A state appeals court has upheld convictions involving six Cayuga County defendants in cases ranging from drug possession and rape to criminal contempt and an assault at Auburn Correctional Facility.
The Appellate Division, Fourth Department affirmed the convictions in decisions released Friday, according to Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci. One additional assault conviction in the prison case was reduced to obstructing governmental administration.
The court affirmed Antwoin Anderson’s conviction for third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Anderson pleaded guilty in August 2024 after admitting he possessed cocaine in Auburn on Feb. 15, 2024, and was sentenced to three years in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision.
The court also upheld Tyrell Reeder’s conviction for attempted third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Reeder pleaded guilty in July 2023 and was sentenced in April 2024 to 7 1/2 years in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision.
Danielle Ray’s conviction for third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance was also affirmed. Ray initially received six months in jail and five years of probation after pleading guilty in July 2024, but she later violated probation and was resentenced in March to two years in prison and two years of post-release supervision.
The appeals court affirmed Weston Rhodes’ convictions for second-degree rape and attempted second-degree rape. Rhodes pleaded guilty in November 2024 and was sentenced in January 2025 to a total of eight years in prison followed by 10 years of post-release supervision.
The court also affirmed Quincy Atkins’ convictions for first-degree criminal contempt, aggravated family offense and second-degree criminal contempt. The charges stemmed from several violations of an order of protection in Auburn in February 2023, and Atkins was sentenced in January 2024 to a total of two to four years in prison.
Windsor Coleman’s jury conviction for second-degree assault and his seven-year prison sentence on that count were affirmed. The sentence also includes five years of post-release supervision.
Coleman was charged after assaulting two correction officers at Auburn Correctional Facility on Aug. 10, 2022. The court reduced another second-degree assault conviction to second-degree obstructing governmental administration based on a finding involving one officer’s injuries, according to the district attorney’s office.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Christopher T. Valdina handled the prosecution’s responses to the appeals.
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