Shinnecock drug, gun charges not dropped as planned

The charges against a Bronx man who claims he is wrongly accused in a Shinnecock Reservation gun and drug bust were not dropped as planned Monday. Sean Ballou spent 53 days behind bars before being released

News 12 Staff

Oct 15, 2007, 10:17 PM

Updated 6,178 days ago

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The charges against a Bronx man who claims he is wrongly accused in a Shinnecock Reservation gun and drug bust were not dropped as planned Monday.
Sean Ballou spent 53 days behind bars before being released on October 1, when prosecutors said they wanted to dismiss the charges. At that hearing, the judge said he wanted to hear more from the prosecution before acting. Instead of having the charges dropped on Monday, an official from the district attorney's office asked for a two-week delay for further investigation, postponing the potential dismissal of charges until October 29.
Ballou has repeatedly said he should not have been arrested in connection with the April crackdown.
"I work hard, you know what I'm saying, to provide for my family," he said. "I live an honest life. They know it's not me."
Ballou said he had never been to Suffolk County before his arrest, let alone be involved in criminal activity there. His initial attorney, assigned by Legal Aid, never met him, he said. Joseph Han-shee, his new lawyer, has been more helpful, Ballou said.
Legal Aid declined comment on the conduct of its lawyer.