CARMEL, NEW YORK – December 15, 2025 - Derek Keith Williams was sentenced to 180 days in County Jail on December 12, 2025, after he was previously found guilty of misdemeanor Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the Second Degree after a jury trial in the Town of Philipstown Justice Court on May 2, 2025.

On October 4, 2023, Williams was driving on Route 9 in Philipstown with no license plates on his motor vehicle when he was observed and stopped by Putnam County Sheriff’s Deputy Ashley Piqueras.

During the traffic stop Deputy Piqueras determined that Williams had no insurance, no registration, no driver’s license, and had a total of nine prior suspensions from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

Williams told Deputy Piqueras that he was “exercising his right to travel,” that he had not “entered into a contract with the DMV,” and that as such he was not bound by the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
The case proceeded to a Jury Trial before Judge Angela Thompson-Tinsley after which Williams was found guilty of Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the Second Degree, Operating Without a License Plate, Operating Without Insurance, Operating Without a License, and Operating Without Registration.

After the conviction on May 2, 2025, Williams failed to appear for sentencing on May 28, 2025. He subsequently appeared on June 25, 2025, at which time the Court released him but ordered him to comply with a Pre-Sentence Investigation to be conducted by County Probation and to return on August 27, 2025.

Williams did not comply with the Pre-Sentence Investigation, nor did he appear for sentence on August 27, 2025. At that time, the Court issued a Bench Warrant for Williams to be brought before the Court.

Williams was finally apprehended by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office on November 1, 2025, and brought before the Court on the bench warrant. At that time, the court remanded Williams to the Putnam County Jail pending completion of the Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI).

Upon receipt of the completed PSI, the Court brought Williams back for sentencing on Friday December 12, 2025, and sentenced him to the maximum 180 days.

The Putnam County District Attorney’s Office thanks law enforcement, particularly Deputy Ashley Piqueras, for not only her vigilance on patrol in Philipstown that day, but her cooperation with the prosecution of the case. And the office also thanks the members of the community who served as jurors for listening diligently to the evidence, partaking in deliberations, and producing a just result. The case was tried by Assistant District Attorney Jason Marquard.