Suspect arraigned in connection to Plattekill homicide

KINGSTON, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Ulster County District Attorney’s Office arraigned Junando Dawkins, 29 of Newburgh on March 10. Dawkins was arraigned in connection with an indictment stemming from a homicide investigation in Plattekill.

The homicide investigation conducted by the New York State Police, Highland in collaboration with Investigators and assistant district attorneys of Ulster County District Attorney’s Office looked into the death of Daniel Spotards, 41. A local sanitation worker found the body of the father of two at the end of his driveway in Plattekill on January 2. The investigation showed that Spotards was shot multiple times on January 1.

The indictment charged Dawkins with second-degree murder and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. The defendant was remanded to Ulster County Jail without bail following his extradition from North Carolina. Dawkins faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted of second-degree murder. The minimum possible sentence is 15 years to life.