Brooklyn Man Who Was 'No-Show' At Trial Receives Sentence

GOSHEN, NY — A Brooklyn man who was found guilty in absentia of having an illegal weapon will be going to prison.

Orange County District Attorney David M Hoovler said Thursday that Kaeshawn Kerr, 27, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and five years post-supervision.

A jury found him guilty Sept. 15 of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, both felonies.

The verdict was returned after a trial in which Kerr never appeared in court, Hoovler said.

According to state law, a court may try and sentence defendants in absentia if they refuse to come to court, he said.

On Jan. 1, 2021, Kerr was driving in the town of Goshen when he was stopped by a state trooper for speeding. He gave the trooper a fake name and fled in a car to the Lowe's home improvement store in Chester.

Authorities waited outside the store, and when he came out, he tried to get away on foot.

During the chase, Kerr threw away a loaded 9mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun and a forged Connecticut driver's license in the name of "Dennis Charette."

After being arrested and charged, bail was set and eventually posted, so he was released.

Kerr last appeared in Orange Count Court Aug. 19 at which time the trial was set for Sept. 9.

He did not show up for the trial and it was conducted in his absence.

The sentence of 12 years in state prison was for the weapons charge. A concurrent sentence of three-and-one-half to seven years for the forged instrument charge was also handed down.

Kerr was arrested Jan.11 by an Orange County Sheriff's investigator assigned to the United States Marshal's Service Fugitive Task Force.

He was charged by a grand jury with second-degree bail jumping and is scheduled to appear in County Court April 18. He faces an additional two to four years in state prison for the charge, if convicted.

Hoovler said he had no doubts that Kerr's repeated attempts to avoid apprehension and punishment would ultimately fail.

"Those who voluntarily choose to illegally absent themselves from court proceedings not only end up forfeiting valuable rights to participate in their own trials, but also generally end up in a worse position," he said.