Man sentenced to 9 years in prison

Troy resident admitted to weapons charges

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. » A Troy man was sentenced Monday to nine years in state prison after admitting to felony weapons and possession of stolen property charges.

David W. Sousa, 41, pleaded guilty May 23 to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a class C violent felony, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a class D felony, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and

two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, third-degree unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and reckless driving, misdemeanors. In addition to the prison sentence, Sousa must also complete five years of post-release supervision.

According to court documents, on Sept. 8, 2016, in the town of Saratoga, state police attempted to stop Sousa’s vehicle for running a stop sign when a highspeed chase ensued at speeds that exceeded 100 mph.

Sgt. Mark Leffler of the Saratoga Springs Police Department was monitoring the pursuit, anticipated Sousa’s route and deployed “stop sticks” across Union Avenue.

The sticks worked, puncturing one of Sousa’s tires, but law enforcement officers discovered he took off from the vehicle after it was stopped. Sousa was located a short while later by Mitchell Street.

About six weeks later, court documents said state police were tipped off that Sousa had tossed a backpack containing stolen property on the roof of a building during

the foot pursuit. The information was obtained as a result of a separate state police investigation into car break-ins in the Columbia County hamlet of Ninerville.

Investigators then discovered Sousa, who was already in the Saratoga County Jail at that point, had sought help from others to get rid of the backpack. Several items were recovered from the backpack, including a stolen 9mm Ruger and two stolen law enforcement badges.

First Assistant District Attorney Alan M. Poremba prosecuted the case.