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A 17-year-old from Syracuse named Jeffery Felton, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his involvement in a deadly drive-by shooting. On Wednesday (March 26), Felton was sentenced after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter for the death of 37-year-old Daquan Sullivan. The incident occurred on July 8, 2023, on South State Street in Syracuse.
Felton admitted to being with two others, Nasir Alrobyai and Myquise Williams, during the shooting. Williams received a sentence of 20 years to life after pleading guilty to second-degree murder, while Alrobyai was found guilty of second-degree murder and is awaiting sentencing, scheduled for April 2. According to Syracuse.com, the motive behind the shooting was retaliation for the murder of their friend, Karlianne Short, days before Sullivan's death. Sullivan was not involved in Short's murder.
Judge Melinda McGunnigle acknowledged Felton's family support but emphasized the senselessness of the crime. "It's sad that despite all the support you have, as you've acknowledged yourself, that you had an association with negative, delinquent peers that led you to be in this position," she said. McGunnigle expressed hope that Felton would remember the pain caused to Sullivan's family and strive to lead a productive, crime-free life after his release.
The tragic incident highlights the devastating impact of retaliatory violence and the importance of addressing the underlying issues that lead to such crimes. Felton's sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense, while also considering his lesser involvement compared to his co-defendants, as reported by CNY Central.