DA: Man pleads guilty to tampering with evidence

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Schenectady County Office of the District Attorney reported the guilty plea of Fabian Hance, 30, formerly of Schenectady, to tampering with physical evidence on Monday. This guilty plea was taken shortly before a jury selection and trial were to begin on a three-count indictment.

Indictment charges:

• Second-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon
• Tampering with physical evidence
• Second-degree harassment

These charges stemmed from a domestic violence incident that occurred in Schenectady on August 30, 2022, according to the Office of the District Attorney. In this incident, it is alleged that Hance repeatedly hit the mother of his child before she was able to escape and Hance fled the scene when police and firefighters were responding to the area.

It is also alleged that Hance hid a backpack in a person's backyard when escaping that contained a loaded pistol and a box of ammunition. The DA's office reports that the recovered pistol was inoperable due to a firing pin malfunction.

Hance's guilty plea will result in him receiving a sentence of one and a half to three years of incarceration with sentencing scheduled for June 27 at Schenectady County Court. The domestic violence victim will be issued an 11-year full stay-away order of protection.