By Brian Kelly
Watertown Daily Times
WATERTOWN — A state prison inmate faces five additional years’ imprisonment after admitting Wednesday in Jefferson County Court that he injured a corrections officer at Watertown Correctional Facility by pushing him down a flight of stairs.
Joshua L. Pridgen, 23, now incarcerated at Upstate Correctional Facility, Malone, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault. He admitted that on June 15 he caused a broken finger and bruised hip to an unidentified officer, a 24-year veteran, by pushing him down the stairs.
In addition to the extra prison term, Mr. Pridgen is expected to be ordered to undergo five additional years of supervision upon his release. He is serving a 3½-year prison sentence imposed in September 2013 in New York City for second-degree robbery and second-degree burglary convictions, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision website.
In other court activity:
Roque Hernandez, 47, an inmate at Bare Hill Correctional Facility, Malone, pleaded guilty to first-degree promoting prison contraband. He admitted that he possessed a sharpened toothbrush June 21 while incarcerated at Cape Vincent Correctional Facility. He is expected to be sentenced Dec. 14 to an additional two to four years in prison. He is serving a three-year sentence imposed in Queens County in June 2013 for a second-degree attempted burglary conviction, according to the prison system’s website.
Anthony Lopez, 44, Bronx, pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted promoting prison contraband and fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
He admitted that on Nov. 6, 2013, he tried to introduce a controlled narcotic into Watertown Correctional Facility after selling it to an inmate there. He is expected to be sentenced Dec. 15 to 2½ years in prison, followed by 2½ years’ post-release supervision.
Jarrod A. Hurley, 28, Watertown, pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance. He admitted that he tried to possess cocaine with the intent to sell the drug June 18 in Watertown. He is expected to be sentenced Dec. 23 to six months in the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building and five years’ probation.
Frank Rivera Jr., 47, Bloomsburg, Pa., pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted burglary. He admitted that he tried to enter a residence on Wilder Road in the town of Ellisburg on Aug. 15 with the intent to steal something. He is expected to be sentenced Dec. 15 to six months in the PSB and five years’ probation. He will also be ordered to pay $15 restitution.
Skylar J. Grega, 22, Watertown, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary and third-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance. He entered the latter plea using an Alford plea, meaning he did not admit to the underlying facts in the case, but was pleading guilty to avoid the possibility of being convicted of the charge at trial. He had been accused of possessing methamphetamine July 8 in the town of Alexandria. He had also been accused of illegally entering McGinny’s store in Theresa with the intent to steal something on June 23. Sentencing was set for Jan. 23.
Edward M. Hayden Jr., 34, Watertown, pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment, fourth-degree criminal mischief and endangering the welfare of a child. He admitted that on Oct. 13, 2013, he intentionally drove a vehicle into another vehicle occupied by his wife, Jessica, pushing the second vehicle into a fence on Flower Avenue East. There was a 4-year-old child in the vehicle with Mrs. Hayden. Mr. Hayden is expected to be sentenced Dec. 23 to an unspecified amount of time served at the PSB and three years’ probation. He will also be ordered to pay $13,261 in restitution.
Ricky L. Jacobs. 28, Pembroke, N.C., pleaded guilty to fourth-degree attempted criminal possession of stolen property. He admitted that on Sept. 28 in Watertown he tried to possess a Hilti powder-actuated fastener gun valued at about $2,000 that belonged to Glenn Hill. He was subsequently sentenced to an unspecified amount of time served at the PSB.
James R. Sulem Jr., 47, Watertown, admitted violating probation and was resentenced to one to three years in prison. He admitted that he violated probation by failing to follow through with addiction treatment programs and continued to use cocaine and amphetamines while under supervision. He was serving five years’ probation imposed in County Court in October 2012 after pleading guilty to third-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon, a knife.
Christina L. Tibbles, 21, Watertown, admitted violating probation and was resentenced to six months in the PSB, with credit for an unspecified amount of time served. She admitted violating probation by absconding from an inpatient substance abuse treatment facility and failing to report to her probation officer, as well as by continuing to use illegal substances. Information about why she was serving probation was not available from the court.
Sarin S. Vartak, 36, Binghamton, was arraigned on two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and single counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and providing false statements to the state Department of Motor Vehicles. The charges were contained in a grand jury indictment unsealed in court. It is alleged that on June 13, 2010, he intended to defraud DMV by knowingly presenting a forged Social Security card and a forged permanent residence card. It is also alleged that he made a false statement on a driver’s license application when he purposely entered a fake Social Security card number.
He entered not guilty pleas to the charges and was placed on pre-trial release under the supervision of a probation officer.
Ashley M. Loesch, 23, Everett, Mass., formerly of Watertown, was arraigned on sealed indictment containing counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. It is alleged that she had and sold heroin May 27 within the county. She pleaded not guilty to the charges and was sent to the PSB on $20,000 bail.