A Batavia resident once shot under mysterious circumstances and later busted with what investigators at the time characterized as a significant amount of narcotics and cash, is facing up to six years in prison after pleading guilty to a drug possession charge.
Carlos A. Torres Jr., 36, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, was on his fourth plea cut-off appearance before Judge Robert C. Noonan on Monday when he entered a guilty plea to criminal possession of a controlled substance, 4th, a Class C felony.
Noonan sets plea cut-off dates, at which point the defendant must either accept a plea bargain, take the his case to trial, or plead guilty with no conditions in place.
When Torres appeared in Noonan's court Dec. 15, it was supposed to be in order to enter a plea or proceed to trial, but Torres, being represented by the public defender, asked for a new attorney.
At his next appearance, Torres was close to retaining an attorney, and by the following appearance last week, Torres had hired an attorney but the attorney had not yet had time to review the case file.
In court today, Torres was soft spoken and kept shaking his head regretfully as Noonan went over his rights to ensure that Torres knew what he was doing in entering a guilty plea.
Torres admitted to possessing cocaine with a weight of at least a half ounce.
He will be sentenced in April. At a minimum, Torres will receive two years in prison.
