly exercised its discretion when it declined to grant a downward departure (see People v. Gillotti, 23 N.Y.3d 841, 994 N.Y.S.2d 1, 18 N.E.3d 701 [2014] ). The circumstances of the underlying crime and defendant's prior record outweigh any mitigating factors and demonstrate that he poses a high risk of reoffense.