WYOMING COUNTY/Pennsylvania man sentenced after assaulting a deputy during a traffic stop

On Monday, March 6, 2023, Paul J. Durinko, a 54-year-old resident of Girardville, Pennsylvania, appeared for sentencing before the Honorable Michael M. Mohun on convictions for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance third degree, a Class “B” Felony, and Assault second degree, a Class “D” violent felony.

Judge Mohun sentenced Durinko to 5 years in NYS Prison with 3 years post release supervision on the Assault second degree charge and 5 years in NYS Prison with 2 years post release supervision on the Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance third degree conviction, to run concurrent with each other.

Durinko was one of three passengers in a vehicle driven by Joseph A. Brennan on January 26, 2022. Following a routine traffic stop for traffic infractions, Undersheriff Colin Reagan ran the ID’s of the people in the vehicle and found two Pennsylvania warrants for two of the passengers. During his subsequent investigation, Undersheriff Reagan found an unregistered handgun on Brennan. Brennan was then secured, and backup was called.

Once backup arrived, Durinko was asked to exit the vehicle and Undersheriff Reagan began to frisk him. Durinko began to resist the frisk. When Undersheriff Reagan felt a rocky substance in his pocket, Durinko began resisting Undersheriff Reagan and turned towards Deputy John Button. During the course of the struggle, Durinko repeatedly kicked Deputy John Button in the rib area until a Taser was used. As a result of the Assault, Deputy John Button suffered multiple broken ribs. Once Durinko was secured, Undersheriff Reagan located a “softball sized” amount of methamphetamine in Durinko’s pocket.

During the search of Brennan, Undersheriff Reagan located a small amount of methamphetamine. On August 8, 2022, Brennan was sentenced on convictions for Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree to six months in jail / five years’ probation / $5,000.00 fine.

“Methamphetamine is an especially dangerous drug that continues to have a severe consequences for our community. Paul J. Durinko was trafficking a substantial amount of methamphetamine through this county along with a significant amount of cash. When he was about to be caught for that trafficking, Paul J. Durinko fought with multiple deputies and ended up breaking the ribs of Deputy Button. There is zero tolerance for this type of behavior especially when people do not obey the lawful commands of law enforcement and during the course of that illegal behavior an officer is injured. Judge Mohun’s sentence is an appropriate sentence that should send a clear message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated in Wyoming County,” said First Assistant District Attorney Vincent A. Hemming.

The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Vincent Hemming. Daniel Dubois, Esq. represented the Defendant.