Newburgh Man, 19, Gets 9-Year Term for Second-Degree Gun Possession

Jianni Nicholas, 19, of Newburgh, was sentenced in Orange County Court to nine years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced. The sentencing took place on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.

The charge and punishment were disclosed in the district attorney’s announcement. The DA’s office statement reads: "Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Jianni Nicholas, 19, of Newburgh, was sentenced in Orange County Court to nine (9) years in prison to be followed by five (5) years of post-release supervision relative to his prior plea of guilty to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree."

The plea-based sentence resolves the case against Nicholas; the announcement does not provide details about when the plea was entered, the circumstances of the alleged possession, whether the weapon was loaded, or the arresting agency. Court records and statements from defense counsel or the sentencing judge have not been supplied in the release.

The DA’s office placed the Nicholas sentence in the context of broader weapons enforcement in the city of Newburgh. A separate release from March 23, 2023, noted an earlier gun prosecution: "On Thursday, March 23, 2023, James Boursiquot, 26, of Newburgh, was sentenced to five (5) years in prison, and five (5) years post-release supervision in connection with his guilty plea in Orange County Court to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for illegally possessing a loaded handgun City of Newburgh." That release also included the standard legal caution that "This criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."

Orange County officials have used their news pages to highlight multiple recent weapon prosecutions; the DA’s site lists related posts such as "DA Hoovler Details Four Recent Gun Convictions" and "DA Hoovler Announces 12 Year Sentence in Newburgh Shooting." The office materials also show internal administrative notes, including the line "DH logo approved 2025."

For local residents, the Nicholas sentence demonstrates continued prosecutorial emphasis on illegal firearms in the City of Newburgh and the surrounding county. The DA’s announcement establishes the disposition but leaves key factual questions unanswered: the arrest date, the facts underlying the charge, the sentencing judge, and whether any additional penalties were imposed. Those details can be obtained from court filings or by request to the Orange County District Attorney’s office and court clerk if readers want a fuller account of the case and its implications for public safety.