THE FEDERAL OFFENSE DID NOT REQUIRE THAT THE FIREARM BE OPERABLE BUT THE NEW YORK OFFENSE DOES; THEREFORE THE FEDERAL OFFENSE IS NOT A PREDICATE OFFENSE FOR SENTENCING PURPOSES; THE DEFENDANT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SENTENCED AS A SECOND FELONY OFFENDER; ALTHOUGH THE ISSUE WAS NOT PRESERVED, IT WAS CONSIDERED ON APPEAL IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the federal felony was not equivalent to a New York felony and therefore could not serve as a predicate offense. Defendant, therefore, should not have been sentenced as a second felony offender. Although the issue was not preserved, it was considered on appeal in the interest of justice:

The defendant’s contention that his prior federal conviction of unlawful possession of a firearm in violation of 18 USC § 922(g)(l) did not qualify as a predicate New York felony pursuant to Penal Law § 70.06 is unpreserved for appellate review … . However, we reach the issue in the exercise of our interest of justice jurisdiction … .

“An out-of-state felony conviction qualifies as a predicate felony under Penal Law § 70.06 only if it is for a crime whose elements are equivalent to those of a felony in New York” … . Here, the defendant’s predicate crime does not require as one of its elements that the firearm be operable (see 18 USC § 922[g][1] …) and, thus, does not constitute a felony in New York for the purpose of enhanced sentencing … . People v Cabassa, 2020 NY Slip Op 06282, Second Dept 11-4-20