Near-Miss Gunman Sentenced: Orange County DA

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — Raul Paz, 34, of Newburgh, has been sentenced to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision in connection with his previous guilty plea in Orange County Court to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.

Prosecutors said Paz waited outside a man's home in Newburgh May 14, 2023, pulled out a gun when the man came home and fired at him, barely missing.

The incident was captured on surveillance video, prosecutors said.

When Paz was apprehended by the police, he identified himself in still photos from the video and admitted to the shooting. At the plea proceedings, Paz admitted to illegally possessing a loaded firearm, prosecutors said.

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department for their investigation.

“Dangerous weapons in the hands of dangerous offenders are a recipe for disaster,” Hoovler said. “While thankfully no one was injured in this case, an irreversible outcome was perilously close to reality. The City of Newburgh Police conducted a careful and thorough investigation which led to the conviction and sentence imposed in this case. We will continue our dedicated pursuit of illegally possessed guns and the criminals who choose to wield them.”