On August 3, 2012, after a trial in Ulster County Court, a jury of seven women and five men returned a verdict finding Karlyle Wheeler of Kingston guilty of two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, all class B felonies.
Wheeler was arrested as part of Operation Clean Sweep and charged with selling crack cocaine on two separate occasions to an undercover police officer. Wheeler’s arrest stems from a cooperative investigation involving the New York State Police, City of Kingston Police Department, the URGENT Task Force, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.
Wheeler was represented by Assistant Public Defender Maryanne Connelly. During the trial, Wheeler testified on his own behalf and alleged that it was his brother, Kyle Wheeler, who had sold the crack cocaine. However, both sales were captured on video and a picture of Kyle Wheeler was admitted into evidence to dispel the defense. Kyle Wheeler did not testify in support of the defendant’s claim. In addition, two of the prosecution witnesses, Kingston Detectives VanAllen and Negron, witnessed the transactions and testified that they knew Karlyle Wheeler from extensive prior dealings with him.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael Kavanagh who cross examined the defendant about his prior criminal history which includes a conviction for Assault in the First Degree where he pleaded guilty to shooting another man at point blank range in the stomach in a dispute over drugs. In response to ADA Kavanagh’s questions the defendant denied that prior assault explaining that he only pled guilty because NewYork State did not have a self defense law at the time.
Wheeler is an admitted member of the street gang Crips and a Kingston gang called Blackout.
Wheeler is scheduled to be sentenced by the Hon. Donald A. Williams on October 3, 2012, and because of prior felony convictions, is facing up to 24 years in state prison.
On August 3, 2012, after a trial in Ulster County Court, a jury of seven women and five men returned a verdict finding Karlyle Wheeler of Kingston guilty of two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, all class B felonies.
Wheeler was arrested as part of Operation Clean Sweep and charged with selling crack cocaine on two separate occasions to an undercover police officer. Wheeler’s arrest stems from a cooperative investigation involving the New York State Police, City of Kingston Police Department, the URGENT Task Force, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.
Wheeler was represented by Assistant Public Defender Maryanne Connelly. During the trial, Wheeler testified on his own behalf and alleged that it was his brother, Kyle Wheeler, who had sold the crack cocaine. However, both sales were captured on video and a picture of Kyle Wheeler was admitted into evidence to dispel the defense. Kyle Wheeler did not testify in support of the defendant’s claim. In addition, two of the prosecution witnesses, Kingston Detectives VanAllen and Negron, witnessed the transactions and testified that they knew Karlyle Wheeler from extensive prior dealings with him.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael Kavanagh who cross examined the defendant about his prior criminal history which includes a conviction for Assault in the First Degree where he pleaded guilty to shooting another man at point blank range in the stomach in a dispute over drugs. In response to ADA Kavanagh’s questions the defendant denied that prior assault explaining that he only pled guilty because NewYork State did not have a self defense law at the time.
Wheeler is an admitted member of the street gang Crips and a Kingston gang called Blackout.
Wheeler is scheduled to be sentenced by the Hon. Donald A. Williams on October 3, 2012, and because of prior felony convictions, is facing up to 24 years in state prison.
