Judge grants drug-ring chief a plea deal to free up courtroom for other trials
Angel Alvarez likely would have faced a prison term of 45 years to life if he had been tried and convicted in a New York City drug-trafficking case.
But instead he agreed to a plea deal Wednesday, over the objection of prosecutors, from a Manhattan Supreme Court judge known as someone who delivers tough sentences.
Justice Edward J. McLaughlin said he offered the 28-year-old an opportunity to plead guilty and get a 15-year sentence instead of a potential life term in order to avoid a lengthy trial and free up his courtroom for other cases, according to the New York Daily News and the New York Times (reg. req.)
“I decided this room and the capacity for trial should be better used with the kind of mayhem that we’re seeing in Harlem and other neighborhoods,” McLaughlin said, explaining that trying youth-gang cases linked to gun violence could potentially save teenagers from getting killed on the streets. He blamed a lack of legislative funding for a shortage of judges, courtrooms and support staff.
“Somebody has to make decisions,” McLaughlin said. “The taxpayers and legislature don’t like to make decisions. I decided this room and the capacity for trials should be better used.”
Regardless of the reason for the plea deal, “What the judge did today was just and fair,” said attorney Alex Spiro, who represents the defendant.
The plea deal was possible despite the government’s objection, because Alvarez pleaded guilty to all counts with which he was charged, the Times article explains. He admitted to money-laundering and overseeing a drug ring that sold 10 to 20 kilos of cocaine a month, federal investigators said.
