South Fallsburg, NY: A man convicted on drug charges seeks to overturn his conviction, arguing a state police officer who coveted his girlfriend framed him.
Colone R. DaCosta’s motion to vacate his conviction alleges criminal conduct on the part of former State Police Senior Investigator William Young Jr.
Young resigned from the state police after evidence of his texting Rose Steingart urging her to leave DaCosta and live with him.
Some texts were explicit.
But Young did not stop there.
DaCosta claims Young threatened him during an unjustified traffic stop, warning him to stay away from the then 18-year-old Steingart or face consequences.
Despite this warning, DaCosta continued the relationship with Steingart who lived with him.
He said he later learned from Steingart that Young had allegedly pursued her romantically since she was 12.
DaCosta claims Young surveilled his home and contacted Steingart’s relative, Nathan Steingart, a councilman in Fallsburg, to inquire about her whereabouts.
Months later, state troopers raided DaCosta’s home, charging him with drug possession and distribution based on two alleged sales. DaCosta says he was set up in retaliation for defying Young’s threats.
Sullivan County Judge Frank LaBuda reportedly authorized the warrant based on a confidential informant who apparently did not exist or could not be located.
Records show a missing chain of custody for the alleged drug evidence, lab reports that remained concealed for two years, and a lack of judicial review of a confidential informant.
The supporting evidence was a search warrant affidavit signed by investigator Christina Sanfeliz, who had received the case from Young.
DaCosta’s original attorney advised him to accept a plea deal without reviewing the case discovery. DaCosta withdrew his plea and hired a new attorney, who discouraged him from trial.
DaCosta argues the search warrant used to obtain evidence against him was based on fraudulent information, including a fictitious informant and fabricated drug evidence.
The motion asserts that DaCosta’s former attorney, Benjamin Greenwald, failed to pursue hearings or investigate the claims of police misconduct. His prior defense counsel, John Janusas, allegedly failed to provide DaCosta access to key discovery materials, including lab reports.
Despite being ordered to turn over the lab reports in 2019, the prosecution delayed their release for two years.
Additionally, law enforcement failed to produce “buy money” or any evidence linking him to drug sales.
In the Catskills, they may have their own brand of justice and far be it from Frank Report to condemn it. But as it looks now, DaCosta is a fall guy in prison.
A police officer who wanted his girlfriend, since she was 12, sets the guy up and gets his idiot buddy judge to sign off based on a fictional informant.
The judge who signed the original warrant, Judge LaBuda, was charged with running over his own brother with an ATV in Wurtsborough, NY. He is now retired.
Officer Young is also retired. After his amorous and highly inappropriate texting to the teen girl, replete with creative emojis, came to the surface, the police quietly told him to go home and not return.
Worse luck for Young, though he tried desperately to win the affection of the teenage girl he wanted since she was 12, she was not interested. After the police picked up her boyfriend, the girl left the Catskills and their peculiar form of justice and went to California.
Meanwhile, DaCosta remains imprisoned at Groveland Correctional Facility in Sonyea, NY.
Frank Report will have much more to report on the quaint mountain interplay between law enforcement, councilman, judges, and their brothers and the teenage girls they covet.
To be continued.
