GOSHEN - A Newburgh man was sentenced Monday to 12 years in state prison after pleading guilty to assaulting a man described by prosecutors as a lifelong acquaintance.

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said the defendant, Melfred Williams, 53, of Newburgh, also was sentenced to five years of post-release supervision.

Hoovler said Williams pleaded guilty to first-degree assault, a felony, for slashing a man on Lander Street in the city of Newburgh on May 21, 2022.

Hoovler said several people who witnessed the slashing immediately gave first aid to the man who was attacked and brought him to nearby Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital.

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Williams was subsequently arrested by city of Newburgh police.

"Far too frequently, we see the results of violent crime in the city of Newburgh," Hoovler said in a statement released by his office. "The dedicated police officers who patrol and investigate the streets of the city should be commended for their work in this case. Thankfully, in this case the selfless actions of the bystanders who rendered aid to the victim exemplifies the best aspects of what it means to live in a close-knit and caring community."

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, Poughkeepsie Journal and The Journal News/lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Newburgh man sentenced to prison for 12 years for assault