GUILDERLAND — Thomas McLaughlin, 39, who was part of a drug bust a year ago, pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted criminal possession of a handgun in front of Judge Stephen Herrick in Albany County Court on Tuesday.

On March 31, 2014, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on the Western Motel, at 2019 Western Ave., which they had been watching for signs of drug activity after receiving an anonymous tip.

Sheriff Craig Apple told The Enterprise, last year, that, when he was ready to go in with the search warrant, a flurry of activity, which he didn’t anticipate, was going on at the motel.

Apple said that investigators watched one man enter the motel office and exit immediately, and police then followed him and stopped him, finding him in possession of cocaine, hash, and Xanax pills.

Later, while the investigators were raiding the motel office, McLaughlin arrived carrying a backpack and looking for the motel’s manager, Joshua Bojkovic. A release from the Albany County District Attorney’s office this week said that McLaughlin claimed to be at the motel to fix the plumbing.

A search of McLaughlin revealed he had two pounds of marijuana and a loaded .40-caliber Glock handgun in his possession, the release said. 

A check showed that he was a convicted felon and had a revoked pistol permit.

Investigators then conducted a search of McLaughlin’s Watervliet home and found two more handguns and another half-pound of marijuana.

In total, five people were arrested after the search, and McLaughlin was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony; third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony; and second-degree criminal possession of marijuana; a felony.

On Tuesday, McLaughlin pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon, a class D armed felony, the release said.

He faces three years in state prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision, when he is sentenced on May 19.

Assistant District Attorney Steven Sharp of the Street Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.