Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Plaintiff, v. William E. Ricchiutti, Defendant
Court: County Court of New York, Nassau County
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1975-05-30
Citations: 82 Misc. 2d 399
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Plaintiff, v William E. Ricchiutti, Defendant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 82
Pages: 399–400

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Plaintiff, v William E. Ricchiutti, Defendant.
County Court, Trial Term, Nassau County,
May 30, 1975
Robert J. Kaschak for defendant. Denis Dillon, District Attorney (Douglas Hollmann of counsel), for plaintiff.

Opinion:
Richard C. Delin, J.
The defendant is charged with a felony under the Tax Law. He now moves to strike the District Attorney's statement which alleges that he is a second felony offender. (See Penal Law, § 70.06; CPL 400.21.)
Section 70.06 (subd 1, par [a]) of the Penal Law provides that a second felony offender is "a person who stands convicted of a felony deñned in this chapter" (emphasis supplied). Possession of untaxed cigarettes as a felony is not defined in the Penal Law. Under the established rules of statutory construction and the self-evident language of the statute, the instant offense is not subject to the increased penalties of section 70.06.
Accordingly, the defendant's motion is granted. It is, so ordered.