A local man who represented himself at trial was convicted Wednesday on drug charges but acquitted of a gun possession charge, the prosecutor said.
He now faces up to 12 years in state prison on each of the two drug sale convictions.
Jerome D. Jordan, 34, formerly of Cutler Street, was accused of selling cocaine on two occasions in January 2013 in Schenectady. In one of those instances, he was accused of displaying an unloaded weapon.
He represented himself throughout the trial, advancing a defense in which he admitted to selling drugs, but not on the dates in question. He denied having the handgun.
He did have standby counsel: Attorney Andrew Healey was available to answer questions.
Prosecutor Amy Monahan of the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office said jurors told her afterward that because there was no gun in evidence and Jordan contended on the stand that he didn’t possess a gun in Schenectady County that day, that they gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Nonetheless, the drug convictions the jury came back with could send Jordan to prison for a total of 24 years. He could also get much less. Had he been convicted of the weapons count, Jordan would have faced up to an additional seven years in prison.
The trial was held before visiting Judge Richard Giardino, who will sentence Jodran on May 23.
Categories: -News-, Schenectady County
