Andre Decker, 45, of Newburgh, New York, was convicted this past Friday on charges of possessing a firearm as a felon, concluding a 4-day jury trial. The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III along with United States Marshal David McNulty, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The trial evidence showed that Decker, already convicted of a violent felony involving a gun, had fled from federal probation and had an active arrest warrant. In a dramatic scene on November 27, 2023, Decker attempted to quickly escape Deputy U.S. Marshals, leading them on a foot chase. The pursuit ended with him, clad only in underwear, breaking into a neighboring apartment and hiding in a closet, where law enforcement apprehended him. Furthering the case against him, investigators found two loaded firearms in his apartment. In a statement obtained by the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III remarked, "Andre Decker couldn't hide from the U.S. Marshals, and he couldn’t escape this trial conviction, either," as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
U.S. Marshal David McNulty lauded the collaborative effort that led to Decker's capture, emphasizing the danger he posed to the community. He expressed appreciation for "the community, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and all our fellow law enforcement agencies whose cooperation was so important in this case," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Sentencing for Decker is set for October 15, in front of United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. The defendant faces a possible sentence of up to 15 years in prison, along with a fine that could reach $250,000, and a supervised release term of up to 3 years. The Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikayla Espinosa and Ashlyn Miranda led the prosecution of this case, which was investigated by the U.S. Marshal Service and the Albany Police Department. In the wake of this conviction, the Department of Justice points to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an evidence-based initiative aimed to effectively reduce violent crime through collaboration between various stakeholders and a focus on prosecuting violent offenders.
