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A Schenectady man, Sincere Cancer, has pleaded guilty to his involvement in the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Destiny Greene. The plea was entered on Wednesday (April 16) in Albany County Court, where Cancer admitted to second-degree attempted murder. This plea comes as part of a deal that will see him serve 25 years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision.
The tragic incident occurred on May 24, 2021, when Cancer and his accomplice, Brandon Rivera, planned a robbery under the guise of a Facebook Marketplace transaction. During the attempted robbery, they fired several shots into a vehicle on Wilbur Street in Albany, where Greene was sitting. She was struck by the gunfire and later died from her injuries at Albany Memorial Hospital.
Rivera, who was previously sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the crime, had orchestrated the robbery. At the time of his sentencing, Greene's family expressed their profound grief and loss. "I’m so angry. I will never be at peace because my heart isn’t whole anymore," said Greene's mother, Tareen Lynch-Greene, during Rivera's sentencing, as reported by the Times Union.
During the court proceedings, Cancer addressed Greene's family, saying, "I’m sorry for your loss," as he was led out of the courtroom by Albany County sheriff’s deputies, according to NEWS10 ABC. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18.
The plea deal reflects a similar outcome to Rivera's case, where both defendants avoided murder charges but accepted responsibility for attempted murder. The case has been a painful reminder of the impact of gun violence on families and communities.