Gov. Hochul announces pardons and sentence commutations for 13 people

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced this week she is granting clemency to 13 people convicted of crimes, including nine who have lived crime-free for years and four who are still serving prison time.

The list did not include Poughkeepsie mother Nikki Addimando, who is still serving time for killing her alleged abuser. Her case was profiled in the Poughkeepsie Journal earlier this week, and supporters had hoped she would be among those granted clemency.

Those granted pardons or commutations of their sentences were recommended by Hochul's six-member clemency advisory board.

Those granted pardons include:

Amir Shaaban, 45, who was convicted of attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in 2008 but has lived a crime-free life for 14 years. A pardon will help him remain in the United States, where he is married to a citizen and is caretaker for his mother and mother-in-law, who also are citizens.

Denise Shelly-Ann Carter, 46, who was convicted of attempted felony criminal sale and misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance, but has since lived a crime-free life for 23 years. She is a home health care aide and an active member of her church.

Brenda Gordillo Plaza, 57, was convicted of four counts of misdemeanor criminal possession of stolen property and two counts of petty larceny between 1992 and 2005. She is working to complete a hairdressing and cosmetology program, with a goal of opening her own salon, and a pardon will help her avoid deportation.

Franklin Barcacel, 54, was convicted of possession of stolen property and tampering with a witness in 1999 but has since lived a crime-free life. He volunteers for translation and food distribution programs at his local community centers, and a pardon will help him avoid deportation.

Paul Antoine, 39, came to the United States when he was six years old and lived here more than 20 years before being deported due to a conviction for attempted third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. A pardon will help him return to care for his aging mother, who is a citizen.

Paola Jovana Espinosa Yunda, 47, has lived in the U.S. for more than 25 years and is the mother of two children who are citizens. She was convicted of two counts of first-degree criminal possession of marijuana in 2003. A pardon will help her remain in the U.S. with her children and extended family.

Lesly Parfait, 52, was convicted of robbery in 2005 but has since lived a crime-free life. He is married to a U.S. citizen and has two children, is a concrete worker and an active union member, and has volunteered to teach construction skills to youth.

Andres Paulino Castro, 52, was convicted of attempted felony criminal possession of a controlled substance in 2005. He is married to a citizen and they have three children and operate two small businesses in the Bronx. A pardon will help him avoid deportation.

Kurt Hawkins, 54, lived a crime-free life after being convicted of misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance and petty larceny in 1991. A pardon will help him pursue naturalization to become a U.S. citizen.

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Among the four whose sentences were commuted:

Jacqueline Smalls, 60, is a survivor of domestic violence. She was convicted of manslaughter and two counts each of felony criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance, after an abuser entered her home in violation of two orders of protection. She has served more than 10 years of her 15-year prison sentence.

Anthony Evans, 56, has served nearly 19 years of a 22 years to life sentence for burglary. He earned his GED while in prison and has not had a disciplinary infraction in more than 15 years. When he is released, he will live with his wife and has a job offer at a commercial real estate business.

Bruce Bryant, 53, was convicted of murder, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon in 1996. He was 23 when he committed the crimes and has served 30 years of his 37 and a half years to life sentence. Under his original sentence he would not see the Board of Parole until 2029. His sentence is being commuted so he can appear before the board at an earlier time and they can make a determination as to whether he is a suitable candidate for parole.

Stanley Bellamy, 60, was convicted of murder, attempted murder and robbery in 1987. He was 23 years old at the time of the crimes and has served more than 37 years of his 62 and a half years to life sentence. He served for years as the lead organizer of an annual anti-violence seminar at Sullivan Correctional Facility. Under his original sentence, he would not see the Board of Parole until 2048, when he would be 85 years old. His sentence is being commuted to allow him an earlier opportunity to appear before the board, so they can determine if he is a suitable candidate for parole.

Addimando, who did not receive clemency, has been behind bars since 2017, when she shot her boyfriend at their Poughkeepsie apartment after, she says, he threatened to kill her and she grabbed his gun from him. She has two and a half years left to serve on her prison term.

A group of her supporters, the Nicole Addimando Defense Committee, issued a statement saying they are "devastated" that Hochul did not grant her clemency.

"By any measure, her case for clemency is extraordinarily strong," the statement read in part. "We urge the governor to not stop with this initial set of clemency decisions, and stand by her promise of enacting rolling clemency throughout the year."

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, the Poughkeepsie Journal and the Journal News-lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul grants clemency to 13 people