Middletown Man Samuel Rodriguez Gets Six Years for Second-Degree Weapons Charge

Samuel Rodriguez, 32, of Middletown, was sentenced in Orange County Court to six years in state prison followed by five years of post‑release supervision after previously pleading guilty to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. The sentence was imposed on January 29, 2026 and was announced by the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

Rodriguez’s case is one of several recent Orange County prosecutions drawing attention to how prosecutors and judges are handling illegal gun possession. The DA’s office provided the sentencing information but did not specify the date of the guilty plea or the type of weapon involved. The office’s release carried the standard criminal‑charge disclaimer: “A 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.”

For context, the district attorney’s office has sought significant custodial sentences in multiple recent matters. Jordan Myles, 28, of Newburgh, was sentenced on June 8, 2022 to seven years in state prison and five years of post‑release supervision after pleading guilty during the middle of trial to charges that included Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. That release noted the DA’s office had recommended a 15‑year sentence. In the Myles announcement, District Attorney David M. Hoovler said, “My Office is laser focused on addressing gun violence in our streets.” Hoovler also stated, “The dedicated and cooperative efforts of our law enforcement partners helped to assure that a dangerous firearm, and a perpetrator seeking to use it, was removed from the streets. The sentence in this case should serve as a warning to those who seek to illegally possess weapons in Orange County.” The Myles release also commended Executive Assistant District Attorney Leah Canton and Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Pietropaolo and thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department, the FBI Safe Streets Taskforce, and the New York State Police for their investigative work.

Another related prosecution involved Dustin Showers, 34, of Montrose, Pennsylvania, who pleaded guilty in 2022 to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, absconded while awaiting sentence, was returned to court on a bench warrant, and was sentenced on April 23, 2024 to nine years in prison followed by five years of post‑release supervision. The People had recommended the 15‑year maximum in that case; Assistant District Attorney Neal Eriksen was the prosecutor.

What this means for Orange County residents is clear: District Attorney Hoovler’s office has been pursuing prison terms with multi‑year post‑release supervision for second‑degree weapon possession, and local law enforcement partnerships have been emphasized in those prosecutions. For Middletown neighbors, the Rodriguez sentence underscores the county’s prosecutorial approach to illegal firearms and signals continued focus on removal of weapons from community streets and enforcement that can lead to substantial prison terms.