First He Shot The Victim In Chest, Then He Climbed On A Car Hood And Shot Victim In Shoulder

VILLAGE OF WALDEN, NY — A gunman who used an illegally modified flare gun to seriously injure another person in a parking lot dispute will go to prison.

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that 56-year-old Wilfredo Crespo, of Pine Bush, was sentenced on Friday to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision. Crespo previously pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

According to court documents, on December 24, 2020, around 7:20 a.m., in the parking lot of a Village of Walden business, Crespo accosted a person and then pulled out a loaded firearm and shot the victim once in the chest.

When the victim got into a vehicle to try to stop Crespo from fleeing the scene, Crespo climbed onto the hood of the victim's car and shot the victim in the shoulder.

Crespo later turned himself into the police and admitted to shooting the victim.

During the investigation, police found a modified flare gun used in the shooting that discharged .22 caliber rounds.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Police for their investigation which led to the arrest of Crespo. He also thanked the Town of Crawford Police Department and the Village of Walden Police Department for their assistance during the investigation.

"The terrible physical and emotional consequences wrought by this defendant's violent crimes demands the significant sentence imposed," Hoovler said. "Criminals such as this defendant have no business carrying or wielding illegally possessed firearms. While this defendant's crimes left the victim with serious and lasting injuries, the hard work of law enforcement ensured that this defendant was held accountable for his actions. We will persist in our pursuit of gun crimes and the criminals who commit them."