Newburgh Man Gets 5 Years For Gun Found In Impounded Car

NEWBURGH, NY — Driving without a license led directly to a Hudson Valley man's arrest and conviction for criminal gun possession, according to prosecutors.

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that 21-year-old Romaine Calhoun, of Newburgh, was sentenced last week to five years in prison to be followed by three years of post-release supervision in connection with his previous guilty plea to second degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon.

According to court documents, on August 6, 2024, around 12:40 p.m., New York State Police troopers observed a vehicle commit various vehicle and traffic violations in the area of South William Street in the City of Newburgh.

When police pulled the vehicle over, they saw Calhoun in the passenger seat. After finding that neither the driver nor Calhoun had a valid license, the vehicle was impounded.

During an inventory search of the vehicle, a loaded .38 caliber revolver was found under the seat Calhoun had been sitting in. At plea proceedings, Calhoun admitted to attempting to possess the loaded firearm.

Hoovler thanked the New York State Police for their investigation which led to the arrest of Calhoun.

"The illegal possession of firearms goes hand-in-hand with other violent crimes perpetrated in Orange County," the district attorney said. "My Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to prioritize taking illegal guns and the criminals who possess them off of our streets. I commend the proactive policing by the New York State Police that ensured this offender would be held accountable for his crimes."