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Dontie Mitchell, a self-proclaimed anti-violence activist, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Monday (March 3) in Albany for criminal possession of a weapon. The charge is linked to an August 2023 shooting in Cohoes that resulted in the death of Shieer Leggett. Although Mitchell was acquitted of murder in Leggett's death, he was found guilty of possessing a firearm during the incident.
Mitchell's sentencing follows a history of legal troubles. He had previously served time for armed robberies before his sentence was commuted by former Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2021. During the recent trial, Mitchell claimed he was trying to protect a teenager he was mentoring from gang members when the shootout occurred. However, Judge Andra Ackerman was not persuaded by his defense, which included claims that the gun was placed in his car by a youth he was mentoring.
Judge Ackerman criticized Mitchell's actions and dismissed his claims of victimhood, stating, "You are the most dangerous in this situation." According to Times Union, Mitchell's trial also revealed that one of the youths he mentored testified that Mitchell paid him for sex.
Mitchell is also facing additional legal challenges, including charges of rape and unlawful surveillance, to which he has pleaded not guilty. He is scheduled to return to court on March 21 for these charges. As reported by NEWS10 ABC, Mitchell expressed frustration over his sentence, arguing that others involved in the incident received lighter sentences.