Appeals Court Affirms Cortland Mans Conviction of Criminal Possession of a Weapon

Cortland County District Attorney, Patrick Perfetti, has announced an appeals court has affirmed a Cortland man’s sentence of 5 years in state prison after his conviction in October 2020. Perfetti says Leon I. Graham was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd, considered a violent felony, back on October 29, 2020. He was then sentenced in January 2021.

“Sawed-Off shotguns are firearms with no legitimate purpose and this Office will always take action to prosecute those who possess such dangerous weapons to the fullest extent of the law;” said D.A. Perfetti. “This case was an outstanding example of community members who ‘saw something – saying something’ and Officer Peters of the Cortland City Police Department doing his job well.”

Back on July 12, 2019, an incident occurred where Graham attempted to “insert” himself into a basketball game at a basketball court in the City of Cortland. According to Perfetti’s Office, it was after a verbal altercation on the court took place Graham then left the area. He would then return later this time with a duffle bag and join in playing a basketball game.

A parent of one of the players on the basketball court walked over where Graham left his dufflebag that was unzipped, and saw a defaced firearm inside it. Cortland Police were called and the dufflebag was turned over to officers. When police interviewed Graham about the contents inside the bag, Officer Peters with Cortland Police saw Graham trying to move something from his pants pocket to his sweatshirt.

Graham was then patted-down for officer safety and a shotgun shell was found in his possession. The shotgun shell found was the same gauge and make as the shotgun shell that was loaded in the recovered shotgun in the dufflebag.

Graham in addition to serving his 5 year sentence to Criminal Possession of a Weapon is concurrently serving a term for his conviction on the related charge of False Personation.