Former Rochester City Court Judge Leticia Astacio has been sentenced to six months in jail for violating probation.
During a hearing on Tuesday, Astacio pleaded guilty to missing probation appointments on August 13 and 20.
For that, Ontario County Court Judge Lisa Toole, who is presiding over the case, sentenced Astacio to serve 180 days in jail.
"I'm not happy about it. I'm not going to tolerate it. Your actions show you do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it. It stops today and it stops now." said Judge Toole.
Astacio was handcuffed and taken into custody immediately following sentencing. Before she was led away, Judge Toole told Astacio she has single-handedly changed the view the community has on the judicial system, calling what she's done appalling.
Astacio is also accused of failing to abstain from using or possessing alcoholic beverages. She allegedly tested positive for alcohol in June and failed to cooperate with the Ignition Interlock Program. During Tuesday's hearing, she admitted to not showing up for probation hearings, but would not admit consuming alcohol or failing to cooperate with the Ignition Interlock Program.
During a court appearance in late October, Astacio said she intentionally stopped going to probation to get a violation of probation order, so she could get in front of a judge and argue that the sentence she continues to serve is illegal.
Astacio said the last few years have been difficult, stressful and embarrassing for her. The judge and senior assistant district attorney said this was nothing but a result of her own actions.
“Everything that has happened to Ms. Astacio has happened because of her choice," said Chris Kvam, a senior assistant district attorney for Monroe County. "Those choices started with her decision to consume alcohol and get behind the wheel. Those decisions continued after her sentence after her trial where she did not adhere to the restrictions of the interlock device and she put herself where she is today.”
The former judge has been on probation since she was convicted of DWI in 2016. She was later removed from her seat on the court by the New York State Court of Appeals.
Astacio has been accused of violating her probation before. Most notably when she was accused of trying to buy shotgun at a local Dick's Sporting Goods store. She was found not guilty in that case and was allowed to keep her law license. Since then, she has continued to work as an attorney and even represented herself in this matter.
Once Astacio’s jail time has been served, her probation will be terminated and the case will officially be over.