Teen Who Shot 2, Fled, Then Hid The Loaded Gun Under His Pillow Gets 8 Years

CITY OF MIDDLETOWN, NY — A disturbing case of gang violence will send a Hudson Valley teen to prison, prosecutors have announced.

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that 18-year-old Dylan Saldana, of Middletown, was sentenced on June 17, to eight years in prison to be followed by five years post-release supervision after his previous guilty plea to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

SEE ALSO: Teen Shot 2, Fled, Then Hid The Loaded Gun Under His Pillow

According to court documents, on November 19, at around 7 a.m., Saldana was walking on Wickham Avenue in the City of Middletown when he saw two people he believed were associated with a rival gang.

Saldana shot at the two and then fled the scene, according to police.

Offficers recovered a shell casing from the scene and identified Saldana as a suspect. A search warrant was executed at Saldana's residence and a loaded pistol was found under a pillow in his bedroom. Ballistic testing matched the spent casing to the firearm, and Saldana confessed his involvement in the shooting, according to to police.

At plea proceedings, Saldana admitted to possessing the loaded firearm.

The district attorney thanked the City of Middletown Police Department for their investigation which led to the arrest of Saldana.

"When guns are in the hands of brazen criminals intent on causing harm to others, we are all in danger," Hoovler said. "That is why we have such a focus on the investigation, arrest and prosecution of those who illegally possess and use firearms. The safety of our community is paramount and the sentence imposed in this case stands as a message of the seriousness of these crimes. We will continue to pursue and prosecute violent gang crime in Orange County."