People v. Mendez

<div>People v Mendez - 2026 NY Slip Op 01991

<div> skip to main content </div>

<div> <p>It appears you are using Adblock. Please disable Adblock to best experience our website.</p> </div>

<div> <header> <div> <img src="/reporter/images/nys-logo-white.svg" alt=""> </div> <div> <span title="Law Reporting Bureau Home Page">Law Reporting <br>Bureau <span></span></span> <span>Thomas J.K. Smith, State Reporter</span> <nav> Court Decisions Resources About </nav> </div> <div> <img src="/reporter/images/lrb-seal.png" alt=""> </div> </header> </div>

<nav> <ol> <li>Home</li> <li>All Court Decisions</li> <li>Decisions</li> </ol> </nav> <div> <div> <h1>People v Mendez</h1> <p>2026 NY Slip Op 01991</p> <p>April 1, 2026</p> <p>Appellate Division, Second Department</p> <p>Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.</p> <p>This decision is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the Official Reports.</p> </div> <div> <p>The People of the State of New York, respondent,</p> <p>v</p> <p>Evelio Mendez, appellant.</p> </div> <p>Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department</p> <p>Decided on April 1, 2026</p> <p>Lara J. Genovesi, J.P.</p> <p>William G. Ford</p> <p>Helen Voutsinas</p> <p>Donna-Marie E. Golia, JJ.</p> <div> <p>James D. Licata, New City, NY (Lois Cappelletti of counsel), for appellant.</p> <p>Thomas E. Walsh II, District Attorney, New City, NY (Melissa Fabi of counsel), for respondent.</p> </div> <span>[*1]</span> <p>DECISION &amp; ORDER</p> <p>Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the County Court, Rockland County (Anne B. Bianchi, J.), rendered June 18, 2024, convicting him of course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree, upon his plea of guilty, and imposing sentence.</p> <p>ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed.</p> <p>Contrary to the People's contention, the defendant's purported waiver of the right to appeal was invalid. The County Court's terse oral colloquy mischaracterized the nature of the appeal waiver as an absolute bar to the taking of a direct appeal by stating only that it was a waiver of the "right to appeal your conviction and sentence" (<i>see</i> <i>People v Thomas</i>, 34 NY3d 545; <i>People v Muhammad</i>, 231 AD3d 868, 869). Accordingly, the purported waiver does not preclude appellate review of the defendant's excessive sentence claim (<i>see</i> <i>People v Lawrence</i>, 227 AD3d 829, 829; <i>People v Richards</i>, 224 AD3d 782, 783).</p> <p>Nonetheless, the sentence imposed was not excessive (<i>see</i> <i>People v Suitte</i>, 90 AD2d 80).</p> <p>GENOVESI, J.P., FORD, VOUTSINAS and GOLIA, JJ., concur.</p> <p>ENTER:</p> <p>Darrell M. Joseph</p> <p>Clerk of the Court</p> </div>

<div> <footer> <div> <p>Court Decisions</p> All Court Decisions Official Reports Service Bound Volumes Decision Search </div> <div> <p>Resources</p> RSS Feeds Style Manual Citation Tools Opinion Formatting &amp; Privacy Guidelines Opinion Selection Criteria Legal Research Portal Site Index </div> <div> <p>About</p> About the Law Reporting Bureau About our Operations Contact Us Twitter </div> <div> <p>Quick Contact Info</p> <p>17 Lodge Street</p> <p>Albany, NY 12207</p> <p>Phone: (518) 453-6900</p> </div> </footer> </div> <div> <p>Links to or from other sites do not signify endorsement or relationship with them.</p> </div>

</div>