|
Jury Convicts Lewis County Driver for Driving Despite
24 License Suspensions
Published: October 21, 2025
at 04:30 p.m.
By: Press Release
from Lewis County District Attorney’s Office
HON. JEFFERY G. TOMPKINS
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Jury Convicts Lewis County Driver After He Drove
Despite 24 License Suspensions
Lowville, New
York- Lewis County District Attorney Jeffery G. Tompkins announced today
that a Lewis County jury has found Andrew D. Gibbs, 37, guilty of
Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the First Degree, a
felony.
The trial began
on Monday, October 20, 2025, and concluded today. The case was prosecuted
by Chief Assistant District Attorney Joseph Hobika III. Gibbs was
represented by Attorney Eric Swartz.
Gibbs was accused
of operating a motor vehicle while his driver’s license was suspended 24
times on 13 different dates for failing to answer court summonses, which in
this case were traffic tickets he had been issued. During the trial, Gibbs
took the stand in his own defense and argued that he was “traveling” rather
than driving, a defense commonly used by sovereign citizens, who claim the
Constitution gives them a “right to travel.”
DA Tompkins
commented: "There is a misconception promoted by so-called
sovereign citizens that individuals have a constitutional 'right to travel'
allowing them to ignore traffic laws and regulations. This case emphasizes
that those theories are baseless, and the jury’s verdict holds Mr. Gibbs
accountable for his actions."
Sentencing is
scheduled for December 23, 2025, in Lewis County Court. Gibbs faces a
potential state prison sentence of one and one-third to four years.
|
