Ilion Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Loaded Firearm During Traffic Stop

Auburn, NY - District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci announced today that DONNIE BIRDINE, 21, of Ilion, New York, pled guilty to one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, in violation of Penal Law Section 265.03[3] a Class C Armed Violent Felony, arising out of an October 29, 2022 traffic stop in the Town of Fleming.

As alleged in the indictment, defendant admitted to knowingly possessing a loaded and operable firearm, consisting of a Smith and Wesson 9 mm pistol. Members of the New York State Police and the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office were conducting a DWI investigation when officers noticed a firearm in BIRDINE’S waistband. The firearm was reported stolen from the State of Florida. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, police also recovered a quantity of cocaine and a scale. Cocaine was also recovered from BIRDINE’S person.

BIRDINE faces a 5-year determinate term of incarceration, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.  He is scheduled to be sentenced before the Honorable Thomas G. Leone on June 15, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.

“Thanks to the quick actions of the New York State Police and the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, this individual was apprehended and brought to justice. The District Attorney’s Office has made it a priority to focus on the prosecution of violent felony offenders and has increased our efforts to secure convictions of these individuals. Any individual who brings an illegal firearm into our County will be held accountable.”