Opinion ID: 2116270
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: People v Vasquez

Text: On February 26, 1994, while incarcerated at the Elmira Correctional Facility, defendant Vasquez was searched by prison guards after setting off a metal detector during a routine walk-through. During the search, the guards saw defendant throw a metal object into a nearby laundry basket. The object was a sharpened eight-inch piece of metal, commonly referred to as a shank. At the time, defendant was serving an indeterminate sentence of 5 to 10 years for criminal possession of a controlled substance and a concurrent indeterminate sentence of 2½ to 5 years for criminal possession of a weapon. Defendant was charged by prison officials with a Tier III violation of the standards of inmate behavior (7 NYCRR 270.2). [1] Pursuant to 7 NYCRR 270.3, a Superintendent's hearing was held on or about March 23, 1994, and defendant was found guilty. By decision dated March 26, 1994, the Hearing Officer imposed a disciplinary penalty of 180 days in the Special Housing Unit and six months loss of privileges and good time. This penalty was ultimately modified by the Southport Disciplinary Review Committee to 145 days in the Special Housing Unit. On April 14, 1994, defendant was indicted by the Chemung County Grand Jury and charged with one count of promoting prison contraband, a class D felony (Penal Law § 205.25). By omnibus motion dated April 29, 1994, defendant moved to dismiss the charge on double jeopardy grounds. The motion was denied by the trial court. Defendant was convicted upon a jury trial and ultimately sentenced as a second felony offender to an indeterminate consecutive term of 3 to 6 years' imprisonment. The Appellate Division affirmed. A Judge of this Court granted defendant leave to appeal.