ITHACA, N.Y. — A man accepted a plea deal Tuesday afternoon on a felony drug charge, after being found with cocaine at a Cornell University housing suite in December.
Lehman Schwab pleaded guilty to one county of felony third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was initially indicted on two counts of the same charge.
Schwab said in court, “I did possess a rock of cocaine weighing about 19 grams in my dorm room.”
Records show that around 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 4, police went into Schwab’s room, 251-C, as part of a joint drug investigation between Cornell police, Ithaca police and the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.
In the room, records show, police found nearly 20 grams of cocaine along with small ziplock bags and a digital scale officers believe was being used in the process of selling the drug.
Cornell officials have repeatedly been unable to confirm Schwab’s status as a student by Ithaca Voice deadlines.
According to the plea deal, Schwab has been approved for judicial diversion. He must complete felony drug treatment court and be on probation for about a year. He has also completed long-term inpatient treatment in a Florida treatment center.
Judge Joseph Cassidy said that upon successful completion of the program, factors such as criminal history and the age of the defendant could be weighed and considered to reduce the felony charge to an A misdemeanor.
Schwab was represented by attorney John Stevens The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eliza Filipowski, though ADA Dan Johnson filled in Tuesday.