Woman Charged With Bringing Cocaine Into Jail Given Probation
A woman charged with taking cocaine into the Albany County Detention Center was sentenced to two years of supervised probation as part of a plea deal on Monday, July 9.
Brittany Risinger, 26, was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, a level 0.5 early intervention treatment and is required to complete her GED.
According to court documents, Risinger was arrested by an Albany County Sheriff’s Deputy for misdemeanor possession of cocaine and marijuana in November 2017. At the Albany County Detention Center, Risinger was asked if she had anything hidden on her person and she shook her head, indicating “no.”
During a search of her person, the deputies found a small package wrapped in clear plastic wrap. In the package was a white powdery substance which the deputy knew to be powder cocaine.
During the sentencing, Risinger’s lawyer, Brian Quinn, said that this was Risinger’s first offense and it was a misdemeanor amount of drugs, only made a felony because of where Risinger was. Quinn said that it made sense to give Risinger a shot.
Albany County District Court Judge Tori Kricken said that she agreed that the conduct Risinger was charged with was “out of character,” for her, given her lack of criminal history, and that she deserved the opportunity to turns things around.
Kricken said the court would defer adjudication on the felony charge, meaning that the court would keep the guilty plea and only enter it if Risinger is not successful on probation. If Risinger violates the terms of her probation, she would have the felony on her record and would face up to three years in prison.
Kricken said that she had every reason to believe that Risinger will be successful on probation.