PEOPLE v. CANDELARIO (2018)

Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Bonnie G. Wittner, J.), rendered December 21, 2011 convicting defendant, upon his plea of guilty, of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, and sentencing him, as a second felony drug offender, to term of 12 years, unanimously affirmed.

The court providently exercised its discretion in denying defendant's motion to withdraw his plea.  “[T]he nature and extent of the fact-finding procedures on such motions rest largely in the discretion of the court” (People v. Fiumefreddo, 82 N.Y.2d 536, 544, 605 N.Y.S.2d 671, 626 N.E.2d 646 [1993] ).  Defendant received a full opportunity to state his claims, with the assistance of newly assigned counsel.  Defendant's claim that he did not understand his obligations under the plea agreement is contradicted by the record (see People v. Frederick, 45 N.Y.2d 520, 526, 410 N.Y.S.2d 555, 382 N.E.2d 1332 [1978] ).  The plea colloquy and written plea agreement, both of which were translated for

defendant by an interpreter, spelled out the conditions of the plea, and defendant acknowledged that he understood them.