Photo: allanswart / iStock / Getty Images
An Albany man, Samir Princeton, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for possessing an illegal firearm and narcotics while awaiting trial for a 2023 murder. On Tuesday (September 2), Judge William Little sentenced the 21-year-old, who pleaded guilty to charges including Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and multiple counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance. Princeton was arrested twice last year, found with a loaded Glock handgun and various drugs, including fentanyl and oxycodone.
Princeton is also facing charges related to the May 13, 2023, shooting at Village Barber and Beauty in Albany, which resulted in the death of Tyrone Staley. The shooting, believed to be gang-related, also injured a 9-year-old boy and another man. Staley's fiancée, Jaymie McKeon, expressed her grief during the sentencing of another suspect, Timmoure Miller, who was sentenced to 25 years for his role in the incident.
Princeton and co-defendant Dejoune Smith are awaiting a new trial date for the murder charges. The shooting occurred when the suspects allegedly targeted a rival gang member outside the barbershop, leading to unintended casualties inside.