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Terrance Hines, 45, was sentenced by Judge Thomas Leone that morning in Cayuga County Court to 12 years in state prison for third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci said in a news release.

Hines was found guilty by a jury of possessing more than an eighth of an ounce of cocaine, with the intent to sell it, after a five-day trial in April. The Finger Lakes Drug Task Force found the cocaine, along with packaging material, a cutting agent and a scale, while executing a search warrant at Hines' home in October 2022.

Hines was also sentenced to three years of post-release supervision for the Class B felony possession charge, as well as eight years in state prison followed by three years of post-release supervision for fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (a Class C felony). Both sentences will run concurrently. 

The case was prosecuted by Cayuga County District Attorney's Office Special Counsel Mark Moody.

The trial took place after Leone dismissed motions by Hines' attorney, Todd Sloan, arguing the charges were "selective and retaliatory prosecution" for a $50 million federal lawsuit filed by Hines' wife, Sara, against the county and the DA's office for allegedly violating her civil rights by arresting and prosecuting her on welfare fraud charges the state later reversed. The drug charges were filed in February 2024, a year and a half after the search of Hines' home and a month after the lawsuit was filed. Sloan moved to dismiss the charges or move them to another jurisdiction.

Grome Antonacci said at the time that Sloan's allegations of retaliatory prosecution and conflict of interest are "meritless" and "baseless."