Man sentenced to state prison for fraudulent checks incident

Patrick Booker. (Photo source: Kevin L. Smith/The Cortland Voice).

An Ithaca man was sentenced to 1.5-3 years at a state correctional facility for crimes against him involving fraudulent checks in the fall of 2020 on Tuesday afternoon at the Cortland County Courthouse.

Patrick Booker, 30, was convicted on his charge of second-degree possession of a forged instrument (a Class-E Felony), which he pleaded guilty to back in August of last year.

In September of 2020, Booker attempted to forge two checks — one for $544.22 and the other for $344.22 — between Sept. 3-5, 2020, at The Gable Inn on Port Watson Street in the city of Cortland.

According to a Cortland Voice article in August 2021, Booker successfully forged the first check on Sept. 3, 2020. His attempt at another forged check on Sept. 5, however, drew suspicion from an employee at The Gable Inn, which led to the employee calling city police.

An officer requested to speak with Booker outside of The Gable Inn, but Booker decided to flee the scene. City police caught up with Booker and apprehended him in a parking lot not too far from the motel.

“I made a mistake. There’s consequences to those (mistakes), and I’ll accept the consequences that come to me,” Booker noted on behalf of his sentencing. “I made the decisions for myself and I can’t make excuses, so I have to live with it.”

Booker will not appeal his sentencing, as noted in county court Tuesday afternoon.

“I know it’s tough out there. It’s unfortunate the conditions we find ourselves in sometimes,” County judge David Alexander said. “It gives me no pleasure to sentence you in this matter. I hope time passes quickly.”