Joe Centra, Esq.

Joseph J. Centra is an experienced criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor who works in Syracuse, New York. Joe’s practice primarily focuses on criminal defense, DWI and traffic matters. 

These cases range from minor first time offenses to the most serious arrests including driving while intoxicated, violent felony offenses, economic (white collar) crimes, and narcotics possession and distribution. As an attorney, Joe has handled hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases. 

Joe began as an assistant district attorney at the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. While working as an assistant district attorney, he started out in the Law and Appeals Bureau, where he prepared several legal briefs and had the unique opportunity to argue cases in both the Appellate Division of the Fourth Department and in the New York State Court of Appeals. After leaving the Law and Appeals Bureau, Joe began handling misdemeanor-level cases. Joe was promoted to the Economic Fraud and Financial Crime Bureau within one year of starting at the DA’s office. While in the Economic Fraud and Financial Crime Bureau, Joe handled hundreds of felony-level white-collar cases, including grand larcenies, embezzlement, falsifying business records, and forgery-related crimes. After prosecuting white collar cases for approximately three years, Joe moved to the Narcotics Bureau where he handled all levels of drug related arrests ranging from misdemeanor drug possession to felony level drug possession and sales. While in the Narcotics Bureau, Joe also handled numerous violent felony cases including weapon and gun possession. 

Joe has effectively handled many hearings and has successfully conducted numerous felony and misdemeanor jury trials as both a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. Joe’s experience litigating and managing hundreds of criminal cases has given him unique ability to review each and every case with extreme detail and pinpoint the legal issues within that matter.  This experience has given Joe the ability to effectively represent and counsel his clients in all criminal and traffic matters.