Baldwin man gets 15-year prison sentence

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A Baldwin man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiring to sell cocaine and possessing illegal firearms, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said on July 1.

Jaime Corchado, 37, who formerly owned a Kew Gardens bodega —Louis’s Deli & Grocery at 85-56 118th Street — was convicted last month of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of marijuana and fourth-degree conspiracy.

Brown said that, according to trial testimony, it was learned during the course of a long-term joint narcotics investigation that on Dec. 17, 2010, Corchado was meeting a narcotics buyer in order to sell him an “eight ball,” which is slang for a quantity of cocaine. At approximately 6:10 p.m. that day, police observed Corchado arrive at the intersection of 69th Street and Forest Avenue, driving a black 2007 Mercedes S50 sedan. Police observed the buyer approach and enter Corchado’s car, and after a brief transaction with Corchado, the buyer then exited the vehicle. When police stopped the buyer moments later, within 15 feet of the sale location, they recovered a plastic bag containing cocaine from the buyer’s pants pocket.

Between November 2010 and August 2011, Corchado was overheard engaging in hundreds of narcotics-related communications on his cell phone. On Aug. 17, 2011, a court-authorized search warrant was executed at Corchado’s convenience store while Corchado was present at the location. From beneath the refrigerated deli counter, police recovered two plastic bags containing cocaine, two plastic bags containing marijuana and a scale.

Later that night, a search warrant was authorized and executed at Corchado’s Baldwin residence. Police recovered a Sig Saber 380 caliber pistol, a Winchester single barrel shotgun with magnifying scope, magazines and approximately 100 rounds of various caliber ammunition.