Sullivan County District Attorney Jim Farrell announced on Dec. 15 that Thorn Wimer, 23, originally of Diana, N.Y., in Lewis County, was sentenced yesterday to a term of 12 years in state prison, to be followed by 5 years of post-release supervision, for Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C violent felony.

Wimer admitted to possessing a loaded 32 caliber Walther handgun in July of 2014 in the Village of Liberty. His guilty plea was taken in satisfaction of three charges of criminal sale of a firearm, class D felonies. Wimer’s conviction followed a joint investigation by the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, State Police Liberty, the Village of Liberty Police and the DA’s office into Wimer’s trafficking in illegal and stolen handguns in Sullivan County. The investigation revealed that Wimer illegally sold four different handguns to undercover officers in the Village of Liberty in 2014 – two of which were loaded at the times of the sales.

Wimer was previously convicted in July 2014 of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree for menacing another man with a gun in Lewis County and was on probation for that offense at the time of this crime. The plea agreement allowed the judge to sentence Wimer to a minimum of 3 ½ years in prison up to a maximum of 15 years in prison. Farrell said his office recommended that Wimer be sentenced to the maximum under the plea agreement. Sullivan County Court Judge Frank J. LaBuda ultimately imposed a 12 year sentence upon Wimer with 5 years of post-release supervision.

Farrell said: “This defendant’s actions in possessing and trafficking in stolen guns in our community are an affront to responsible gun ownership and undermine the safety and security of our community. The enforcement of existing laws prohibiting this defendant’s conduct and the sentence imposed upon this defendant by the Court show the commitment of our local and state law enforcement agencies to ensure that those who illegally possess and distribute firearms in Sullivan County will be held accountable. Law-abiding gun owners should take pride in their exercise of the rights guaranteed to them by the 2nd Amendment. The successful prosecution of this defendant highlights the effectiveness of existing laws, when appropriately enforced, and demonstrates that increased restrictions on the rights of those of us who lawfully possess and bear arms will not, indeed cannot, eliminate the illegal acts of those who operate outside the law, who must be apprehended and appropriately punished.”

Farrell praised the work of the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, whose joint investigation with the State Police Liberty, the Village of Liberty Police Department and the DA’s office led to the apprehension of this defendant and recovery of five handguns and one shotgun which would otherwise have been illegally distributed into our community.